Going green is a “trend” that’s become present everywhere in our society; it’s in technology, news, and even fashion.

Here at SFCC,  the faculty and staff are doing what they can to make the school more environmentally friendly. The newer buildings are designed to be more eco friendly, with technology that helps reduce the amount of waste produced, along with having multiple recycling bins in every building.

Recycling at The Falls started almost ten years ago, and was initiated by the SFCC Earth Club. They started campus clean-up activities and focused on getting awareness out to the student body. The club no longer exists, but their efforts to keep SFCC “green” have been carried on. Campus clean-up and recycling still exists, and most of this is now done through the ASG sustainability program.

The school is doing a lot with recycling, but some students think that more bins could be put out in more convenient areas. “I think that we need more recycling bins for plastic and glass all over the campus,” said Penny Butters, director of marketing and outreach. “It’s not convenient for people if they have to seek out a place to put their cans or bottles, so they put them in the garbage.”

Around the school, glass is one of the least recycled material. The lack of recycling glass has been going on for a while and not just at our school. According to KeepAmericaBeautiful.org, in 2009 Americans threw away almost 9 million tons of glass.

Around campus you can tell that people are trying to be more green. Students and staff are driving more eco-friendly cars, including electric cars and hybrids. However, when it comes to sticking with environmental programs that require a lot of association, some are less inclined to do so.

“I think there’s an awareness, but I think we need more student involvement.” Butters said.

The new buildings on campus have been designed to use less energy all around. The standard paper towel dispensers in restrooms were replaced with energy star hand driers. To reduce the water usage, the buildings are equipped with low flow toilets, faucets, and also urinals. The faucets and toilets are also touchless, in order to keep the water usage low. The lights are on a lighting control system, so that maximum conservation and efficiencies are met.

“The new LEED ‘green’ buildings are more complicated to run and maintain to achieve the maximum efficiencies, but the savings usually outweighs the cost.” said Dennis Dunham, the District Director of Facilities.

Even the older buildings are being improved to help save energy. In 2001 all the lighting was switched over to high efficiency electronic ballasts. Planting areas around buildings are now using drip and bubbler distribution systems. Some buildings are fitted with maximum light reflectivity material on the roofs, which makes it so the cooling costs are less.

“The parking lot lights were just replaced with low energy, high efficiency LED lights.” Dunham said.

Bradley Bleck, an English instructor at SFCC, is trying to get a community garden going to provide fresh produce to students and faculty. This will not only help out students, but may also create cleaner surroundings, since plants help purify the air.

“We’re very early in the process, but I hope we can be planting by spring.” Bleck said.