Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon

This project is a collaboration with Hibbing (HCC), Itasca (ICC), Mesabi Range (MRCTC), Rainy River (RRCC), and Vermilion Community Colleges (VCC), which are the five campuses which comprise the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED). Student sustainability teams at each NHED campus will focus on one of five areas relevant to the carbon footprint of higher education institutions: student housing, commuting, food service, solid waste, and lighting. Each of these subprojects includes a strong educational component that will promote carbon reduction on campus, within NHED, and in the communities of greater northeastern Minnesota Upon completion of the project, each campus will share their successes and challenges with the other campuses. The overarching, long term goal is to have each of the individual five subprojects eventually integrated into the normal operations of each of the five campuses, thus acting as a multiplier that will promote substantial carbon footprint reductions across the District.

Project Sub-Goal HCC: To reduce carbon emissions through campus education and strategies that promote changes in commuting choices made by students, staff and administration
Objective 1: To reduce carbon emissions through the development of options that match persons on campus wishing to rideshare
Objective 2: To reduce commuting carbon emissions by encouraging the campus community to commute to campus by bike
Objective 3: To reduce carbon emissions by promoting use of public transportation by the campus community.

Project Sub-Goal VCC: To reduce Scope 2 carbon emissions by replacing lighting fixtures in a prominent space on campus with an energy efficient lighting system and to develop and mount an interpretive display relaying information about the project around sustainability and carbon emissions reductions
Objective 1: To make the lighting in the Fireside Lounge (a prominent meeting place on campus) more energy efficient
Objective 2: To provide an educational experience through active participation in the planning and creation of an interpretive display for the Fireside Lounge
Objective 3: To make lighting in two residence hall corridors adjacent to the Fireside Lounge more energy efficient

Project Sub-Goal MRTCC: To reduce carbon emissions by minimizing the solid waste stream at Mesabi Range Technical and Community College
Objective 1: To overhaul the campus recycling program
Objective 2: To responsibly dispose of organic waste through composting and campus gardening
Objective 3: To initiate a marketing campaign that educates the campus community on how to effectively use resources to minimize waste and to properly recycle

Project Sub-Goal ICC: To reduce the overall carbon footprint of the ICC cafeteria by focusing on reducing food waste, converting this waste to useable compost, changing the way food is served, and educating the campus community on sustainable dining
Objective 1: To transition the food service at Itasca Community College into an operation which utilizes sustainable dining practices
Objective 2: To convert food waste in the ICC cafeteria into compost for campus plantings and gardens
Objective 3: To educate the campus community on sustainability issues related to food, dining and resource use

Project Sub-Goal RRCC: To decrease carbon emissions in student housing by reducing electricity use and solid waste generation, while increasing student awareness and opportunities to make sustainable choices in everyday life
Objective 1: To actively engage residence hall students in a strategy to reduce carbon emissions by making substantive energy reductions at Rainy Hall
Objective 2: To reduce the amount of solid waste generated by students in Rainy Hall by increasing recycling efforts and educating dorm residents as to its importance
Objective 3: To encourage students to reduce energy consumption in Rainy Hall by employing a variety of energy reduction strategies
Objective 4: To engage in a proactive approach that prepares new students in Rainy Hall for sustainable living strategies