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

Lewis and Clark  is currently developing a number of green initiatives and sustainability solutions for both the campus and the community.

Below is a brief description of some of the College's current initiatives to practice, promote and provide energy education and sustainable solutions for the College and community. 

• The Illinois Community College Green Institute Collaboration: Lewis and Clark, along with Black Hawk College, Heartland Community College, John A. Logan College, Kankakee Community College and Wilbur Wright College, have collaborated to create The Sustainability Institute Initiative. The mission of this project is to strengthen Illinois community colleges' capacity to promote and provide energy education and sustainable practices in their districts across Illinois. Doing so will bring Illinois into a leadership position on this topic of national and global importance.
• American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment: Lewis and Clark has signed a pledge to achieve climate neutrality. As part of this pledge the College has committed to working toward reducing emissions, reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, following U.S. Green Building Councils' LEED standards for all future construction, creating a sustainability and climate neutrality curriculum for all students, and other sustainable practices.
• Construction of the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center Field Station: The new field station, which will be located adjacent to the Great Rivers Museum in Alton, will feature the latest in sustainability solutions. Green elements of the building will include a vegetative roof, long-wearing bamboo floors, innovative waste water technology, on-site wind and hydro power, and many other environmentally friendly and energy efficient options. Lewis and Clark will seek a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the building, the nation’s highest recognitions of projects that incorporate “green” design principles.
• The Palisades Preserve: In 2007 the Foundation received a land endowment gift of 430 acres of bluffs and forests overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Renowned for their scenic beauty, these dramatic bluffs are now protected for future generations. The Palisades Preserve, as the land is now known today, was the result of a collaborative effort including Great Rivers Land Trust, The Conservation Fund, Adams Development Company, Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. The property is environmentally essential to the protection of endangered or threatened species of plants and animals. The Palisades contains extensive habitat for birds and other wildlife, and is located within the largest flyway in North America for migrating birds.  The forests of the property contain undisturbed areas reflective of pre-settlement forest, of which less than one tenth of one percent survives today in Illinois. As a pivotal property for conservation, restoration and management, the Preserve is ideal for supporting ecosystem research and education.
• Green Initiative Fee: Starting with the fall semester of 2008 each student will pay a $1 fee for each credit hour. This new "green fee" will be used to develop and institute various green and sustainability initiatives on campus. The usage of the fee will include input from students, faculty and staff.
• Establishment of a Green Initiatives Committee: A campus committee has been created to develop "green" ideas for the college in conjunction with the climate neutrality pledge. The group will seek community, student, faculty and staff input into a wide array of initiatives aimed at providing education and developing best practices to achieve climate neutrality.
• Organic Landscape Maintenance: As the College continues its work with the Missouri Botanical Gardens an emphasis has been placed on not only beautifying all campuses and buildings owned by the College, but also developing ways to maintain these landscapes without using chemicals. Currently the gardens at the N.O. Nelson Campus in Edwardsville are being maintained organically with no chemicals. The College is working to maintain all gardens organically.
• Reducing Styrofoam use on campus: In the Spring of 2008 all employees of the College were given a, refillable cup, which boasts the "Think Green. Live Green." logo. The cup is made of 100% corn plastic and is intended to reduce the number of Styrofoam and paper cups used on campus.
• Segway Purchases: The College is currently considering the purchase of a number of Segways for use by the maintenance, security and custodial staff on campus. The personal transportation devices powered by electricity will reduce the number of vehicles used by support staff, while simultaneously reducing emissions and increasing mobility on campus. The College has also made a pledge to reduce emissions by purchasing ethanol and alternative fuel source vehicles whenever possible.
• Water Retention: The College boasts four water retention ponds on campus to control water runoff on campus.
• China Creek Restoration: This past year the College, with the help of community volunteers, cleaned up the creek that runs through campus.