New SC Laptop Sleeves

The new SC laptop sleeves are made from 85% post-consumer recycled plastic. These sleeves were given out to all incoming freshmen and returning juniors. "Sustainability is a step-by-step process. Analyze what you do and take steps to make it more sustainable," says Jason Speegle, Director of Green Team Southwestern.

SC Continues as Outstanding Sustainability School

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) has released its annual report, and Southwestern College is among the 165 colleges listed that have financially supported the Commitment through each of its years and is now the only Kansas institution listed as an active member in good standing.

“The commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and teaching sustainability at Southwestern College is very real,” says Jason Speegle, director of Green Team Southwestern.  “We are proud to be in good standing with the ACUPCC, knowing that we have lived up to our commitment.  From an environmental standpoint, I wish every college and university in Kansas supported the ACUPCC. Our students, faculty, staff, and administration are dedicated to helping SC become a model of sustainability.”

Southwestern College is a charter signatory member of the ACUPCC and is the only Kansas institution that has been in good standing since the inception of the ACUPCC.

Speegle notes that Southwestern:

Conducts a greenhouse gas inventory each year;

Updates its climate action plan to achieve carbon neutrality;

Implemented a sustainability and environmental studies minor last school year;

Keeps track of electricity usage at the college through smart metering technology;

Participates in the annual Recyclemania contest involving colleges and universities from across the country.

ACUPCC is an effort to address global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from specified campus operations, and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. Its mission is to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students, create solutions, and provide leadership-by-example for the rest of society.

SC Included in 'Princeton Review' Green Guidebook

“The Princeton Review,” in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), has released the third annual edition of its free guidebook saluting the nation's most environmentally responsible "green colleges." 

Southwestern College is included in the publication.

“We are excited to be consistently recognized for our sustainability efforts,” says Jason Speegle, director of Green Team Southwestern.  “We are continuously building on the concept of sustainability and slowly changing the culture of Southwestern to one that is more environmentally conscientious.”

“The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition" profiles 322 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation. The 232-page book—the only free, comprehensive, annually updated guide to green colleges—can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide. 

The Princeton Review chose the 322 schools based on a survey it conducted in 2011 of hundreds of colleges across the U.S. and Canada to tally its annual "Green Rating" scores (scaled from 60 to 99) of colleges for its school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The survey asks administrators more than 50 questions about their institution's sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs.  The company tallied Green Ratings for 768 institutions in summer 2011.  The 322 schools in the guide received scores of 83 or above in that assessment.

The guide was developed with support from United Technologies Corp (www.utc.com), founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools. “The Princeton Review,” well known for its education and test-prep services, first created this one-of-a-kind resource for college-bound students in 2010 in collaboration with USGBC, which is best-known for developing the LEED green building rating system. In 2010, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools (www.centerforgreenschools.org) to increase its efforts to drive change in how campuses and schools are designed, constructed and operated so that all educational facilities can enhance student learning experiences.

'Green Gazebo' Built by SC Students

An energy efficient “Green Gazebo” has been constructed as part of a senior Leadership project and now sits in the south lawn of Reid Hall on the Southwestern College campus.

Southwestern College senior Jacob McGuire, with the assistance of fellow SC Green Team students Stephen Strecker and Mark Strecker, and SC worship outreach director Martin Rude, built the gazebo.

The gazebo started off as a Green Team fundraiser.  McGuire was attempting to build something out of recycled aircraft pallets to sell for the Green Team. This eventually morphed into a gazebo.

According to McGuire, the inspiration for a gazebo that features a solar charging dock came from the "Solar Docks" freshman Leadership survey in 2011.

“The survey asked the student body if there was an interest in outdoor solar powered picnic tables. The student body liked the idea but not the $11,000 price tag,” McGuire says.

The gazebo is 8'x8.5' and is made from one aircraft pallet. The roofing material is Ondura which is 50% post-consumer recycled material. The gazebo also features a 45-watt solar panel that powers two LED lights and, according to McGuire, will charge a computer, play a boom box, and run a number of other things.

The financial donation to the project was $1,000 made by McGuire, which was the approximate cost of the solar powered system.  The gazebo was placed on the south side of Reid next to the sand volleyball court.

Experiences from Montrose - Tendai Kwaramba

Tendai at Black Canyon

The trip to Montrose, Colorado was so rewarding, it's really hard to pick one moment or time that was a favorite. We were in such a beautiful place with such beautiful people, it was great. The service opportunity we got at Sonrise Family Camp was perfect. It allowed us the chance to actually start and complete projects which was really what we were going for, and seeing the work we had done which included building a deck, sanding and varnishing cabins and putting up plywoood was so gratifying. That feeling when we were done, that would have to be my favorite part of the trip.

Tendai (Zimbabwe) is a senior. She will be graduating in December (2012) and then heading to medical school.

Experiences from Montrose - Elle Nguyen

Going to Montrose, CO with the green team was so much fun!

My favorite part of trip was just sightseeing around Sonrise [Mountain Ranch]. Riding in the back of Roger’s truck up to the mountain, with Sarah, Stephen, Daniel, Joey, Jason and I having the cold wind blow into our faces. Seeing the Reservoir Lake with the mountains behind while having the sun setting, along with the Aspen trees with their white trunks and lime green leaves below the mountains, it was a sight to behold. Then going up even higher up to the mountains to see the waterfall, while driving up there occasionally see some Elk and snow on the ground, then having difficulty up the hill to just see the waterfall. Since I’m so short and don’t know how to walk on snow, I kept falling knee deep into the snow. The funniest part of me trying to get up the hill was when I slipped on the snow and backed into Sarah, such an awkward position but it was sure funny! Besides that it was wonderful to see the waterfall with the huge amount of snow underneath it.

Elle celebrates after a hard (and dusty) day of work!

The evenings personally for me, were the best part of the trip. I remember one night after talking with everyone, I decided to go back to my cabin to get a good night’s rest, preparing for the next day’s hard work. As I stepped outside I looked up at the sky and all the stars illuminate so bright. The brightest I have ever saw in my life, not to mention seeing as many as I saw that night. I also got to see a shooting star, and of course I made a wish! I know it doesn’t seem like much but living in the city such as Wichita, KS it has a fair amount of air pollution, you'd be lucky enough to see Venus shining in the distance at night at my house. So seeing all those stars was breath taking!

Helping at Sonrise with Roger was a blast, despite the hard work on the two cabins. I have never really worked that hard in my life, truth be told, so sanding and varnishing the East Fork Cabin was certainly a successful and rewarding project. Sanding was such a hard job, seeing as every once in a while I would get sod dust stuck in my eyes and I had a few close calls with my fingers being so close to the sanding blade, although it was fun and well worth the effort. After it was all finished, the East Fork Cabin, and the West Fork Deck looked pretty epically awesome!

Overall the trip was AMAZING!

Elle (Wichita) will be a sophomore at Southwestern College in the Fall of 2012.

Experiences from Montrose - Cali Portenier

Cali (red) helps build a deck on a cabin at Sonrise

I (Cali) really liked the trip to Montrose. I liked just spending time, and getting to know everyone. I think my favorite part was honestly just our free time, going bowling, shopping, and playing apples to apples. I really got to know everyone a lot better, on a more personal level. 

I absolutely loved all the time we spent at [Sonrise Mountain Ranch] the ranch! I loved building the deck and helping Roger and all those great people. The ranch was beautiful and it felt great for helping out. The people we met were all fantastic, and good hearted people!! I had an amazing time and I am glad I got to go and experience it!

Cali (Grenola, KS) was a freshman at Southwestern during the 2011-2012 school year.