Lewis and Clark Community College’s school color may be a vibrant blue, but a concern for the environment has the College thinking green.

The global scientific consensus is that the human race needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by mid-century at the latest in order to avert the worst impacts and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.

Lewis and Clark is doing its part by developing a number of green initiatives and educating campus and the community about sustainability solutions.

Read our full Green Sustainability Manifesto - March 2010

Commitments
Lewis and Clark’s commitment to “going green” has been formalized through signed agreements with three entities:

• American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
• Illinois Community College Sustainability Network (ICCSN)
• Illinois Sustainable University Commitment (ISUC)

Institutional Memberships:

• U.S. Green Building Council        
• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Our Vision
The College has begun a series of projects to realize a vision tentatively labeled EcoCampus.  This concept envisions a campus that:

• Obtains most or all of its energy from clean renewable energy systems
• Uses eco-friendly substances and materials
• Minimizes the use of, and properly disposes of hazardous materials
• Conserves energy and other non-renewable resources
• Educates students, employees, local citizens and others on the importance of conservation, recycling and other sustainability practices
• Providess training in green-related occupations such as installing and maintaining solar technology, hydro-kinetic turbines and other hydro-powered technologies, wind turbines, geothermal systems, alternative fueled vehicles, wastewater management, pollution and water quality management,  carbon / GHG footprint analyses, and energy audits.

1. Significantly reduce GHG emissions and the carbon footprint
2. Become less reliant or completely free of the energy grid
3. Significantly reduce the use of eco-unfriendly materials and substances (e.g., plastic, harmful inkjets, etc.);
   
4. Optimize recycling
5. Drastically reduce the use of paper
6. Conserve and reduce the use of energy, water, and other resources
7. Through education, training, and outreach, create / transform our district into a culture of sustainability, where sustainability best practices become common behavior among individuals and groups

Taking Action
To help realize this vision, the College has established a campus-wide Green Committee with Action Teams organized around seven focus areas that evolved from a campus-wide survey of faculty and staff: 

1. Recycling / extended use / renewable materials
2. Environmental literacy and awareness
3. Eco-friendly materials and hazardous waste management
4. Conservation of energy, water, and other resources
5. Carbon footprint – commuting and travel sources
6. Carbon footprint – buildings and energy use sources
7. Campus and woodlands environmental sustainability.

Along with the College's efforts, students are also doing their part. The  Green Living Club is working with the Recycling Action Team to implement a plastic bottle recycling program on campus. The Biology Club is working with Campus and Woodlands Sustainability action team to monitor and restore China Creek and the surrounding forested areas.   

Current Projects
Following an energy audit and carbon footprint analysis in early 2009, the College used the Clean Air/Cool Planet Carbon Calculator to establish a baseline for energy use and GHG emissions. This data will be used to develop in 2010 a comprehensive plan for sustainability that is consistent with the EcoCampus vision and includes the Climate Action Plan prescribed by the ACUPCC.

