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

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!

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-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.

"To the Point" kicks off fall with first episode

Paper cuts, no trash in class, copy limits? It's the kick off episode of "To the Point" with special guest, the Queen of France.



http://www.youtube.com/user/MCCBlueRiver#p/a/u/0/1omUOvbgHtU

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.

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.

Employees recycle more, throw away less

Employees empty their own trash at the end of each day.

Starting this summer, MCC campuses are encouraging employees and students to waste less and recycle more as part of the ongoing efforts to “go green” and reduce our carbon footprint.
Trash cans in each office are being replaced with smaller containers to encourage faculty and staff to consider everything they can recycle before simply pitching it in the garbage. Large trash receptacles will be located in the hallways and common area as collecting points for the departments located within campus buildings. Employees are asked to empty their own trash and recyclable materials at the end of the day.

Paper, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cardboard, among other things, can all be placed in the large blue recycling containers also located in the hallways. At MCC-Maple Woods, the Student Activities Council will continue to collect paper recyclables.

This is just one of the many efforts that MCC is making, along with the other MCC campuses to conserve, recycle and reduce our impact on the environment.

“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 MCC-Penn Valley.

Save the earth: Recycle your stuff

Each month, MCC generates 62 tons of waste that goes to the landfill – but not for long. An expanded districtwide recycling program aims to reduce MCC’s footprint by making it easier for students and employees to recycle.

The expansion effort, coordinated by the MCC Green Initiatives Committee, means you’ll have more accessible and convenient ways to recycle, including small bins for individual office use and large bins in common areas.

The large bins will not only be easier to find – there are 215 new bins districtwide – but they will also allow for co-mingling of materials, which means you can toss all recyclables in one place.

Specifically, items collected in the bins include:
• newspaper
• catalogs
• ad inserts
• magazines
• phone books
• brochures
• office paper
• manila folders
• junk mail
• aluminum cans
• plastic containers numbered #1 through #7 (water bottles, yogurt tubs, takeout containers)
• carrier stock cardboard (soft drink cartons)
• chipboard (cereal boxes, shoe boxes)
• NOTE: corrugated cardboard (shipping boxes, paper-ream boxes) is NOT accepted in the co-mingled bins. Separate receptacles are used for this; check with your custodial service department to find out where.

For more information on materials that are and are not accepted, click here.

This recycling program is done in conjunction with Deffenbaugh Industries and is implemented by MCC custodial services.