MCC Sustainability Efforts

January 2013

1.  Did You Know?
a.    MCC has been certified as a Tree Campus USA for 2012.  This is a special recognition, unique to community colleges. Our next Tree Campus USA and Arbor Day celebration is on March 28th.  Come join the celebration.

b.    The campus grounds department implemented the Calsense water management test site for a portion of the main campus over the holiday break.  The Calsense controller will automatically shut sprinkler valves off if it detects a break or stuck sprinkler head. If the test site is a success, the system will be expanded throughout campus.


II.  Sustainability Activities on Campus this Spring:
a.    Recycle Mania begins on February 1st.  This is MCC’s fourth year to participate in the friendly competition.  We have committed to the benchmark level for this year and are striving to improve our waste reduction and recycling efforts by 25% from last year.  We recycled 13.8 tons last year and are striving to reach 15.0 tons this year.  In 2014, MCC will enter the competition level which means we need to kick off recycling efforts campus-wide this year.  Thank you for supporting Recycle Mania!  http://recyclemaniacs.org/

b.    MCC Semi-Annual Shred & Recycle Day:  MCC has two shred and recycle days each year, one in the fall and one in spring.  The next event will be March 1 from 8 AM to 1 PM in the MAC parking lot.  Look for the Certishred truck and large dumpster.  We will be collecting the following:

• For shredding, any paper including sensitive files such as grades, tests, or other materials, including personal paper items from home. You need not remove staples. Just bring your paper goods, and Certishred will do the rest!
• For plastics, cardboard, corrugated boxes, and metals (no glass!) a recycling dumpster will be provided.  Please take glass to the Cobbs Center (see below).
• Certishred provides MCC with verification that the materials have been shredded but they do not shred anything onsite. 

If you have class or meetings during the event or if you need physical assistance handling your paper goods, contact Sid Ross directly at 299-8849 and he will arrange for pick-up.  For additional questions, contact Elaine Fagner at 299-8442.

c.    Glass Recycling: Cobbs Convenience Center accepts plastic, aluminum and other metal, cardboard, paper, and corrugated box material from anyone, including those living outside the Waco area.  Glass is accepted only from Waco residents.  Cobbs Convenience Center is located at 2021 North 44th Street and is open Tuesday through Saturday (8 am - 5 pm) to drop off your materials free of charge.  For a map to the site and more details go to: http://www.waco-texas.com/solid-waste-recycling.asp

d.    The MCC Bike Program has moved! The physical plant is now the center for bicycle rentals.  Students and faculty can contact Janice Kasner at 299-8863 to rent a bicycle for the semester. Janice will reserve one for you. You then pay a $10 fee at the Business Office and take the receipt to Janice. You get a bicycle, helmet and lock & cable plus a cycles T-shirt.  Return the bike in good shape at semester’s end in good shape and get your $10 back.

d.    “Green” Computing Tips:  Help us conserve our computer resources. First, please shut down office and lab computers, monitors, and printers on weekends to save energy and to reduce vulnerability to hackers and other malicious activities. For daily energy savings, consider turning off the monitor when not using your PC for more than 20 minutes and turning off both CPU and monitor if not using them for more than 2 hours.  Second, Instructors, please help us to conserve energy and extend equipment life by shutting down the document camera in your classroom before you leave.

III.  What are your thoughts on our sustainability efforts? 
Check out our website at http://www.mclennan.edu/gogreen/ and our blog at http://mccgogreen.blogspot.com/.

Thanks for your support.  It takes the entire College to make sustainability work!

The MCC Sustainability Committee