News in 2013
CLIMATE COMMITMENT 2050 – LANE PLANS TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL
December 3, 2013
As one of the nation's leaders in education for sustainability, Lane has made a commitment to become carbon neutral. Becoming carbon neutral means reducing our use of fossil fuels and other greenhouse gases to the point where we can offset the effects of those emissions with things like vegetation grown on our property and purchasing green power from our utility. Achieving this commitment will be challenging and will involve the thoughtful participation of everyone at Lane and many others from our community. Lane currently has a Climate Action Plan that includes 61 actions toward reducing our carbon footprint. This year, the Institute for Sustainable Practices will be engaging the campus community in conversations about how to get all the way to our goal. In the coming weeks, you will see additional Lane Weekly announcements with more information and ways to get involved. In the meantime, please contact Jennifer Hayward if you have any questions or suggestions. Click here for more information.
GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES IN THE BUILDING 11 REMODEL
November 26, 2013
The 2013 Building 11 remodel consisted of interior reworking to provide several new classrooms spaces on the first floor and a new department suite and office for the Academic Learning Skills Division on the second floor. The project also involved significant modifications and upgrades to the mechanical systems. New green building features include installation of new bike parking, two new bottle filling stations, and more energy efficient lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Insulation was added to new exterior walls and new exterior windows are double pane. The contractor recycled 80% of construction waste and four new recycling stations were installed for building occupants. More than 50% of the wood used was Forest Stewardship Council certified. Several of the construction materials also contained recycled-content including the linoleum flooring, the ceiling tiles, and the metal grid ceiling system. Click here for a detailed report on sustainability in the Building 11 remodel. Contact: Jennifer Hayward.
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT RECEIVES GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION
November 5, 2013
Congratulations to the Office of the President for receiving the Green Office Certification with 20 out of 25 points! Sustainable practices in the Office of the President include turning off lights when they are not needed, shutting off computers at night, using the power management features on computers, and printing double-sided or on paper already used on one side. President Spilde's staff has also significantly reduced printing by moving to mostly electronic distribution of the monthly Board of Education packet. Finally, President Spilde and her team are tireless champions of promoting sustainability within Lane and outside of Lane to our community and to community colleges nationally. Click here for more information on Office of the President Sustainability Practices.
LANE SPONSORING 2014 HIGHER EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE
November 5, 2013
Lane was recognized during the closing ceremony of the recent 2013 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) conference because the college is a regional sponsor of the 2014 AASHE Conference that will be held in Portland in October 2014! As a sponsor, Lane's sustainability efforts will be prominently highlighted throughout the 2014 conference. Lane's Institute for Sustainable Practices is encouraging all Lane employees and students to attend the 2014 AASHE Conference to learn about leading edge efforts on campus sustainability that we may be able to carry forward at Lane.
All Lane employees are AASHE members and have access to the plethora of rich resources housed on their webpage. The members-only resources include everything from sustainability-related course syllabi to campus transportation demand management plans. To access the members-only resources, go to aashe.org and click on "Create an Account" in the top right corner and fill out the form. Make sure to use a lanecc.edu e-mail account to prove your eligibility for membership. Contact: Jennifer Hayward.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MATHEMATICS DIVISION FOR ACHIEVING A GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION
October 1, 2013
Mathematics recently became the second division to receive the Green Office Certification with 19 out of 25 points. Employees in this Division are really doing their part to reduce Lane's greenhouse gas emissions! To save energy, the Math/Engineering Computer Lab's equipment shuts down after 30 minutes of no activity and the Division trains students to shut down the computer and turn off the monitor after each use. To reduce emissions from commuting, over 30% of Math employees carpool, walk, bus, bike, or telecommute at least two days per week. Click here for more information on the Math Division's sustainable practices.
PROFESSIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & DIVERSITY OFFICE RECEIVE GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION
September 17, 2013
Congratulations to the Professional and Organizational Development & Diversity Office for being the third Lane department to receive the Green Office Certification with the most points so far! This group earned 23 out of 25 points for activities such as greening the Fall In-service and Spring Conference all staff events by minimizing handouts and eliminating paper cup waste. To celebrate, the Institute for Sustainable Practices provided the POD & Diversity Office folks with a fantastic lunch made from Learning Garden produce. Find out more information about POD & Diversity Sustainable Practices.
LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF 50 COLLEGES COMMITTED TO SAVING THE PLANET
September 4, 2013
The College Database recently recognized Lane as one of 50 colleges committed to saving the planet after researching thousands of academic programs from top schools to find those dedicated to environmental awareness, sustainability, energy efficiency, and more. Lane landed on this list for its programs in Energy Management and Renewable Energy Technician degrees. The College Database is an online resource for college-related data and rankings information.
SPOTLIGHT ON SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES AT LANE'S LIBRARY
July 23, 2013
Interested in expanding your knowledge and understanding of sustainability? Check out some of the excellent resources at Lane's Library. First see the the Institute for Sustainable Practices recommended reading list, then find the books at the Lane Library. Examples of some of the books included are:
-147 Practical Tips for Teaching Sustainability: Connecting the Environment, the Economy, and Society by William M. Timpson and others
-Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability, and Peace by Vandana Shiva
-Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect by David W. Orr
-Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Happy summer reading!
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS AWARDED LANE'S FIRST GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION
July 9, 2013
Congratulations to Lane's Small Business Development Center for being the first department to achieve the Green Office Certification. The SBDC received 20 out of 25 possible points thereby attaining the highest level of certification – the coveted Triple Green Star! To celebrate the SBDC's achievement, the Sustainability Committee hosted a lunch for all of the SBDC staff made from produce from Lane's Learning Garden. Highlights of SBDC's sustainable practices include supplying reusable serviceware at department meetings rather than disposable and including sustainability in all job postings. Click here for more information on SBDC's sustainable practices.
GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION
June 25, 2013
Lane's Green Office Certification Program is a new tool for departments and divisions to use to improve sustainable practices and to receive rewards for practices they are already doing! The Sustainability Committee developed this program with the thought that small actions taken by many different departments can make big positive impacts. Participating is easy and fun.
EARTH WEEK: APRIL 17-26
April 16, 2013
The theme of this year's Earth Week is water! Activities throughout the week will demonstrate the importance of protecting and preserving water, inspire appreciation for the tremendous power and significance of water, and provide practical and simple ideas for what you can do to conserve this valuable resource. Events include:
APRIL 17:
- A screening of the film, "The Island President" followed by a national conversation on democracy and climate change, 4 p.m., Building 3, Room 216.
APRIL 22:
- An Earth Day Fair with music, food, prizes, and information tables, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Bristow Square.
- Take Back the Tap Celebrations at Food Services, Titan Store Main Campus, Titan Store Downtown, and the Center for Meeting and Learning, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- A water-focused tour of the new Downtown Campus, 3:00 to 4:00 pm.
- A water and wellness swimming session at the Downtown Athletic Club, 4:55 to 5:45 p.m.
APRIL 23:
- Drip Irrigation Workshop, 1-2 p.m. in the Learning Garden.
- Water-focused tour of the Learning Garden, 2-3 p.m. in the Learning Garden.
APRIL 24:
- Gardening 101 Workshop, 1-3 p.m. in the Learning Garden.
APRIL 25:
- Gardening 101 Workshop, 1-3 p.m. in the Learning Garden.
APRIL 26:
- Learning Garden Earth Week Service Event, 12-4: p.m. in the Learning Garden.
SUSTAINABILITY ASSOCIATION MEMEBERSHIPS PROVIDE RESOURCES TO ALL LANE EMPLOYEES
March 5, 2013
Lane is a member of US Green Building Council and all employees can access the members' only information on the web and receive discounts on publications, trainings, and more. Instructions for setting up your user account are at www.usgbc.org/register. The Corporate Access ID is: 450049731114634. Lane is also a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (http://www.aashe.org/). Anyone with a lanecc.edu e-mail address can create an account and access the members' only info on their webpage. They have great resources from syllabi for sustainability-related classes in various disciplines to campus transportation plans and more.
FREE OFFICE SUPPLIES AT LANE'S REUSABLE OFFICE SUPPLY EXCHANGE
February 26, 2013
Lane's Reusable Office Supply Exchange, or ROSE Room, is a free, self-service program where you may bring surplus office supplies that you no longer need and take usable items for your office. The ROSE Room is located in Building 10, Room 232 and it is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. It is organized by Lane Cooperative Education Interns. The ROSE Room is currently stocked with lots of three-ring binders, organizing trays, bookends, file folders, and more. The ROSE Room is open to all employees and student groups.
