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Glendale Community College: A Culture of Sustainability
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This video is an entry in a contest we’ve launched with Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Awards. See below for how you can vote for it.
See more entries in this contest
Comprehensive Commitment: A Culture of Sustainability
At Glendale Community College (GCC), we believe a comprehensive commitment is necessary to achieving carbon neutrality. Focusing on only new buildings and green programs alone will not bring success. All stakeholders must be engaged; all ideas considered; new initiatives must be regularly communicated; and our successes celebrated. At GCC, our comprehensive commitment has sparked sustainable efforts at multiple levels across our multiple campuses and the efforts have enjoyed tremendous success.
GCC acknowledges that true sustainability requires more than just our campus efforts – it is fostering sustainability for future generations. The comprehensive commitment approach is our policy, and it has reshaped our values, guided our actions and changed our culture.
Culture defines us as a civilization, society, nation and institution. Culture is enduring and brings about change. Culture facilitates improvement and progression toward a common goal, yet can also present a formidable form of inertia. An ethical catalyst is essential to directing positive cultural change and to achieving and sustaining any commitment. The catalyst that propelled GCC into sustainable behaviors is our approach, which we term “comprehensive commitment.”
At GCC, basic conservation principles have been in practice since the college’s founding in 1965. Following voter approval of a capital bond in 2004, the college began upgrading its infrastructure and designing facilities to LEED standards. In 2008, the sustainability revolution began in earnest. Led by a core of faculty, the college formed the Green Efforts Committee and students reinitiated an Environmental Club. This grassroots effort blossomed, and following the signing of the ACUPCC by Dr. Rufus Glasper, Maricopa Community College District Chancellor in 2010, the values of our campuses started to change. Increasingly, symbols of our desire to become a sustainable college began to be commonplace practice. Among these were increased recycling, the use of green chemicals and fertilizers, the addition of environmental awareness in the curriculum, including sustainability as a goal in the college’s Strategic Plan, the energy efficient scheduling of facilities and engagement in numerous awareness activities – many of them national events.
Reviewing GCC’s progress, we discovered something was still missing: a catalyst to move the sustainability agenda forward. We wanted sustainability to become more than a collection of independent efforts, a series of policies and economic decisions or a single document signed by the administration. We wanted sustainability to become a component of our daily language and actions: a commitment and a part of our culture. We wanted to become carbon neutral by 2025.
In October 2011, under the leadership of President Dr. Irene Kovala, and in a public forum, administrators, faculty, staff and students signed the ACUPCC pledge. Not only did this simple act unify all stakeholders and announce to our local community that GCC is committed to sustainability, initiatives at the college became more widely known and the sustainability agenda accelerated. More than 30 of GCC’s sustainability initiatives are listed on the Green Efforts webpage at www.gccaz.edu/greenefforts/15735.htm.
GCC will continue to raise awareness and establish a greater sense of pride in the college’s sustainability programs. The ACUPCC has invigorated faculty, staff and students to do more, to explore, to innovate and to take action to achieve a zero carbon footprint by 2025. We recognize that achieving this goal will be challenging, yet we will continue to embrace the learning, collaborative and innovative opportunities on this journey. Our values, our actions and our campus culture will demonstrate our comprehensive commitment to sustainability.
THAT is what comprehensive commitment looks like and we’re on it!
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On March 13th, 2012 at 6:40 pm Charles F. Jeffery Said:
Congratulations to GCC on becoming a 2012 climate leadership finalist and in accomplishing so much to conserve resources and reduce the institution’s carbon footprint. The video says so much about GCC: grass roots sustainability beginnings, support across the college, comprehensive programs and committment, and success; just check out those graphs at the end. This truly is a place where sustainability (and public stewqardship) are part of the culture. Carbon neutral by 2025 – GCC, you’re on it!
On March 21st, 2012 at 7:49 pm Robert Reavis Said:
Sustainable efforts at Glendale Community College grows from the ‘roots’ with strong support from all stakeholders: students, staff, faculty, and administration. We share a clear vision – to become carbon neutral – and we will explore multiple paths to reach our goal. Our journey includes the the involvement of our neighboring communities. Together, we will model a sustainable future.
On March 22nd, 2012 at 5:02 pm Brian Said:
Great video, I had no idea all this went on at our campus! Really good facts and presentation. Thanks!
