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Environmental Action Committee: Lighting retrofits, approval for butterfly garden top accomplishments for 2008-09

New energy-efficient light bulbs on portions of the Grayslake campus, an increase in the number of recycling bins and grant approval for a new butterfly garden are among several 2008-09 accomplishments of CLC's Environmental Action Committee.

Here's a list of highlights from each of the group's five subcommittees:

Native Landscaping/Pesticide Use

Committee members Rory Klick (horticulture chair), along with Cindy Trombino and Kelly Cartwright (biology instructors) successfully sought funding from the CLC Foundation to create a new 4,416-square-foot butterfly garden on the south side of the campus, between the C and B Wing entrances. Work on the garden will begin in June. (See accompanying feature.)

Energy Use

Last fall, the Facilities Department installed new energy efficient lighting in the first floor of the A Wing hallway of the Grayslake campus. The crew replaced four 32-watt bulbs in each fixture with two 32-watt bulbs of a higher Kelvin rating to produce nearly the same level of brightness at half the energy consumption, according to Steve Smith, maintenance supervisor in Facilities. The lighting change, which also took place this spring in the first floor of the B-Wing hallway, has resulted in "very little negative feedback," according to Shane Jones, chair of the Energy Use subcommittee. Plans call for the second-floor hallways of both wings to receive the same bulb replacements in the fall 2009 semester.

In other energy-saving news, the halogen floodlights in the staff parking lot (#7) on the Grayslake campus will be replaced with light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs beginning in June. According to Ted Johnson, facilities manager, the lights are expected to last 10-15 years, compared to the one- to two-year lifespan of the halogen lights. "The primary cost savings is that it eliminates the expense of hiring a service to come out with a lift truck and inspect the lights four to five times per year," he explained.

Light sensors will be installed this fall semester at the Grayslake campus' main lobby, atrium, Technology Building atrium and connecting link. "They will sense incoming ambient light, and if it is sufficient then some of the ceiling lights would be extinguished to save energy," Jones explained.

The combined efforts of lighting changes in the in the A and B wings, Grounds building #5, the Physical Education Center, and the auto shop are expected to reduce the college's energy bill by $23,000 per year, Jones added.

Recycling

The Recycling subcommittee worked with Facilities during the 2008-09 school year to install additional blue recycling bins on the Grayslake campus. New locations include the Career and Placement Services Center, according to Diane Strid, committee chair.

The committee also worked with the Bookstore, Enrollment Services and Career and Placement in researching options for using biodegradable products, Strid added. As a result, each of the departments has ordered ballpoint pens made of corn plastic, a product that degrades in landfills in just 45-60 days. The departments also have ordered pencils made from recycled, expired shredded U.S. currency and newspapers.

The committee also began research for educational materials, including an online guide for recycling and disposal options in Lake County, an online map showing the location of recycling bins on each of the three CLC campuses, and providing more detailed recycling information in the 2009-10 student planner.

Mass transit/Carpooling

A February survey of CLC faculty and staff, indicating lukewarm enthusiasm for shuttles between campuses and area Metra stations, will be repeated to gain a more accurate reading of attitudes, according to Tom Mitchell, subcommittee chair.

"We need to keep in mind that the February survey was conducted well after gas prices fell from the high levels last summer," Mitchell said. "Now that gas prices are rising again, support for shuttles may increase. By this fall, after we have collected three semesters of good data, we can make a more informed decision on whether or not to explore the idea in depth and make recommendations to the Governance Coordinating Council."

The survey found the biggest support for a shuttle route between the Grayslake and Lakeshore campuses, with 23 percent of respondents saying they were "extremely interested" and another 29 percent indicating they were "somewhat interested."

A separate survey, e-mailed to students in March, drew 1,051 respondents, Mitchell said. About four in 10 said they were at least "somewhat interested" in a shuttle between the Southlake and Grayslake campuses and between Grayslake and the Lakeshore campuses.

Water Usage

The Facilities department, which has installed moisture-detecting sensors in the water sprinklers on Southlake campuses this spring, will do the same on the Grayslake campus this summer, according to Dave Fink, chair of the Water Usage subcommittee. Unlike the traditional sprinklers, which were governed by a timer and operated rain or shine, the moisture-sensing models will save water by shutting off the sprinklers automatically if it starts to rain, according to Ted Johnson, facilities manager.