LANE TAKES BACK THE TAP
February 20, 2013
Of over 50 billion disposable water bottles produced in the U.S. annually, only 17% are recycled. The rest end up in our ever growing landfills and polluting our land, air, and waters. Bottled water use contributes to the estimated three million tons of plastic debris floating on the sea surface in the North Pacific Ocean and is responsible for over 2.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Click here to find a map of locations where you can fill up your own water bottle at Lane and for more information on "Taking Back the Tap."
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE OBTAINS ITS 276th TAKE BACK THE TAP PLEDGE AT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR ON JANUARY 29
February 12, 2013
Lane's Sustainability Committee is a vibrant group of Lane employee and student volunteers who work together to advocate, promote, and implement Lane's sustainability core value. Membership is open to all those who are enthusiastic about sustainability at Lane. The Committee recently hosted a "Take Back the Tap" table at the Health and Wellness Fair at which 80 employees took a pledge to "Take Back the Tap" and not buy water in disposable bottles. The 80th employee who signed the pledge at the 2013 Health and Wellness Fair represented the 276th Lane community member to sign the pledge. Click here for information about how to join the Sustainability Committee.
DEPARTMENT SUSTAINABILITY FEATURE OF THE MONTH – CONFERENCE AND CULINARY SERVICES
February 5, 2013
Conference and Culinary Services achievements in sustainability are many. The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management students plan menus around locally harvested produce. The programs include a capstone project in which students plan and prepare a banquet all from food grown within 100 miles of Lane. The Center for Meeting and Learning composts all food waste, uses only reusable china, silverware, and glassware for on-site events, and offers "100-mile meal" options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Foodservices sells only organic, fair trade and locally roasted coffee, provides a $0.15 discount when you use your own mug for your beverage purchase, and almost all of the packaging sold in Foodservices is either compostable or recyclable. More...
LANE FEATURED AT OREGON HIGHER EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE THIS WEEK
January 29, 2013
The Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference, taking place this week at Portland State University, will include four workshops by Lane employees. Recycling Coordinator, Mike Sims, will give a presentation on moving campus waste management systems toward zero waste. Energy Analyst, Anna Scott, will conduct a workshop on planning for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Energy Management and Water Conservation instructors, Josh Manders and Sarah Whitney, will give a presentation on using your campus as a learning laboratory along with Mike Sims and Anna Scott. Finally, Sustainability Coordinator, Jennifer Hayward will co-lead a round table discussion about sustainability in the community college curriculum.
SUSTAINABILITY FEATURED DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH, JANUARY 2013: FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING
January 15, 2013
The Facilities Management & Planning department has taken great strides towards reducing its impact on the environment. Pesticide use has been eliminated from campus gardening practices. Native landscaping installations help to restore wildlife habitat while creating a natural space that requires very limited maintenance. A new Integrated Pest Management Plan provides FMP employees with steps to eliminate pests from buildings without using chemicals. Electric hand dryers in restrooms reduce garbage and allow Custodians to spend more time on cleaning and less time on emptying trash. Campus painters use low VOC paints. Campus planners consider sustainable design including use of locally-sourced building materials and daylighting and the FMP office is moving to paperless systems across the board. More...
INNER-CAMPUS ACCESS IMPROVED FOR BIKE COMMUTERS
January 15, 2013
In support of Lane's commitment to sustainability and the growing number of riders who commute to main campus by bicycle, Public Safety has updated the college procedure and now allows cyclists to ride on inner campus pedestrian walkways. Safety and courteous riding is manadatory. Public Safety will cite riders who endanger the safety of others. Bicycles must be kept on pavement and off trails and lawns. Bicycles are subject to the laws and regulations that apply to automobiles as well as those that apply specifically to bicycles. We hope this new accommodation encourages more people to lower their carbon footprint by commuting by bike. Review the COPPS procedure. Contact: Jace Smith, 5558.
BIKE LOAN PROGRAM HELPS REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM COMMUTING
January 7, 2013
Bike Lane is a free bicycle loan program for students at Lane Community College. Participants can borrow a bicycle for one term for commuting to school, work, errands, fitness, or fun! Using a bicycle and can save money, fuel, and greenhouse gas emissions. For more information or to reserve a bicycle for winter term, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/LCCBikeLane.
