Photo by Paul Lawrenz
5/6/2011
Sustainability at STLCC
Progress Report for Fall 2010-Spring 2011
STLCC
STLCC
Sustainability at STLCC
Progress Report for Fall 2010-Spring 2011
District Projects
Green Teams are in place on each campus (Flo Valley, Meramec, Forest Park and Wildwood).
Four District Green Team meetings per semester--2 general and 2 focused on “Greening the
Curriculum” offers a chance for campus green teams to share local ideas with other campuses.
Green at STLCC website created and launched.
Four campuses and Cosand participated for the first time in Recyclemania (RM) (Spring 2011):
o Cost for trash during this 10 week challenge = $6520.00 for 189,607.5 lbs
o Cost for recycling = $977.50 for bottles only (paper no charge) for 160,928.4 lbs of mixed
paper and bottles
o Conclusions—recycling SAVES money; also noted, we are not filling trash to contract
costs and could renegotiate lower fees by 1/3-1/2.
o Compared to a weekly average for 2010, RM increased our paper recycling by 1 ton but
decreased bottle collection by 7.3 tons—this very large reduction could mean bottles are
going into the trash, or less consumption.
STLCC joined Association for the Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
as a district, saving $1200.00 in membership fees and allowing full access to resources for
students, faculty and staff.
IKON paper reduction collaboration is projected to save the college $800,000 over 5 years. New
Ricoh machines will “print smart,” as well as allow for more digital scanning.
Lighting levels were reduced in all classrooms from 90 to 50 footcandles and hallways to 30
footcandles saving the college 400 watts/room x 10hr/da @ .07Kwh/room = .35/room x 800
rooms = 280./da x 200 days = $56,000.
Awards and Recognition
Heroes of the Planet—Sustainable Educator (Oct 2010)—from the St. Louis Business
Journal
Green Business Challenge—Circle of Excellence (Nov 2010)—from Missouri Botanical
Garden—EarthWays Center and RCGA
Growing Green Award—Sustainable Educator (March 2011)—from US Green Building
Council—Gateway Chapter
STLCC sustainability efforts were recognized for 1 week on the AASHE national website (April
2011).
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Campus Projects
Cosand
In fall 2010, the College Center finished 6 months participation in
Green Business Challenge (sponsored by EarthWay’s center and RCGA); the
Cosand Center improved 36 baseline points to 104 points earning a Circle of
Excellence Award.
Cosand Paper Challenge (part of Green Biz Challenge) goal to reduce paper consumption by 10%
was surpassed achieving 27% reduction by all departments saving the college $679.80.
Cosand Equipment Audit (part of Green Biz Challenge) done by Engineering Students at FV
cataloging energy use devices to work towards consumption picture at Cosand.
Cosand diverted 10,048 lbs from the landfill via recycling efforts during Recyclemania (spring
2011) 10 weeks (trash = 33.46 lbs/person at the Center—the highest waste/person across the
campuses)
Florissant Valley
Changing to compact fluorescent site lighting and water-saving fixtures project completed.
Peggy Moody, Sustainability Coordinator, completed FVs Greenhouse Gas (GHG) audit for the
American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) (22,856 Mt CO2)—
saving the college an estimated $20,000.00 in consultation fees.
Brian Bozek, Green Team Leader, completed their Climate Action Plan with a goal to reduce GHG
by 10 percent every 5 years leading to 50% reduction by 2050.
Kineta Energy presented a feasibility study for wind and solar. Consideration for renewable
energy on the Emerson Center at FV to assist curriculum development for Engineering and
Construction programs.
Electronic Recycling + Household Hazardous Waste Events (Fall 2010)
Green Team hosted the 6th Annual Green Fair, attracting 20+ vendors including local farmer’s
markets.
Florissant Valley diverted 39,726 lbs from the landfill via recycling efforts during Recyclemania
(spring 2011) 10 weeks (trash = 10.25 lbs/person on the campus)
Forest Park
Retro-commissioning project through Ameren-MO incentive;
Beginning to incorporate LED lighting (applying for Ameren-MO incentive);
Replacing restroom fixtures to save water and site lighting project was completed.
Green Team working on recycling collection—survey, signage--and community garden
collaboration with St Louis Food Factory.
Governor Nixon visited the Automotive Program working with a grant for hybrid and electric
vehicle curriculum.
