About Us - Accomplishments

Students in Lane's
Energy Management
Technician Program

1978

• Recycling program started by student government.

1982

• 2 year degree in Energy Management.        

1997

• Lane began offering classes in "Learning Communities" – an interdisciplinary learning model that is critical to sustainability education.

2002

• Recycled paper purchasing policy adopted.

Students in Lane's
Renewable Energy
Technician Program
installing solar panels.

2003

• 2 year degree in Renewable Energy Technology.
• Energy Management Program won Innovation of the Year award from the League for Innovation.

2004

• Sustainability Office and Sustainability Committee created.
• Began environmental impact reporting.
• Recycling Coordinator and Sustainability Coordinator positions created out of college-wide reorganization while still reducing total positions at the college.

Recycling staff
accepting award
from AOR.

2005

• Signed Talloires Declaration
• Began purchasing 10% of electricity as wind.
• Hosted Bioneers Conference
• Energy Analyst hired.
• Recycler of the year award from the Association for Oregon Recyclers.
• Revolving loan fund for energy conservation and renewable energy established.

2006

National recycling award

• Signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
• Three sustainability policies adopted:  1)  Design and Construction; 2) Energy Conservation; and 3)  Recycling.
• Campus sustainability leadership award from AASHE.
• National Recycling Award.
• County Recycling Award.
• 1.4 kW solar power installed by Renewable Energy Students.
• Recycling rate is greater than 60%.
• Learning Garden established.
• Hosted Bioneers Conference
• Solar energy master plan created.

2007

• Sustainability Core Value adopted.
• Lane hosts League for Innovation Conference and a Statewide Community College Sustainability Conference.

2008

• Voters approved bond that included a 1% expenditure on renewable energy and a LEED platinum downtown campus.
• 2 year degree in Water Conservation.
• Lane received 4th place in the waste minimization category of the national Recyclemania competition. Over 80 other colleges and universities participated.
• Lane received an EPA Environmental Education grant for sustainability infusion training for instructors.
• Lane hosted National Conference on Sustainability for Community Colleges.

2009

• Students approved $1/credit-student fee to fund hiring of Learning Garden Specialist.
• 2 year degree in Resource Conservation Management.
• 2 year degree in Sustainability Coordination.
• Lane compiled a GHG inventory for 2008 and submitted it to the ACUPCC.
• Lane received 9th place in the waste minimization category of the national Recyclemania competition. 148 other colleges and universities participated.
• Lane sent a student to the Clinton Global Initiative University which inspired him to spark much activity in the Learning Garden – a shelter was built and the student fee increased largely due to his advocacy.  The student receives a "Dean's List" award at the event and a $10,000 grant for the garden.
• Application for Sustainability-Focused Course Status approved by college.
• Over 100 faculty received sustainability infusion training.

Building 30

New waste
management system.

2010

• Sustainability is adopted as a Strategic Direction for 2010-11 through 2014-15.
• First LEED building opened – Building 30, LEED Gold.
• Recycling debuted a new waste management system with recycling and trash cabinets in hallways and trash cans removed from classrooms.  This system increased recycling and decreased housekeeping labor hours dedicated to emptying trash.
• PV portion of solar station completed.
• Lane sent two students to the Clinton Global Initiative University.
• Lane's grounds certified as Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation because of green landscaping practices.

Learning Garden Club.

2011

• Sustainability Strategic Direction Implementation Plan is completed.
• Recycling Center opened.
• Students approved an increase of $0.50 to the student fee to allow Learning Garden Specialist to begin working 28 hours per week.  Learning garden sold about 2000 pounds of produce to CCS.
• Sustainability Strategic Directions Conference had over 300 attendees (more than any of the other strategic direction conferences!).
• Lane transportation fee funded carpool matching service with 950 participants, which significantly impacted fall term traffic jams and Lane's greenhouse gas profile.
• Lane created a Climate Action Plan.
• Lane won Innovation of the Year from the League for Innovation for the Sustainability Coordinator degree.·
• Water conservation and energy management interns and student volunteers have retrofit 88% of bathroom faucets with water saving aerators from 2006 to 2011.  These retrofits are saving the college 1,107,000 gallons of water per year.

Students collecting
samples for water
quality lab.

2012

• Learning Garden sells over 2000 pounds of produce to CCS and engaged hundreds of students who worked, interned, and volunteered over 1700 hours in the garden.
• 2 year degree in Watershed Management.  
• Lane pilots a bike loan program Spring Term with very successfully results.  Program will be tripled for Fall 2012.
• Recognized by the Sustainable Endowments Institute as the only community college in the country with a revolving loan fund for energy conservation and renewable energy.
• Solar station opened for electric vehicle charging. 
• Draft Sustainability Plan developed with input from about 100 employees and students.
• Sustainability Committee voted to support "Taking Back the Tap" and eliminate bottled water sales.  Cafeteria and Bookstore stop selling bottled water.
• Lane opened its first residential facility and it is targeting LEED Gold certification.

2013

• Lane opens it first facility that is targeting LEED Platinum certification - the new Downtown Campus.

LEED Platinum
Downtown
Campus

• Lane was selected to host the 2015 Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference.
• The Sustainability Committee develops a Green Office Certification and four departments receive certification within the first five months after it was rolled out.
• The Learning Garden provided a campus farm stand and a subscription-based weekly produce box.
• The Learning Garden hosted hundreds of students who volunteered for more than 2025 hours.
• Lane approved a credit class called "Gardening and Sustainable Food Systems."
• The Institute for Sustainable Practices officially formed and brought together the operational sustainability staff and academic programs into one division lead by the Vice President of College Services.
• Lane was recognized as one of 50 colleges committed to saving the planet by The College Database.
• The Insitute for Sustainable Practices added an optional emphasis to its Energy Management degree called Building Controls Technician.
• Lane's bike loan program, Bike Lane, expands to 45 bikes and has a 100% check out rate each term.
• ISP begins cataloging and celebrating sustainability efforts within departments at Lane.