North Lake focuses on being an environmentally friendly campus
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With the success of recent documentaries such as former Vice President Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and television programs about impending climate changes, public awareness of environmental issues has reached an all-time high.
North Lake College's administration hopes to take advantage of the increased awareness in order to get the North Lake community involved with the school's initiatives.
Christa Slejko, vice president of business services, said the administration wants to get out the message that "we're already doing a bunch of stuff and here's what's coming."
Slejko said her immediate objective is to find people interested and willing to donate their time to serve on a new committee that will help guide NLC's environmental programs.
Think of the old war posters of Uncle Sam and the pointed message he delivers in some history books: "I want you!"
While Slejko said that North Lake has no intention of "hiring a director of green," she would like to see all the college's environmental initiatives placed under the new committee.
North Lake already has several 'green' programs in place, some visible, others not so obvious.
It's hard to walk around campus without noticing the blue bins for recycling paper and plastics, but North Lake's use of reclaimed water for irrigating the college's landscaping is easily overlooked.
NLC's "native garden" decorating the walkways around the KBuilding also reduces demand on natural resources by using plants that are suited to the local climate. John Watson, director of facilities services, also pointed out less obvious - but environmentally friendly - initiatives that NLC employs. According to Watson, over 50,000 square feet of campus carpeting was manufactured from recycled materials.
Watson said conservation of available resources does more than help the environment. Conservation, he said, goes hand-in-hand with good financial management.
"If you're being energy conscious, you're going to save money on your bill," Watson said. "It's just that plain and simple."
NLC's most ambitious programs are tied to the upcoming construction of the new science building as well as North Lake's North Campus in Coppell.
Slejko said that NLC plans to pursue a LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED certification is a voluntary process that acknowledges sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
According to www.usgbc.org, points are accumulated based on such factors as the use of natural lighting and the volume of recycled material used in the construction of a building.
Both Slejko and Dr. Herlinda Glasscock, North Lake's president, were quick to point out that focusing on sustainability isn't just about being environmentally conscious. Instead, Glasscock said, for a program to be 'sustainable' it has to focus equally on its effect on community and economy.
She added that she would like to see environmental projects unite students, faculty and other college employees.
"I would like to see us have a [campus] community garden at North Lake," Glasscock said. "It's not just about the food: It's about building a sense of community."