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.
This year during Earth Week, EvCC Sustainability is partnering with the Art Department to host an Earth Art Competition. This competition is open to any currently enrolled EvCC student, staff or faculty. Prizes are as follows:
Competition rules:
1. Entries must be at least 75% reclaimed, recycled, upcycled or otherwise reused. 2. Entries must be ready to put on display in the Whitehorse Hall Critique Space by Tuesday, April 17. They will remain on display through Thursday April 19, the day in which the entries will be judged. Judging will take place between 1 pm and 3 pm on April 19. 3. All entries must be removed from the Whitehorse Hall Critique Space by 3:00 pm on Friday, April 20. Any entries left in the Critique Space beyond this time will become EvCC property and disposed of accordingly.
To sign up for this competition, follow this link and submit your entry form today!
Having trouble with the link? Contact sustainability@everettcc.edu for other entry form options.
Now that Phase 1 of this project is complete, it’s time to show off the hard work of our Grounds Crew. Take a look:
View of entire project site.Close-up of the “Columbia Bowls,” basalt dishes that create ideal bird baths.Flowering DogwoodVine Maple and Mountain Hemlocks
Three loads of compost and four loads of topsoil later, the results are better than we imagined! Currently the beds contain a mix of vine maples, one flowering dogwood, one rocky mountain fir tree, and a handful of mountain hemlocks. Phase two will consist of filling in the empty spaces between the trees with smaller shrubs, annuals and perennials.
And, just for fun, here’s John Syson celebrating by fishing out of the newly installed birdbaths.
John Syson, Grounds Crew Lead, fishing in the new bird baths
Purchase low cost energy efficiency appliances here on campus, on Wednesday October 18 from 11:30 am till 2:00 pm in the second floor hallway of Parks Student Union. The PUD team hosting this event will be selling a Home & Bath Savings Kit which includes 8 LEDs, 2 filament LEDs, a showerhead with smart adapter, and two faucet aerators for just $10.00 plus tax. This normally would cost $75.00 so don’t miss your chance to save up to $250.00 annually on energy costs for a fraction of the retail price. Also offered at this event is an LED flood light pack, that has the savings potential of up to $45.00 per year. Please read this flyer for more details.
The Bike Fixation has been installed in front of Gray Wolf Hall near the existing bicycle rack in that area of campus. It is open to the public, free to use, and contains all the necessary equipment for regular maintenance and repairs on most types of bicycles. Check out the photos below! For tips on how to use this resource, look here!
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.
EvCC will soon have a bicycle repair station on campus, generously donated by Everett Transit. This station will provide the equipment needed for regular maintenance and repairs on bicycles, and is intended to encourage more students, staff, faculty and the public to utilize alternative transportation to commute to school or work.
This repair station will be free and available to the public. As the final details of this project are still in the works, more information will be provided and posted on the EvCC Sustainability page on the main website. Stay tuned!
The Walt Price Fitness Center, one of EvCC’s LEED Certified buildings
It’s no secret that EvCC has several LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified buildings on campus, and that we strive to meet energy efficiency standards wherever we can. The Walt Price Fitness Center, which opened in 2011, earned LEED Gold status, a testament to the sustainably managed construction and operation of the building. But, if you thought that we couldn’t take it any further, you’d be surprised to hear one simple idea that we applied to make this building even greener.
Steve Lyons and Jeremiah Berndt are our campus electricians, and they have spent the last several days swapping out the old compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, in the fitness center with longer lasting and more efficient LED bulbs. To most people, the difference is hardly noticed. This would make almost no significant difference in your household electricity bill if you did the same – although we still recommend using the most energy efficient appliances in your home – but, in a building this large, at nearly 50,000 square feet, the difference is incredible.
Previously, the gym was lit up with a combination of 42 watt, 32 watt, and 26 watt CFLs, which all have an average lifespan of 1-2 years. With over 160 light fixtures, replacing them adds up over time. LED bulbs could last up to ten years depending on which type is used. But, even if we only get half of that with these new bulbs, that’s still twice as long as we would get out of the CFLs. Although the LEDs cost a little more than the CFLs, the investment is quickly paid off by reducing the frequency of replacing burnt out bulbs.
The LED bulbs are ran on 9 watts, which means that they consume less energy than CFLs. On average, using the LEDs could save us about $1,700 per year on utility costs compared to using CFLs. According to Steve Lyons, because the LEDs use less energy and produce less heat as a byproduct of emitting light, there is less damage to the ballasts and fixtures that hold the lights. This results in less maintenance on the fixtures and ballasts, which also saves money. This is harder to predict, but combining all of the cost saving potential for this small scale energy efficiency retrofit could save more than $2,000 annually on lighting, and reducing the amount of energy needed to light the fitness center by up to 75%.
EvCC and the Pilchuck Audubon Society are in the beginning stages of planning for a wildlife habitat installation designed to support the local avian population.
EvCC Sustainability team members Molly Beeman and Max Tinsley met with Jed Holmes, the Pilchuck Audubon Society’s Backyard Habitat Coordinator late last month to determine a suitable site on EvCC’s main campus to develop a bird friendly habitat.
EvCC Sustainability and Pilchuck Audubon are currently working on developing the necessary resources for this project, which will likely be completed by summer of 2018.
On completion, the project will provide habitable spaces for bird nest construction and native plants that attract insects to support the feeding of avian young.
The completed project will result in a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife certified backyard wildlife sanctuary for Everett Community College.
This afternoon, the ASB Senate approved a proposal to open a student body election on a sustainability fee. This comes at a time when the United States government has displayed an extreme lack of leadership on issues concerning climate change and the environment, noted as one of the reasons for approving this fee proposal. The motion was nearly unanimous, with only one opposing vote.
The fee, which would be set at $0.50 per credit with a maximum of $7.50 per quarter, is intended to establish a more inclusive sustainability initiative that empowers the student body to lead EvCC toward a greener future. Widespread support has been generated from groups and individuals across campus, such as the Students for Environmental Action Club and Student LIFE. Now that this fee is officially a student body referendum, the focus of the group behind the project will shift toward reaching out to the greater campus community to educate the students on what they will be voting on. The election is anticipated to be held in early Winter Quarter during the 2017-18 academic year.
The revenue from the fee will be allocated to three different funds. The Campus Sustainability Fund will offer grant opportunities to students, staff and faculty who have the desire to implement their own “green” projects. The Green Investments Fund is a way to leverage the limited amount of money available via revolving loans and rebates, to accomplish infrastructural improvements and energy efficiency retrofits. Finally, a portion of the revenue will be allocated to the Sustainability Office to create more student employment opportunities.
This referendum is significant, as it has been expressed that it will likely determine the future of EvCC’s sustainability efforts. The original funding is nearly diminished and the College is facing cuts in state funding. This pairing of dilemmas indicates that some of the programs currently in place would go away if no solution is found, and stalls in future projects are anticipated.
Check back soon for updates on this development, or contact the EvCC Sustainability Team to get involved or learn more by emailing sustainability@everettcc.edu.
