MCC’s Green Week Observance

March 25 – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

2:30 p.m., MAC 111
Presented by Elaine Fagner, Claudette Jackson and Sarah Johnson
Learn how to minimize your ecological impact by reducing consumption of energy and resources, reusing and repurposing old products, and finally recycling appropriate waste. Topics will include using internet resources (Free-cycle, Pinterest, etc.) for project ideas, tips for replacing single-use disposables, and what can and cannot be recycled.

March 26 – MCC’s Community Garden

2 p.m., Lecture Hall building
Presented by Claudette Jackson
Learn about MCC’s own community garden and how you can rent your own plot. Participants will also learn how to create small herb and vegetable container gardens from recycled materials. Tips will be provided on organic gardening.

March 27 – MCC and Sustainability

2 p.m., Lecture Hall building
Presented by Sid Ross
Learn about sustainability efforts. Mr. Holt Kelley will discuss solar and renewable energy sources, addressing both residential and commercial options. Then take a tour of the Science building with MCC’s sustainability officer, Sid Ross, who will point out sustainability features in the building.

March 28 – Arbor Day Observance and LEED Certification Ceremony

1 p.m. – Student Volunteer Event, meet outside the Science building to spread mulch around campus trees
1:30 p.m. – Science Building LEED Gold Certification Ceremony
2:30 p.m. – Arbor Day Observance and Tree Dedication Ceremony, meet outside the Science building for our Arbor Day observance and tree dedication for Professor Henry Apperson and Professor Gary Duncan to celebrate their 45 years of service to MCC.
After Dedication – Tree tour of the MCC campus

MCC Sustainability Efforts for February 2013

I.              Did You Know? The Science Building was certified LEED gold by the United States Green Building Council in January 2013.  An award ceremony and presentation of the plaque will be forthcoming.

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.    Free Mulch:  Free mulch from the Bosque river stage area on March 1.

e.    Arbor Day Celebration on March 28: For Arbor Day this year, MCC will be recognized for earning its first Tree Campus USA certificate. We will also plant two trees honoring Gary Duncan and Henry Apperson for 45 years of service.

f.    The MCC Bike Program has moved to the Physical Plant! 
Students and faculty can contact Janice Kasner at 299-8863 to rent a bicycle for the semester.

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/.  Check out our new Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/SustainabilityMCC

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

The MCC Sustainability Committee

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