Hospitality Program planning “green” stove and composting additions as part of the renovation of
the student center.
Forest Park diverted 33,998 lbs from the landfill via recycling efforts during Recyclemania (spring
2011) 10 weeks (trash = 7.82 lbs/person on the campus)
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Meramec
Vending Misers (occupancy sensors) placed on soda machines and water-saving fixtures project
was completed.
Bonnie Sanguinet, Green Team Leader, completed their GHG inventory for the ACUPCC (19,919
Mt CO2) saving the college an estimated $20,000.00 in consultation fees.
Sustainability Committee was approved as a joint standing committee of the Meramec
governance councils. This is an excellent model for other campuses to strive for.
3rd Annual Earth Day Celebration, featuring vegan menu, and 25 informational tables from both
outside organizations and student clubs.
Promoted Recyclemania by having a series of “Waste-less Wednesdays” which included “Getting
Caught Green Handed”, a waste audit, the showing of the film The 11th Hour, composting
demonstrations and an extremely successful clothing exchange.
Meramec diverted 43,391.2 lbs from the landfill via recycling efforts during Recyclemania (spring
2011) 10 weeks (trash = 5.43 lbs/person on the campus—the lowest across the campuses)
Wildwood
1-2-3 Go Green Festival (Oct, 2010) — over 300 attended vendor booths and mini information
sessions.
The Native Plant Identification Project was completed by Eco Club students with collaboration
from STLCC Foundation and Missouri Botanical Gardens, featured in a report by Shaw Nature
Center.
Phi Theta Kappa held a cell phone recycling drive in spring 2011 providing phones and calling
cards for active duty soldiers.
3rd Annual Eco-Arts Festival (April, 2011)—80 attended this year’s event that featured artwork
from students at Eureka, Lafayette, Marquette, Pacific and Rockwood Summit High Schools.
Wildwood partnered with the City of Wildwood and Mers Goodwill for a community electronics
recycling event in April 2011. Over 5 semi-truck loads of electronics were collected at the event.
Wildwood diverted 30,165.2 lbs from the landfill via recycling efforts during Recyclemania
(spring 2011) 10 weeks (trash = 22.96 lbs/person on the campus).
Collaborations in the Region
Higher Education Sustainability Consortium (HESC)—STLCC is a founding member of this
regional effort; Peggy Moody is Co-Chair of the Initiative Incubator Subcommittee—monthly
meetings, along with quarterly General Assembly sessions
o First regional initiative—80% participation of 18 schools in RecycleMania diverting 881
tons of recyclables from the landfill (saving a tipping fee ranging from $8810.00 to
$35,240.00 depending on the items and bond fees)
Greenhouse Gas inventory for the City of St. Louis—4 STLCC student interns, WCD staff, 2
faculty, HOK Architecture firm and ICLEI (national GHG inventory for municipalities) (Spring
2011)
Recycling Extravaganza at Forest Park Campus—with St. Louis Earth Day and 14 recycling
vendors—collected from 331 cars and diverted approximately 7,000 lbs. from the landfill—special
items included electronics, tires, 27 mattresses, 70 cubic yards of compostable material and 141
CFL bulbs.
EV Taskforce—Peggy Moody is working with Lewis and Clark Community College and Clean
Cities Organization to develop infrastructure policy for the region
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US Green Building Council collaborations:
o Green Shadow mentor for USGBC Higher Education subcommittee (Peggy Moody is a
member of USGBC Higher Education committee and mentor for one student);
o LEED Lunch and Learn with WCD (STLCC is a provider of courses for USGBC).
Presentations
Climate Summit at SLU (Oct 2010)—Peggy Moody STLCC efforts to address GHG reduction;
CCBO Conference (Dec 2010)—Dennis Dill presented on Pervasive Integration, ROI and Funding
Sources for Sustainability;
Solid Waste Forum at Jeff City (Feb 2011)—Peggy Moody presented HESC consortium efforts in
RecycleMania;
Truman State University and Kirksville Chamber of Commerce (March 2011)—Peggy Moody
presented How to Green Businesses (using STLCC as a model).
Conferences and Workshop Training
AASHE (Oct 2010)
International Children in Nature Forum (Oct 2010)
GreenBuild (Nov 2010)
WasteWise (Sept 2010)
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