sustainability | North Central College

Campus garden is classroom for local culinary students

Twelve high school students and two instructors from the Culinary, Pastry Arts and Hospitality Management Program of the Technology Center of DuPage visited North Central College as part of a field trip on May 6 to get a behind-the-scenes look at the campus garden program and dining services.

Theatre sets from “Phantom” go green

Ever wonder what happens to all the set materials from a large North Central production, like those from “The Phantom of the Opera”? In the past, old sets were loaded into a dumpster and hauled to a landfill, but not this year. The theatre department has taken a new, sustainable approach that’s both cost and environmentally friendly.

Strong winds, a scoreboard and lost tree

Did you hear about the tree that almost took out the College’s scoreboard? Last month’s wind storms damaged a few trees around campus. However, looking on the bright side, this was the first chance to use the campus tree survey, initiated by Abby Hahne, sustainability coordinator. The survey revealed that the tree near the scoreboard, which was completely knocked over by the wind, was a Silver Maple (tree #626 of 794 total campus trees). At 50 inches in diameter, it was the second largest tree on campus.

Cardinal Green becomes a Sustainable Strategy

The word “sustainability” has become much more than an abstract concept around the campus of North Central College. Managing resources in a more responsible way in a global environment is a practice that has become entrenched in the operation of the institution.

Be Cardinal Green

Students crossing campus on Cardinal red bicycles. Quick-rental cars and refillable plastic bottles. Campus-wide recycling and underground stormwater management.

The common thread is sustainability, and these initiatives are all part of how North Central College is incorporating sustainable techniques and technologies into physical campus development, along with business and work environment practices that can be replicated by other businesses and colleges.

College launches outdoor recycling program: 10 locations

North Central has started a new outdoor recycling program.

When you move out, recycle unwanted items

Students: As you make plans to move out, North Central wants your used and unwanted items. The College will provide a moving truck at each dorm location (see list below) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 7-9, where you can donate anything you don’t plan on taking with you that can be reused or recycled.

Wanted: Volunteers for North Central’s community garden project

Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate as volunteers in a small-scale, environmentally conscious agriculture pilot project on campus this spring. Volunteers will help build a compost system and plant and maintain an urban and organic garden plot of specialty vegetables and herbs that will be featured in the Kaufman Dining Hall menu and salad bar. This project demonstrates the College’s sustainability priorities and commitment and utilizes environmentally responsible and low-impact gardening methods through pest control, compost application, soil replenishment and rainwate