Pesticide education from Timberbred, MCC student led green team

Timberbred has done it again. This MCC student led initiative was started by Morgan Brown. This time she's reaching out to educate the world about pesticides, their proper handling, and their effects on the environment. Take a learn for yourself by clicking the image below:

Learn more about this ecological MCC student led initiative by traveling just one click to Timberbred.com.

Tips to keep MCC cool over the HOT holiday weekend.

As staff, faculty and students across the district prepare for the 4th of July weekend it is important to remember a couple of energy saving tips from MCC-Longview Facilities Services Superintendent

Steve Greife.

1. As you leave Thursday or Friday for the extended holiday, turn off all the lights at your workstation.

2. Turn off all printers, copiers, and unused appliances.

2. Don't forget to turn off your computer.

"As we go into a very hot three day holiday weekend please help MCC use as little energy as possible.  Please do that every day – but it is especially important over a hot three day weekend."


Have a Happy 4th of July weekend!


[Image from inhabitat]

UPDATE: MCC-Longview's Grow Native campus project is in full bloom

You can't miss the field of blooming yellow and red flowers that opened up this past week at MCC-Longview. The first big bloom of the Grow Native project on campus is well under way.

The field, which was originally a grass field, was plowed and reseeded with native Missouri flowers and plants last fall as part of a collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation.  The field spent most of the winter barren. This spring say a lot of green vegetation started to sprout, but this is the first full bloom to appear from the project.



Here is what Steven Greife, facilities services superintendent, wrote to campus faculty and staff after the flowers made their appearance:

I’m sure some of you have been wondering about the “weeds” in the area between the main entrance to the campus and the Longview Chapel. Me too. Last week I made a tour of the area only to see what I thought were weeds.

 Well a lot can change in just a few days. Yesterday I was told that the “Black-eyed Susan’s were coming out so I went to see. Sure enough we have quite a few and a closer look revealed that the Lance Leaf Coreopsis will be in bloom very soon. And not just a few, I expect that in the next week or two the area will be a sea of yellow.

Be sure to check out more photos from the Grow Native project over on the MCC Longview photo blog.

MCC-Maple Woods Environmental Clubs makes a big impart, Earth Day and every day

MCC-Maple Woods has committed to becoming a “greener” campus for the past couple of years, and students are doing their part to help as well: a group of Earth-minded individuals founded the Environmental Club and have been working to educate and inform the masses every since.

Club members have been active in promoting a green lifestyle and informing the campus about environmental issues – everything from where our food comes from and how it is produced to planting native grasses and trees on the campus lawn. The club has even constructed a green house and built a solar heating unit out of aluminum cans to heat it.

Student representatives for the club hand out plants and tree samplings to other students to encourage them to get on the green bus as well, hoping to make an impact beyond the campus as students, staff and faculty apply the information to their own homes.

Recycling by the numbers

A single sheet of paper recycled off of your desk might not seem like a big deal, but when you add up all of the individual sheets of paper, newspapers, coke cans and other recycled materials the numbers REALLY begin to add up.

According to the final tally of recycled materials MCC recycled more than 83 tons of trash in 2010 - roughly 167,390 lbs.

That is a lot of recycled materials!

In January 2011, MCC recycled 5.50 tons of trash and in February recycled 4.79 tons.

Leading the charge in 2011 with recycling has been Penn Valley with 4,610 lbs. of recycled trash in 2011. Longview is not far behind with 3,880 lbs. of recycled trash in 2011.

Keep up the good work MCC and Recycle!

Student environmental initiative goes pro, seeks funding

Morgan Brown is an MCC-Blue River scholar who likes to keep it green. She has been developing an organization called Timberbred which is dedicated to providing environmental information to the public and eventually starting a fund to protect Mangroves, an important and quickly depleting part of the global ecosystem.

Mangrove trees and the swamps and forests that they support are nesting grounds for hundreds of species of birds. Their treetops make homes for monkeys and eagles. Around their midsections live monitor lizards and fishing cats. Among their stilted, water-bound roots live manatees, turtles, and fish. Mangroves even provide shelter to endangered species, such as bald eagles, American crocodiles, and hawksbill turtles.

The MCC Insider asked Timberbred founder Morgan Brown a few questions about the state of the environment and what

Mending contaminated recycling stream at MCC-Blue River

Questions have arisen from time to time regarding which items are recyclable. With the recent addition of cardboard bins to the kitchen and mailroom areas, even more questions about MCC-Blue River’s recycling policies have arisen.