• Phasing Our Use of Styrofoam on campus - Food Services replaced Styrofoam and to-go containers with recycled paper products.  Plastic utensils have been replaced with a line of biodegradable products made of potatoes (TaterWare™).  Catered events on campus now feature real silverware instead of plastic utensils.        
• Reducing  Food Waste:  The College purchased a commercial grade composter to recycle waste from food services into rich compost for landscaping.        
• Energy Efficient Campus Lighting:  Following a comprehensive audit of all the lighting on campus, low energy compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs were installed throughout campus buildings.  New buildings have automatic light turn-off systems and low flow toilets.
• Hatheway Parking lot: The new parking lot expansion features energy efficient LED lighting and solar powered security call boxes.   Storm water runoff is cleansed by plantings in bioswales before it enters the surrounding waterways.   Planting zones throughout the lot will feature canopy trees, which will shade paved surfaces, thereby reducing the urban heat island effect. Landscaping in the parking lot will be irrigated on an as-needed basis using re-circulated water from a nearby pond.        
• China Creek Restoration and Cleanup:  A one-mile stretch of creek runs through the west side of campus and feeds into Piasa Creek (a tributary of the Mississippi River).  A fluvial geomorphologist discovered erosion problems on several portions of the creek.  The college partnerned with Great Rivers Land Trust on a restoration project that installed pools and riffles in the creek.  A massive stream cleanup organized by NGRREC’s RiverWatch Coordinator removed nearly 3 tons of trash and debris from the creek and surrounding woodlands.       
• Stormwater Management:  Four retention ponds and a demonstration rain garden reduce stormwater runoff from paved areas on campus.         
• Organic Landscaping of N.O. Nelson Campus in Edwardsville:  Landscaping on the new N.O. Nelson campus is being maintained without the use of chemicals and pesticides.  The College’s goal ultimately is to eliminate the use of these substances for gardens and landscaping on all of our campuses. 
• Faculty Development:  On August 19, 2008, all new and returning L&C faculty participated in a faculty in-service workshop to share information on sustainability projects and to brainstorm potential new green campus initiatives.  L&C also developed a Faculty Education and Training  (EDTR) course titled “Greening the Curriculum” that launched with ten faculty enrolled in Spring 2009.        
• For Credit Curriculum:  L&C partnered with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Environmental Resources Training Center to offer Associates Degree and Certificate in Proficiency programs in Water Treatment and Waste Water Treatment.       
• Solar PV Training Lab:  L&C has a $30,000 Supplemental Solid Waste Grant through Madison County to install a training lab for a new Intro to Photovoltaics course.  Additional matching funds are needed to equip the training lab with monitoring equipment and computers.
• Corn mugs:  All faculty and staff received travel mugs made of corn plastic.  Faculty and staff receive a 10% discount on coffee and fountain drinks when using the corn mugs thereby reducing use of plastic and paper cups on campus.         
• “Think Green.  Live Green.”  Web page:  L&C has a dedicated webpage that is frequently updated with upcoming sustainability workshops and green events.  The webpage also links to the webpage for the Institute for Environmental Sustainability and the Campus Green Committee and Action Teams.      
• Green Living Guide:  The Director of Environmental Sustainability publishes an electronic newsletter that highlights green initiatives on campus and provides helpful tips for greening both the campus and the community.           
• L&C Free Cycle:  The average American throws out nearly 68 pounds of clothing each year.  Many L&C students are in need of business attire, baby items etc.,  so L&C faculty and staff have partnered with the community to ‘close the loop’ by donating clothing to students in need.    
• America Recycles Day:  L&C partnered with the Green Living Club to spread the word about the college’s new plastic bottle recycling program.  
• Water Festival:  Each year, nearly 1,000 fifth grade students come to campus for a full-day of hands-on water education activities.  Teachers participate in a free Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) workshop prior to the event.
• Community Partnering - Lewis and Clark has partnered with The Nature Conservancy, The Nature Institute, McCully Heritage Project, Sierra Club, Meeting of the Rivers Foundation, Army Corps of Engineers, Madison County, The Energy Store, and many others to advance sustainability education in the Metro East. 

Planned and Ongoing Activities

• Powering down computer labs at night:  The Conservation Action Team is using a “Kill-A-Watt” power meter to monitor energy use of computer labs on campus and is working with the IT department to create a nightly power down procedure for all labs.
• Recycling: The Recycling action team is currently working with maintenance to cluster and clearly label recycling bins on campus.  The Recycling Team is working with a local recycling company to acquire a grant-funded bailer for campus that will improve efficiency of cardboard recycling on campus.  The team is also researching possible strategies for recycling plastic bottle caps.   

• Recycle Bins ($20,000):  Although L&C recycles plastic bottles, paper, aluminum and cardboard, many areas on campus do not have clearly labeled recycle bins.  Additional bins are needed for the nursing and music buildings, and numerous classrooms in the main complex.  
• Implementation of Recommended Energy Projects (TBD):  L&C’s energy audit will include recommendations for energy reduction strategies.  These projects will range in cost, and priority will be given to projects that yield the greatest energy savings.