Mission Statement

The college continues its legacy of leadership in sustainability by modeling sustainability in its instructional program, curriculum, student and civic engagement activities, facilities and operations, land use planning and other practices.

Program Description

The Sustainability Committee provides oversight for the college's sustainability initiative.  This group consists of representatives from faculty, administrators, management, student services, public relations and marketing, information technology, and students.   

Current status.  In 2013-2014 the college updated its Strategic Direction and changed the focus for it's sustainability initiative.  The current status for each of the objectives for the Modeling Sustainability strategic initiative is below:

Initiative 5.  Modeling Sustainability
Butte College embraces sustainability by engaging students, faculty, staff, and the community in dialogue and fostering sustainable practices and operations.  

The college will develop and implement a Sustainability Plan to include the following strategies:
        a.  Providing educational opportunities in the area of sustainability by:
               1) Developing and implementing courses, certificates and degrees in high demand labor markets.  Current Status:  The college's existing sustainability studies certificate continues.  Over the past several years the college had developed several Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in the areas of sustainable architecture and sustainable project management. A significant portion of the curriculum for these CTE programs was delivered through courses that were part of the existing Building Inspection Technology (BIT) program.  However, based on a lack of demand in the labor market, the courses in the BIT program are no longer offered.  The current emphasis is on developing programs that are aligned with the California State University, Chico engineering and construction management programs.  The college is hiring a full-time, tenure track faculty member in Engineering to lead this effort.  
               2) Supporting the development of new agricultural models as effective practices for students and the community.  Current status:  The college recently implemented a pilot to provide students the opportunity to interact with livestock on campus.  Piglets were used in this pilot and the program used this opportunity to showcase sustainable processes for creating feedstock that significantly reduce the need for resources.  
               3)  Increasing opportunities for campus internships that promote green practices.  Current status:  Associated Students has  education and event planning interns through the Sustainability Resource Center. Facilities Management has two student employees responsible for recycling.
              4) Providing Professional Development for faculty and staff in the area of sustainability.  Current status: Professional Development, in support of Associated Students, supports and assigns flex credit to many of the opportunities offered through that office including but not limited to Campus Sustainability Days, Earth Day, and Diversity Days.  Further, flex workshops proposed for the fall and spring semester flex week are encouraged to contain a sustainability component when appropriate.  Professional Development has instituted a paperless tracking system for faculty flex activities, saving not only paper but many man-hours as well. 
              5)  Conducting campus and community education.  Current status:  In fall 2013 a significant effort was made to improve Campus Sustainability Days by providing workshops as well as an event. As part of this effort, the members of the Sustainability Committee did a panel presentation. Other workshops were conducted as well. Kelly to provide.

      b.  Continuing to reduce the college’s carbon footprint and waste by:  
             1)  Working with external agencies to provide public transportation options for students, faculty and staff.  Current status:  Facilities has been in contact with the Butte County Association of Governments to begin a dialogue about addressing this need for a public transportation option to the main campus.  This will be difficult based on the location of the college off of the main routes between the various cities in the county.  
             2)  Continuing to focus on reducing single passenger commuting practices.   Current status:  Several years ago the college contracted with ZimRide to provide ride sharing services for the campus.  However, as part of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory the college conducted a transportation survey of students, faculty and staff.  Based on the analysis of this survey it was determined that while student, faculty and staff were aware of ZimRide very few were using it.  The college determined that a better use of its resources would be to reinforce what is working --- students, faculty, and staff carpooling with folks they know that are on a similar schedule.  To that end, Butte College Associated Students is working to publicize the benefits of ridesharing.  
             3)  Educating faculty, staff and students on effective practices to reduce paper usage by methods such as emphasizing the use of MyBC and creating electronic forms for routine processes. Current status:  There has been discussion in a variety of forums about focusing on the reduction of paper usage by changing processes and incentives.  Data collection has begun. A task force is being set up in Spring 2014 to develop a plan that reduce paper usage.  
            4)  Further reducing waste in Dining Services. Current status: Dining Services has begun a zero waste initiative through the use of a more efficient method of food preparation, serving, and rotation.  By insuring accurate product par levels overspending and waste can be avoided.  In lieu of an institutional composting program, end-of-the-day food scrap buckets are also made available to local growers and others that may be interested.  Products and procedures are under constant evaluation for improvement.
            5)  Monitoring greenhouse gases (GHG) and modifying the college’s practices accordingly.  Current status:  A second GHG inventory was conducted in 2011-2012.  As expected, this inventory showed that electricity usage declined significantly as a driver of greenhouse gases and that the college's main source of greenhouse gases is commute to the campus by students, faculty and staff.  The bus system provides transportation to the campus at .17 lbs. CO2/passenger mile while private cars are at .79 lbs. CO2/passenger mile.
            6)  Continuing to develop and implement energy conservation and alternative energy production. Current status: We now produce approximately 85% of the electricity consumed by the District. Several projects will be implemented in the coming years with funding provided by Prop 39.
      c.  Demonstrating environmental stewardship through water conservation by:
           1)  Significantly reducing the use of bottled water through education and accessible water stations.  Current status: A few bottle filling stations have been installed. Currently, Facilities is installing filling stations as fountains are repaired or replaced.
           2)  Researching, and if feasible, using recycled water for beneficial purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation. Current status: Dialog beginning.
           3)  Xeriscaping to enhance the beauty of the campus through native plants and eco-grasses.  Current status: Facilities, working with the Land Use Committee, has developed and is beginning to implement, a plan to reduce water usage by replacing landscape areas with native species. The first project has been implemented near the Physical Science building. Additionally, Facilities has stopped watering the Youth Soccer field.  
          4)	  Focusing on campus water conservation and the elimination of water waste. Current status: Controllers have been replaced, but sprinkler heads remain inefficient.

Future Development Strategies

Required Resources

Current Revenue Stream

Augmentation Requests