The newest problem has been cardboard contaminating the Blue River recycling stream. Facility services superintendent Bob Shrauner recently asked all at Blue River to place any cardboard recycling items between the blue recycling bins and the wall behind.

Says Shrauner:

“Thank you for embracing our recycling efforts here at MCC-Blue River. With your help we are increasing the amount of materials for reuse and

Students now print 30% less

In an effort to curb costs while holding tuition last year, MCC implemented a printing limitations policy - limiting students’ free printing access to 200 black and white, single-sided pages. Additional pages can be printed above the 200 for 10 cents per page.

While the suggestion originated from MCC’s Budget Response Team, the implementation served a dual purpose. The process encourages students to print less, using less paper and ink, therefore contributing to a greener environment.

Since the implementation began in fall 2010, MCC has realized a decrease in student printing of 30%.

Season's Greenings! Tips for being kind to the environment this holiday season

Season's greenings from the MCC Green Initiatives Task Force!

During this season filled with merriment and joy, there are lots of little things you can do to keep your holiday festivities from being a big drain on the environment.

Here are some tips for being (ever)green both at work and at home this time of year:

• Earth-friendly office de-cluttering: If you use the end of the year as an opportunity to purge all of the old paper files you no longer need, don't forget to toss those papers in an MCC recycling bin instead of in the wastebasket. Remember - lots of different recycleable items can now be comingled in the blue bins located throughout the campuses and other MCC locations.


• Mindful wrapping: As you are planning your gift-wrapping strategy, consider options that are just as kind to the environment as they are pretty to look at. Check wrapping-paper packaging to see if it is recycleable or is made from post-consumer waste (which means it has already been recycled). As a general rule, paper with foil or plastic elements or that use a lot of dye aren't recycleable, but many other types are. Check with your local municipality or recycling center to see what they will accept. Decorative gift bags, which are likely to be reused by recipients, are also a good option for reducing waste. Same goes for pretty tissue paper - why buy it again and again when you can just fold up gently used pieces and stow them away for your next gift-giving occasion? And if you're the creative type, there are plenty of alternatives to expensive, non-recycleable wrapping materials!


• Green up your holiday party with more than just pine trees and holly: If you are hosting a gathering for friends or family, there are several simple things you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your get-together. Consider using non-disposable plates and cups; if you do choose disposable dishware, look for paper products made from a high percentage of post-consumer waste. Also, make it easy for your guests to recycle cans and other items by setting a recycling bin next to the trash can.

So, as you are spending time with family and friends this holiday season, don't forget about everyone's favorite family member: Mother Nature. I mean, just think about all she's done for you!

Remember to keep up with the Green Initiatives Task Force year-round by visiting our facebook page. We wish you a safe, happy and earth-conscious holiday!

MCC receives rebates from two utility companies

Metropolitan Community College is pleased to announce the receipt of commitment letters awarding MCC over $100,000 in energy efficiency rebates from the electrical utility companies that serve our campuses.

These rebates will be used to help fund the district wide lighting retrofit project that is currently underway. The $1.7 M project will result in improved lighting, maintenance savings from new and longer lasting bulbs and ballasts and up to $300,000 in energy and operational savings.

According to Darrel Meyer, MCC director of facility services, this is especially important since the cost of electricity will have increased over 50% since 2005. “We will continue to look for ways to reduce utility costs at MCC since they are a large part of the cost to operate MCC facilities,” added Meyer.

A $30,000 rebate has been approved by Independence Power and Light, which serves MCC-Blue River, and multiple rebates totaling $72,826 have been approved by Kansas City Power and Light, which service all MCC locations. In all cases, the rebates approved were the maximum allowed per customer per year in each rate class.

Jeff Allen, superintendent of facility services at MCC-Maple Woods, spearheaded the application process with help from Greg Fendler and Natalie Will with Lankford and Associates, the engineering firm assisting MCC in the lighting retrofit project.

Cooking up success at MCC and APPA

This fall, Darrel Meyer, director of facility services, was featured in the national trade magazine Facilities Manager. Meyer is the newly appointed president of APPA, formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators. APPA is a national organization for leadership development for facilities management. APPA represents more than 1,500 learning institutions serving over 4,700 individuals. Meyer was elected president by his peers, which is a great honor for him.

Meyer has been a key player in MCC building maintenance and capital improvements as well as heading up the Green Initiatives Task Force, where Darrel is passionate about making MCC more energy efficient.

Get an intimate look into Meyer’s life. Did you know he is “kind of known” for his barbeque talents?

