EvCC is headed in a more environmentally friendly direction, as the start of the Fall 2009 quarter meant new printing limits and stricter recycling policies became official.

According to the Department of Ecology, Washington was the first state in the country to pass a law requiring all new state funded construction and renovation projects to meet one of three sustainable building standards:

- Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard for Affordable Housing.

- Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design (LEED)

- The Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol.

Gray Wolf Hall was the first building on campus to be LEED silver standard certified.

According to a General Administration of Washington publication, "The school took every reasonable opportunity available to make the building a model for future campus development."

Is becoming environmentally sustainable within our campus hurting us economically? Molly Beeman, co-chair on the EvCC Sustainability Committee said, "Direct answer: No, we aren't spending more, because then it wouldn't be sustainable. It has to have three elements to be sustainable: People, planet, and profit. If you don't have those three things it is not sustainable."

The difference from last year's total energy used by the campus compared to this year is 8,334 MBTUs (a method of measurement of energy that combines all types of energy together). That amount of energy conserved saved the school about $75,800 this year. The school's electrical company is raising prices this year by 6 percent, so it's even more important to reduce the amount of electricity we use.

Gray Wolf Hall is saving the school over $30,000 a year in energy and water expenses, and an impressive 97 percent of the waste created during construction was recycled according to the General Administration of Washington.

Gray Wolf Hall was made out of recycled parts, its light fixtures are made to adjust to the time of day and seasons to reduce electricity use and its many windows allow for more sunlight use. It is the first and not the last initiative taken by the college to maintain its promise of sustainability through construction.

Revamping temperature settings and automatic shutdown of computers at a certain time of night have helped to conserve energy. The campus recycling program saves about $10,000 a year. Also the junk mail project has reduced incoming junk mail on campus by 100 to 150 pounds a day.

The EvCC Sustainability Committee, made of 21 members, 14 of which are faculty members, have created a few policies addressing the issue of recycling:

- Special blue bins are in use for paper vs. plastic inside every classroom.

- Outside are green barrels labeled "glass/plastic bottles and aluminum cans"

- Smoking areas are limited and enforced to designated areas

- Printing limits: 350 pages per quarter

- Cafés use eco-friendly, biodegradable cups, plates, utensils

- Campus Awareness Day encourages/educates students on the environment

Plans are in progress to become compliant with the College & University Presidents' Climate