The EvCC Bird Garden on the west side of Index Hall.
Tweet tweet! Did you know that Everett Community College has it’s very own bird garden? It is located between Index Hall and Graywolf Hall, features many plants that are native to Washington, and even a has water feature so birds can cool off on these hot summer days.
Bird friendly water features so they can stay hydrated or take a refreshing dip.
The EvCC Office of Sustainability teamed up with Cedar Grove and the Audubon Society to ensure that the plants and garden design were bird friendly. The choice to use native plants ensures that not only will the birds be happy, but it requires less maintenance and resources than if it utilized non-native plants. Many of the flowers are currently in full bloom so when you have a moment stop by and practice your bird-watching skills!
Just a few of the plants that you might soon see on campus!
It seems that everywhere you look on the EvCC campus there are beautiful plants and flowers, but did you know that many of those plants are started right here in the EvCC Greenhouse? The greenhouse was almost demolished in 2008, but thanks to capital funding the roof was redone, and the greenhouse is now better than ever!
A few starts and larger plants.
The EvCC Greenhouse is currently used by a variety of plant lovers.
The Students for Environmental Action (SEA) club grows plants in the greenhouse to sell at different events throughout the academic year to raise funds for club activities.
Classes such as Sustainable Food Systems utilize the greenhouse for various classroom assignments.
The EvCC Grounds Department utilizes the greenhouse and surrounding nursery area to care for numerous seasonal plants that they use around campus throughout the year. That’s why, no matter the season, our campus always looks its best!
Calla Lily
It’s a jungle in here!
Humans aren’t the only ones who use the greenhouse!
Thanks to the EvCC Grounds crew, the hillside by Parking Lot C is blanketed in native wildflowers. Not only do these wildflowers brighten the EvCC campus, they serve an important purpose as well! These beautiful blooms help guard against soil erosion and provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Wildflowers also tend to require less maintenance and water than other plantings, making them a great sustainable choice. They are in full bloom at the moment, so check out EvCC’s wildflower meadow on the hillside by Parking Lot C and Grey Wolf Hall today!
On May 3rd, 2019 the Student Green Fee Administrative Committee chairperson presented the Student Green Fee budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 to the EvCC ASB Senate for approval. After a few questions and a brief discussion, the 2019-2020 Student Green Fee budget was unanimously approved!
A large part of the budget has been set aside for student-led sustainable projects. The Student Green Fee Advisory Committee is in the process of finalizing the guidelines and processes for students seeking to utilize Green Fee funds and intends to begin accepting applications for projects beginning January 2020. If you are interested in getting involved in the Green Fee Committee please contact us at sustainability@everettcc.edu or 425-388-9484!
Portions of the budget will also fund three student employment opportunities in the Office of Sustainability. Applications for Sustainability Officer, Event/Media Coordinator, and Program and Data Coordinator are being accepted until July 15, 2019.
EvCC’s remaining Index Hall Building B is slated for demolition beginning mid-August 2019. Following EvCC’s commitment to sustainable practices all furnishings and equipment in Index B have been carefully evaluated with an emphasis towards reallocation elsewhere on campus.
EvCC Sustainability and Laura Wild’s Nutrition Spring Quarter class partnered to install 35 Mason bee “huts” across the EvCC Campus in late May 2018.
The project is intended to help EvCC students, employees and neighbors understand the importance of these tiny pollinators to our campus plants, as well as providing a legacy project for Laura Wild’s students to manage each year. An online EvCC Bee tour will be available online soon, courtesy of one of Laura Wild’s students. The EvCC Mason Bee project will be featured later this month in Crown Bee’s newsletter.
EvCC Grounds works hard to manage campus grounds with an eye towards sustainability. This ethic was demonstrated recently when a tree located west of the Olympus building outgrew it’s location.
Rather than cutting down the tree, campus grounds employees John Syson, Brent Sall and Scotty Smith used campus equipment to relocate the beautiful Liquidambar Styraciflua or Liquid Amber (commonly known as an American Sweetgum).
At 30 inches in diameter and 30 feet tall, the average cost for a commercial move or purchase of a tree this size would have been $1500.00 – $2000.00! Grounds transplanted the tree for about $70.00.
The tree was removed from the Lot “A” west flower bed and planted in Lot “C” on the hillside.
Trees can be dropped off between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Trees must be free of decorations, tinsel and other non-biodegradable materials. No flocked trees will be accepted.
EvCC is located at 2000 Tower St. in Everett. Drop off trees in the marked area in parking lot F. To see the location of parking lot F, visit EverettCC.edu/Maps and click Campus Map.
EvCC has been recycling holiday trees since 2009. Last year, EvCC collected approximately more than 250 trees that were turned into woodchips on site and used for campus flower beds and mulch.
New year, new projects. That’s how we look at things here in the EvCC Sustainability program! One of the many new projects underway for this year is a pilot program to incentivize students and employees to use public transportation. Island Transit has reinstated a once discontinued route, the Everett Connector, which runs a single bus from Terrys Corner Park and Ride on Camano Island to the Everett Station, with a stop at Tower and Broadway, right in front of EvCC.
A report put together by EvCC student and Sustainability Staff, Max Tinsley, determined that this route could potentially cut commute time in half for students who live in the North County region, comprised of Stanwood, Camano Island, and the unincorporated areas north of Arlington. The report also outlined that approximately 10% of annual enrollment at EvCC are students living in the North County area.
Similar to the existing ORCA program, students can purchase a buss pass for Island Transit route 412, the Everett Connector, for $45.00 in the Cashiers Office, in Parks Student Union. This is being run as a pilot program for Fall Quarter, with a limited number of passes available to find out the demand for such a program. The passes are valid for the entire quarter, rather than just a month, as they would be if purchased from Island Transit directly.
This project is not only a benefit to the environment, but it can also help to reduce traffic and parking congestion. The outcome of Max Tinsleys effort is also a reminder that one person has the power to bring about significant change and leave a lasting impact on their community, if only they stay engaged and involved in the public process.
“I’m happy to report that our latest shipment of laptops refurbished by 3R Technology just arrived at the Homes of Hope India orphanage in Bangalore. This facility provides housing, meals, and education for over a hundred young women and girls from one of the most disenfranchised and under-served communities in the world. These laptops help ensure much-needed education and training for their academic and employment future.” Many thanks to you and all our customers for helping us make these donations possible! Your commitment to environmentally sound and ethical electronics recycling makes a tremendous difference…”
–Glen Giados, the CEO of 3-R Technology, regarding the more than 5 tons of electronic waste that Everett Community College and local community members have recycled by partnering with 3-R Technology/Recycling in the past 3 years during EvCC Sustainability recycling events.