Did you know? MCC recycling

Did you know that you can recycle your printer toner cartridges? Just send the used cartridge through inter-campus mail to either David Gray, mailroom specialist at MCC-Penn Valley or Carol Conrad, physical facilities assistant MCC-Maple Woods.

Every few months, MCC receives a check from Global Re-Source Funding that goes back into the general fund. MCC received almost $150 for toner cartridges recycled in July and August.

Keep those cartridges coming!

Stay tuned to The MCC Insider for monthly green initiative updates, or fan the MCC Green Initiative Task Force facebook page.

An update from the MCC Green Initiative Task Force

Several green projects have been percolating across the district, and many have paid off. Comingle recycling, which includes all recyclables except, cardboard and glass, have been on the rise. There has been a significant increase in recycling on those campuses that have removed trash containers from the class rooms.

In January, total tons of recycled materials across the district equaled 5.59 tons; the last report, which reflects the end of FY 2010, was 8.89 tons. So far this year MCC has recycled 46.6 tons of comingle items.

Jon Hopkins reported that the recycling efforts at Penn Valley have been received so well, they have ordered additional bins. “The custodial staff loves it,” said Hopkins. “The classrooms are much cleaner.”

Employee recycling is just one of many efforts that MCC is making to conserve, recycle and reduce MCC’s impact on the environment. Green Initiative Task Force member Brad Frisch recently tested the power consumption of PC’s, printers and monitors. One PC that stays on 24/7 costs MCC about $30 per year; a printer only - $20 per year; and a monitor only -$29 per year. Multiply that by the number of PC’s districtwide, and that cost is over $206,000 (or 1,000 lbs of coal). The committee requests that employees who do not access their computers during off hours, to shut down their PC’s before leaving at the end of their day.

MCC’s lighting replacement project is still under way. Retro-fitting the vast majority of the internal and external campus lighting, most with motion sensors, will begin at MCC-Penn Valley next week. Most of the project is complete at Maple Woods and Business & Technology. Longview and Blue River will have updates coming later this fall.

The new Grows Native project at Longview is estimated to save three hours of mowing time and a savings on fuel consumption each week.


Stay tuned to The MCC Insider for monthly green initiative updates, or fan the MCC Green Initiative Task Force facebook page.

MCC-Longview lawn 'Grows Native'

It is hard to miss the enormous swath of brown grass near the main entrance to campus. For several weeks the field of grass near the main entrance has been slowly dying, but Facilities Services Superintendent Steve Greife is not worried.


In fact, with the help and guidance of the Missouri Department of Conservation, Greife and his staff hope that by November, the grass will be completely dead. Then they can begin planting for a whole new project.


"We want to start growing native Missouri grasses in the field as part of a partnership with the [Missouri] Department of Conservation," Greife said.


Once the current grass is killed off and torn out, officials from the Missouri Department of Conservation will return and bring in grass seed that is native to this part of Missouri. The Grow Native program helps protect and restore our state's biodiversity by increasing conservation awareness of native plants and their effective use.


By building partnerships among private industry, non-profit organizations, government agencies and landowners, Grow Native aims to significantly increase the demand for and use of native plants on all landscapes.


The native grass will not only look interesting on campus, it will also help contribute to the thriving local ecosystem by providing food and shelter for much local wildlife.

MCC-Penn Valley president leads by example

MCC-Penn Valley president Bernard Franklin recently asked all faculty and staff to do their part to help the campus stay clean and go green.

Employees now recycle and purge their own items daily.

Franklin isn't merely issuing the call to action. He's rolling up his sleeves and recycling and dumping his own trash as well.

MCC replaces lighting - saves energy

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) has been around the block a few times, and so have some of the infrastructures of the older buildings. With five campuses across the metro area, MCC has made significant changes to the way it operates – taking on the challenge to become greener and more energy efficient.

Beginning in May, MCC began a project to retro-fit the vast majority of the internal and external campus lighting, most with motion sensors.

Working with Facility Solutions Group (FSG) and in-house construction crews, MCC will replace the lights and ballasts in more than 24,000 fixtures by the time the project is complete. In other areas new fixtures and lighting controls are being added.

Jim Frank, FSG division manager, explains that there have been advances in the lighting industry the last few years and MCC is receiving the latest in technological advancements. With the new systems in place, the benefits gained include:
· Better lighting
· Instant on
· Energy savings
· Recycling of old parts

“There are several other tangible benefits from the lighting change,” said Darrel Meyer, director of MCC facility services.

