Oakton College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Our Academic Sustainability Guidelines

https://www.oakton.edu/about/sustainability/

1. Providing opportunities for student learning and engagement through sustainability-related course content, curriculum and extra-curricular involvement.

Sustainability Guidelines - Engagement 

https://www.oakton.edu/about/sustainability/

1. Providing opportunities for student learning and engagement through sustainability-related course content, curriculum and extra-curricular involvement.

Sustainability Guidelines - Operation 

1. As a commuter college, recognizing the impact of transportation costs on our local and global environment and promoting sustainable transportation opportunities for students, employees and visitors.
2. Reducing our use of resources, increasing diversion efforts and managing waste in an efficient and sustainable manner.
3. Developing and maintaining a sustainable purchasing plan which includes all materials, systems and services secured for campus operations including, but not limited to office materials, food services and recycled products.
4. Maintaining, managing and restoring natural areas on our campuses and protecting the wildlife habitats and ecosystem functions therein and serving our community through our gardens."

Projects 

1. For the transportation project of Oakton for our  students and employees - We have an existing partnership with PACE BUS, to encourage our community to ride the bus instead of using their own car,  we give discounts for every Ventra card purchase from us. Instead of paying $55 for an unlimited ride for a month, we are selling it for $30 for Pace bus only, For CTA and Pace buses, the discounted price is $55 from original price of $75.  Based on records we have approximately 43 students avail this per semester.
2. A Chargepoint Level 2 dual charging station was installed in June 2017 on the Des Plaines campus. The stations located at the south side of Parking Lot D (close to the Lee Center). Drivers of electric vehicles may park in one of the two designated spots while they are charging. Out of respect for other EV drivers, we ask that you move your vehicle to a different space when your charge is complete.

3. A row of reserved spots for low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicle parking is located on the East side of the Lee Center on Des Plaines campus, in Parking Lot D. A second set of three spots is available to employees only in Parking Lot C.

   Not sure if your vehicle is considered fuel efficient? Electric or hybrid vehicles and motorcycles are a quick yes! For other, gas-powered vehicles, find your car’s Green Rating using the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) guide. If your vehicle scores a 40 or higher, you are encouraged to park in these locations!

4. Natural Areas Restoration  on campus- Our team 

   has been working on the site regularly to  remove invasive species, thin trees in wooded areas to  open canopy, herbicide turf grass around lake and  replace with low-profile prairie mix, and burn much of  the land on the east side of campus.

    

   Landscape Master Plan Steering Committee has been  meeting and discussing the importance of  

   incorporating native plants and habitats in new  

   developments outside of the existing “natural 

5. . Complete inaugural GHG  inventory for Oakton - 

   Using tool such as Clean Air, Cool Planet,  calculate collective GHG inventory for the  

   College—aiming for all three Scopes 

   • Conduct transportation survey to assess  commuting impacts, gather data on all travel  paid for by college (mileage reimbursement,  flights, coach bus and other rentals)  

   • Incorporate all utility and waste data 
6. Reduce bird collisions on  campus and increase awareness of bird safe construction - 

   • Bird Safe glass successfully installed in Ceramics Room(2020) and Board Room (2021)

   • Student Authored Report completed on Bird Strikes on Campus and Mitigation Options (2022)

Strategic Plan 2002- 2025

Vision 2030:

Building Just and Thriving Communities 

https://www.oakton.edu/_pdfs/strategic-plans/strategicplanlayout_2022-2025.pdf

Creating a Sustainable Campus

Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. At Oakton, we recognize how important this mindset is and understand the value of being environmentally and socially responsible.

We are proud to have been named the Silver Winner of the 2019 Midwest Region Sustainability Award by the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago (ISM-Chicago), the Gold Winner of the 2018 Environmental Sustainability Award from the Village of Glenview, and the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) College Leadership and Sustainability Award in 2017.

For you, our efforts mean that you'll get to learn and work in a truly green environment—literally in the case of our Des Plaines campus, which sits among 100 acres of natural areas (see more below). Maybe you'll take science or nursing classes at the energy-efficient Margaret Burke Lee Science and Health Careers Center, certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its use of recycled building materials and renewable energy. Or perhaps you’ll earn general education credits while completing our environmental studies concentration. We encourage you to refill water bottles at our hydration stations, take part in near-zero waste events, charge your electric vehicles, and more.

Our efforts extend to our community as well. Each year, we grow hundreds of pounds of organic produce in the community garden at the Des Plaines campus and donate the harvest to local food pantries and community partners. We hold annual Earth Week and Campus Sustainability Month events where we invite participants to raise their awareness of environmental and social justice issues, take part in ecological restoration on campus, and participate in other conservation efforts. We also understand the importance of our purchasing power, so Oakton prioritizes the purchase of environmentally-sound products and sustainable services, sourced from locally owned and/or disadvantaged businesses, whenever possible.

“Climate change is the biggest threat to our environment,” says Oakton Sustainability Specialist Debra Kutska, who co-wrote the college pledge with Director of Software and User Services Renee Kozimor. Both are members of Oakton’s Green Committee. “Colleges have a responsibility to serve as leaders and teach students and the community how to make a difference in impacting the environment.”