MCC Sustainability - Annual Green Week and Bi-Annual Shred Day Next Week

Come join us for MCC’s Annual Green Week scheduled for March 23-27.  This week-long observance will promote a sustainable lifestyle and highlight current environmental efforts on campus.  We will also announce our RecycleMania and Campus Conservation Nationals results during the final event.

Events during the week include:

March 23, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  Anna Dunbar from the COW will present city recycling and changes forthcoming in their program.

March 24, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  Bryan Mohan, MCC grounds Supervisor, and the Calsense representatives will cover water conservation on campus and what grounds is doing with our sprinkler systems.

March 25, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  The state comptroller’s office speaks about the current drought in Texas and the need to conserve water.

March 26, 2015 2:00 p.m.: Student volunteers will work with grounds on various projects such as mulching around campus trees and working in the community garden.

March 26, 2015 3:00 p.m. - Tree Campus USA Arbor Day Observance: We will have our annual Arbor Day Observance with a tree planting between the LA and SSC building.  Janis Jackson will give a tree tour of campus after the event.

Bi Annual Reuse-Recycle-Shred Day - March 27, 2015 8:00 a.m. to noon: We will have our Bi-annual Recycle/Shred Day at the MAC parking lot from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Bring your items from home and work.  For more information, go to America Recycles Day at http://americarecyclesday.org/.

• What if I need assistance with my materials?  For assistance with picking up recyclables before the event, call Sid Ross at 299-8849 or email Sid at sross@mclennan.edu.  
• What recyclables can I bring?  Bring paper goods, plastic, metals, cardboard, and corrugated boxes.  No need to remove staples or paperclips.  Plastic containers must be empty.
• What recyclables are not accepted?  Please do not bring any electronics, glass, styrofoam, batteries, tires, appliances, used oil or oil filters, antifreeze, hazardous waste, or carbon paper.
• Will my items be shredded on campus?  Shredding does not take place at MCC, and we do not receive a formal document of destruction.  That service costs additional money.  We do receive confirmation that the paper items were shredded upon receipt by Cintas (previously known as Certishred). 
• Freecycle/reuse table: De-clutter your space and help us keep good stuff out of a landfill at the same time! Drop off clean, working items that you no longer need.  If you see an item on the table that you want, take it.  It's free.  Any leftover items will be donated to Goodwill.
• 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
• Free Mulch: Free mulch is available at the 19th street parking lot.  Bring your own shovels, bags, trailers, etc. and help yourself. Contact the Physical Plant for more information.

MCC Sustainability Efforts for March 2015

I.    Did You Know?  MCC has been designated Tree Campus USA for the third year in a row.  The College’s Sustainability Committee and Tree Campus USA Committee are working with a local landscaping group to update our tree inventory and expand it to include the area surrounding the MWF building.  The survey includes identifying [labeling?] significant trees and assessing the health of others.

II.    Sustainability Activities on Campus this Spring:
a.    RecycleMania at MCC.  MCC is currently competing in Recyclemania, an eight-week competition to promote recycling on campus, against other universities and colleges across the U.S. and Canada.  MCC is competing for the Gorilla Prize (overall tonnage recycled) and in the Per Capita Classic.  We are recording how much we recycle weekly from Feb. 1-March 29. For more on RecycleMania, visit http://recyclemaniacs.org/.

How can you get involved? Use the recycling containers on campus! Look for the blue recycling containers in common areas and select classrooms throughout campus.  Some buildings have dedicated recycling stations (ex. Science Building, 1st floor).  If your building or floor does not have recycling bins, contact the Physical Plant at 299-8843.  The large yellow dumpsters across campus (ex. LTC, MAC, etc.) are designated for recyclables as well. Now showing at the MCC Library:  a “Green” display, highlighting books on sustainability and recycling, as well as the many types of materials suitable for recycling.

What can you recycle? MCC students, faculty, and staff can recycle paper, plastic, aluminum cans, and cardboard in any of the designated receptacles.


b.    Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN):  This is MCC's second year competing in the Campus Conservation Nationals (http://competetoreduce.org).  CCN is the largest electricity and water reduction competition for colleges and universities in the world.  During CCN, selected buildings will monitor their electricity consumption for three weeks.  The building with the greatest reduction in consumption wins our coveted Energy Hog and a plaque in their building! We will announce which buildings have been selected and the competition dates the week prior to Spring Break.   Last year’s winner was the BPAC, which saved 10,056 lbs. of CO2 emissions.  

d.    Our next Reuse-Recycle-Shred Day is scheduled for March 27 in the MAC parking lot from 8:00AM until 12:00 PM.  Details to follow next month.

e.    Green Week (March 23-27).  MCC will host its Second Annual Green Week, a week-long observance promoting a sustainable lifestyle and highlighting current environmental efforts on campus.  We will also announce our RecycleMania and CCN results during the final event.  Events during the week include:

March 23, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  Anna Dunbar from the COW will present city recycling and changes forthcoming in their program.
March 24, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  Bryan Mohan, MCC grounds Supervisor, and the Calsense representatives will cover water conservation on campus and what grounds is doing with our sprinkler systems.
March 25, 2015 2:00 p.m.:  The state comptroller’s office speaks about the current drought in Texas and the need to conserve water.
March 26, 2015 2:00 p.m.: Student volunteers will work with grounds on various projects such as mulching around campus trees and working in the community garden.
March 26, 2015 3:00 p.m. - Tree Campus USA Arbor Day Observance: We will have our annual Arbor Day Observance with a tree planting between the LA and SSC building.  Janis Jackson will give a tree tour of campus after the event.
March 27, 2015 8:00 a.m.:  We will have our Bi-annual Recycle/Shred Day at the MAC parking lot from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

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

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

The MCC Sustainability Committee