UCI has a dozen extracurricular environmental groups, so students are strongly encouraged to take part in eco-activities. The school, which hosts the high-profile "Toward a Sustainable 21st Century" conference, recycles more than 70% of its trash, while "hydration stations" help reduce bottled-water waste. Above, students plant an orange tree in a new on-campus grove.

Photo courtesy of Steve Zylius/UC Irvine