Sustainability, LBCC and You! (Feature)

How green are you? What kind of footprint is being left behind? Have students notice all of the recycling and composting bins they walk by, every day, to and from class at Linn-Benton Community College?

Linn-Benton Community College has taken the steps to help the students and faculty to become more sustainable. The college has spent a considerable amount of time, effort and money to become more sustainable and your help is needed to make it even more successful!

How you may ask? First, get involved. The college encourages students and faculty to think green with recycling and composting bins place throughout the campus. It takes action to make this initiative work! Your purchasing choices; willingness to return the bottles and cans; paper and cardboard; and biodegradable paper goods and food wastes to the recycling and composts bins.

"I have been following up on the progress here on campus for about two years now. In those two years I am happy to say LBCC has improved but it's been a very slow process," said Kathy Wilson, student at LBCC and president of the Green Club. It only takes a bit more energy to improve our campus’ green footprint.

Not only by making use of these receptacles, becoming involved by joining a club to help monitor and manage the recycling or composting programs, like the Green Club or the Horticulture Club.

Secondly, Linn-Benton Community College encourages their students to get involved and make available on their website, past, current and future plans on how they seek to improve the college’s sustainability. Already the college has received a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificate for the practices in the building of Madrone Hall and their other environmental acts. 

Madrone Hall (Picture courtesy of LBCC website)

Madrone Hall is a prime example of how committed LBCC is to green and sustainability initiatives. In an article about Madrone Hall, the Democrat Herald reports that "the $10 million, 27,000-square-foot, two-story building incorporates state-of-the-art technology from floor to ceiling and is designed to operate on 19 percent less energy than Oregon energy code requirements.”

The college also makes an effort to use environmentally friendly products like low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint, which reduces the amount of possibly dangerous particles into the air when the paint dries; photo-voltaic windows that reduce heat exchange; energy efficient products like the heating/cooling systems and light bulbs.

Roof Garden on White Oak Hall

Recycle/Compost shadowboxes in the Cafeteria 

Outside, LBCC maintains many green areas and plans on adding additional green areas like the roof top garden on White Oak Hall. By using native plants in the landscaping, they have reduced the amount of water needed to maintain the plants.

The college also provides the students the ability to make green choices for themselves by free bus rides that service all of the LBCC campuses, electric car charging stations and using biodegradable products that may be added to the composting bins that the Horticultural Club and student run organic garden manage. 

Finally, LBCC and various groups hold events on campus, providing information and offering students and staff the opportunity to learn how to become greener in their personal lives and simple choices and lifestyle changes that can help improve the impact humans have on the environment. One perfect example is this year’s Earth Day Sustainability Fair that was held on the Albany campus on April 22.

Take charge, use the opportunities that the college provides, and support the sustainability and green initiatives that LBCC and the local communities offer.

Get Involved!

At a Glance
Earth Day Sustainability Fair
When: April 22, 2013
Where: LBCC Albany Campus
Host by: Sustainability Committee