North Central College is first DuPage university to earn Earth Flag for sustainability

NOTE: An Earth Flag presentation event scheduled for April 18 was canceled. It may be rescheduled for a later date.

North Central College is the first college or university in DuPage County to train students and employees about energy conservation and meet other requirements to earn an Earth Flag for its sustainability initiatives.

Representatives of the DuPage County-supported organization School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education group (SCARCE) will present an Earth Flag to North Central College for its sustainability initiatives.

“SCARCE and DuPage County have created a program to recognize companies and schools for sustainability efforts,” says Brittany Graham, North Central College’s sustainability coordinator. “This program helped get the campus excited about environmental projects. The College will continue to seek new opportunities to ‘go green.’”

Earning the Earth Flag demonstrates the College’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness across the community, Graham says. The Earth Flag features a photo of the planet taken from space and symbolizes the need for interconnected communities to address environmental issues. Created and distributed by environmentalist John McConnell in 1969, the Earth Flag has grown into an international symbol of environmental awareness.

North Central College underwent a rigorous certification by SCARCE in order to receive the Earth Flag. Representatives from the environmental group visited the College during a “Green Audit” to inspect building sites for ways to improve energy efficiency and to identify potential environmental hazards. After the audit, the College adopted several recommendations, including establishing a composting program and other initiatives to reduce waste and energy consumption.

“It is important for schools, local governments and businesses to be leaders in reducing their ecological footprint,” Graham says. “North Central College continues to provide educational opportunities for others in the community to learn about different sustainability projects.”

Glen Ellyn-based SCARCE was founded in 1990 and is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental awareness, education and training to schools, businesses and organizations throughout DuPage County.

Earth Day, April 22, was first observed in the United States in 1970.