The new lighting will generate less heat in the buildings, which will save money on cooling costs. The bulbs come with a 3 year warranty; ballasts have a 3-5 year warranty. The bulbs produce more even lighting throughout each room. “Because the bulbs and ballasts are new, MCC saves money on the replacement bulbs and labor,” said Meyer.

The campuses are in several different phases of the project. Once complete, there is an expected $250,000 projected annual savings in electrical costs that will pay back the cost of the project over a six year period.

Visit the MCC Green Initiative Task Force facebook page.

No trash in class!

As MCC-Blue River strives to become a green campus, we are moving the trash out of class!
Check out the No Trash in Class Video for more information.

Students end summer program with a celebration in the Green Impact Zone

Sixteen students who participated in the NEXUS of Excellence summer program in the Green Impact Zone celebrated the program’s completion and were recognized for their accomplishments during an event held July 30 at the Green Impact Zone office.

NEXUS was an intensive seven-week enrichment program designed to encourage entrepreneurship in the fields of energy and environment. Participants attended classroom training each day at Pioneer. As a result of a strategic partnership between the Green Impact Zone and MCC, classroom space and a technology lab were donated to the NEXUS program.

In addition to classroom training and guest speakers, students participated in exposure field trips geared toward reinforcing the concept of green business and the green economy. Students visited urban farms, power plants, water-treatment facilities, money museums, and an environmental justice program. Several of the older teens participated in the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Foundation Conference in St. Louis. Younger students visited Camp Wildwood, an outdoor facility in LaCygne, Kan. Students also earned community service hours toward high school graduation. The program culminated with the development of business plans to help the students put their new knowledge into action.

The program was designed for young people ages 13–18, who live in the 150-square-block zone in the urban core of Kansas City, Mo., where efforts are underway to transform a neighborhood that has experienced years of decline into a thriving, sustainable community.

The Green Impact Zone is a 150-square-block area of the urban core, stretching from 39th to 51st streets and from Troost to Prospect and Swope Parkway. With help from federal stimulus funds, Green Impact Zone neighborhood leaders and other partners are working to transform the zone into a sustainable community, making it more energy efficient with SmartGrid technology; improving streets, sidewalks and curbs; adding and upgrading transit services; weatherizing homes; and bringing new businesses and jobs to the area.

To find out more about the student experience at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHB263Hexn0&feature=player_embedded

MCC continues green initiatives - recycling numbers on the rise

This summer, Green Initiative Task Force representatives on MCC campuses began to encourage employees and students to waste less and recycle more.

At MCC- Business & Technology, Maple Woods, Penn Valley and 1601 Prospect, trash cans in office areas were replaced with smaller containers to encourage faculty and staff to consider everything they can recycle before throwing it in the trash. Large trash receptacles are now located in the hallways and common areas as collecting points for the trash. Employees are asked to empty their own trash and recyclable materials at the end of each day.

At MCC-Blue River, Longview and the Administrative Center, some employees have volunteered to replace their trash cans with the smaller container.

“It’s hard to throw away a piece of paper in the new containers, unless you crumple it up,” said Darrel Meyer, director of MCC facility services and head of the Green Initiative Task Force. “The idea is to make people think about what they can recycle before they throw it away.”

According to Meyer, this effort has really increased the recycling numbers and lowered the amount of trash being picked up by Deffenbaugh. Since January 2010, MCC has recycled 52.34 tons of cardboard and other recyclables.

Employee recycling is one of many efforts that MCC is making to conserve, recycle and reduce MCC’s impact on the environment. Several campuses are planning to remove trash cans from the class rooms (except biology/chemistry labs) later this fall.

“We need to do our part to sustain our campus in ways that reduce our costs and lessen our footprint on the environment,” said Bernard Franklin, president of Penn Valley. “The leadership team has embraced this effort all the way.”

Containers for glass recycling have also been added to each campus and the Administrative Center. The task force is researching the placement of Ripple Glass bins at several locations.

Stay tuned to The MCC Insider for monthly green initiative updates, or fan the MCC Green Initiative Task Force facebook page.

Printing limitations update

This fall, each MCC student will be allowed to print 200 black and white, single-sided pages at no cost. Once the 200-page allocation has been used, students may purchase additional pages for 10 cents per page using a credit card at the computer, through the library (cash only) or other authorized ‘Code Card’ sellers.

MCC’s tuition has remained $82 per credit hour for two years. To curb costs without raising tuition, unlimited student printing was eliminated. This suggestion originated from last year’s Budget Response Committee.

An additional bonus is this encourages students to print less, therefore using less paper and ink, contributing to a greener environment.