Earth Day celebrations showcase ACC sustainability initiatives

EarthDay_banner (2)As communities worldwide commemorate the 45th annual Earth Day on April 22, Austin Community College continues to cultivate its own award-winning sustainability initiatives.

Following are a few of the many activities planned. Check the ACC Earth Week 2015 webpage for the latest schedule of events.

All week

Eco bag student art contest: Faculty, staff, and students can vote online for their favorite design April 20-24. First prize is an e-reader; honorable mention winner will receive a Timbuk2 messenger bag. See the Eco Bag Art contest flier (pdf) for entry details.

Walk for Mother Earth:  Employees are invited to join a wellness walk/scavenger hunt at participating campuses. Healthy snacks and prizes will be provided. See a schedule of walks (pdf).

April 21                        

Mother Earth Day at South Austin Campus: SAC Student Life invites employees and students to make a necklace, bracelet, or earrings using beads hand-rolled from recycled paper; 2-4 p.m. in Room 1130.

April 22 (Earth Day)

Eastview: Enjoy diner-style fare at the Riverbats Café. The student-run café uses Texas-sourced meat and bakery products when possible. Eat in or get a to-go lunch in sustainable packaging; 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Northridge: Join the 2nd annual Earth Day garden planting. Learn about the Northridge garden project and help the faculty, staff, and student gardeners who have brought it to life. Bring your trowel and gloves; 9:30 a.m. -noon at the vegetable garden on the northeast side of Building 3000.

Northridge: The ACC Photographic Technology Department is promoting the Great American Cleanup with a nature walk and trash cleanup along a half-mile stretch of Walnut Creek. Learn about native plants and enjoy lunch by the creek. Bring walking shoes, water, and a sack lunch; 11 a.m. – noon. Meet at the courtyard fountain between buildings 1000 and 3000.

Northridge: Join Raymond Slade, adjunct professor of environmental science & technology and water resource expert, for “Hear it from a Hydrologist!,” (pdf) a presentation and discussion about Central Texas’ water needs and possible solutions. Noon-12:30 p.m., Room 4103.

Rio Grande: Decorate a reusable shopping bag, stop by the photo booth, and enjoy other activities and information tables; 10:30 a.m. – noon, main lawn. Sponsored by Student Life.

Service Center: Did you know that recycling a ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 barrels of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity – enough to power an average home for five months? Learn more recycling facts and win a prize for taking the recycling challenge; 11 a.m. – noon in the lobby. A wellness walk follows.

April 24

South Austin: “Pull it together! Chem-free weed removal party.” The SAC Green Team invites faculty, staff, and students to help pull the weeds in the campus lawn, 10 a.m. – noon.

Service Center: Workplace veggie gardens have been shown to decrease stress, improve physical activity, provide healthy fresh food, and increase productivity at work. Help plant a crop and watch our garden grow. Meet at noon at the flagpole entrance.

Green Building at ACC

Going green is more than a one-week event at ACC. The Highland Campus is the latest to conform to sustainable building practices and/or LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) building standards.

A few of the building’s sustainability features are a rainwater-catchment system and energy-efficient plumbing and HVAC systems. Most existing building structures from the former mall were re-used and recycled. LEED certification is pending. Check out other ways ACC is staying green.

Join a Green Team

Gain leadership experience while making positive changes at your campus. Green Teams of faculty, staff, and students promote sustainability on campus through energy and water conservation, recycling and waste reduction, and alternative transportation. Interested? Complete the Green Team online form.

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