On March 26th, 2012 at 7:43 pm Murod Baratashvili Said:
I like the video it was really nice to see how it was different before in 1965 and now it has changed with new things.
On March 26th, 2012 at 10:26 pm Brandon McColley Said:
i was really surprised by the amount of natural light that is used. I never thought of that but it makes sense now. Pretty crazy. I also thought it was crazy about the amount that was e-cycled.
On April 12th, 2012 at 4:34 pm Faten Amar Said:
A very good video, I been on campus for a year now but didn’t quite notice that all these great ideas. I mostly liked the natural lights in the buildings and the electric cars. Truly inspiring there should be more places that follow gcc’s steps.
On April 12th, 2012 at 4:46 pm VIVIANA BUSTOS Said:
I have to admit it. This is a magnificent video. GCC it is a great place to be. It has the best educative programs for every student. We have many programs to choose from. Glendale Community College: A Culture of Sustainability.
On April 13th, 2012 at 2:36 pm Joseline Castaneda Said:
It’s a really great video and I’m proud to be part of the student body here at GCC who has been very conscious about the environment. It’s evident that this campus is doing it’s best to be green
On April 15th, 2012 at 4:04 am Paige Russell Said:
I have been going to GCC for a few years now and in that short time the improvements i have seen on recycling are astounding. One of the first things i notice when i get on campus is the amount of recycle bins! I also like the fact how each building has their unique way of conserving energy and how anywhere you go on campus you are always reminded to recycle.
On April 16th, 2012 at 2:34 pm Nicholas Ortiz Said:
What a great video. I have noticed a lot of changes going on around here at campus and all I can say is keep up the good work!
On April 16th, 2012 at 4:07 pm Weston Howse Said:
I enjoyed the video. I am new to GCC and appreciate the efforts that are being made to make our planet greenier.
On April 16th, 2012 at 7:15 pm Edward Rusnac Said:
I have attended a few different community colleges and by far GCC surpasses all of them in their efforts of being green.
On April 17th, 2012 at 3:06 am Phillip K Seng Said:
I’ve worked at several schools and attended multiple campuses, yet GCC take the extra time to raise awareness with their students, staff, and community.
On April 17th, 2012 at 11:59 pm Matthew Figueroa Said:
Good job for bringing more recycling into practice!For sure it will bring them to their final goal by 2025 and so.GCC has been a growing campus with some parts adding to the main campus itself and with new buildings.
On April 18th, 2012 at 3:17 pm Julie Kocmoud Said:
I very much enjoyed the video! I have been going to school here off and on for ten years and what an amazing change! What you offer here at GCC gives everyone an abundance of great education and a wonderful place in which to learn it! THINK GREEN EVERYONE!!
On April 18th, 2012 at 3:38 pm Christopher Rice Said:
Very cool video. I appreciate what GCC is doing to help save this planet that we live on and eventually all of our children and grandchildren. GCC is taking a huge step in the right direction. Everyone take note!
On April 18th, 2012 at 4:03 pm Belem Salazar Said:
I have been at GCC for the past 2 years and I can honestly say that it has motivated me to be more aware of my surrounding and treat our environment with more respect. Great Video!
On April 19th, 2012 at 1:07 am Philleo GCC Said:
Awesome video, glad to be part of this school
On April 19th, 2012 at 11:06 am James Singer GCC Said:
Glad I go to a school that is making a difference!
On April 19th, 2012 at 11:48 am Daniel Nguyen Said:
I am happy GCC tries so hard to go green!!! Especially today when I participated in the dumpster dive.
On April 19th, 2012 at 12:18 pm Michael Bessette Said:
Glad to see GCC making a difference in the enviorment and I am happy to be apart of it. Good job on the video!
On April 19th, 2012 at 9:14 pm Weiyi Wei Said:
Glad to see GCC making a difference to save the planet. I have noticed lots of changes going on around here at campus and all I can say is keep up the good work!!!!!
On April 20th, 2012 at 1:17 am Roy Dominguez Said:
Great video! i am glad GCC is making the difference!
On April 26th, 2012 at 12:15 am Michael Bush Said:
GCC is such a beautiful and well run campus. Great video and great representation of all the people making a difference!
On April 26th, 2012 at 5:00 pm Victoria Harris Said:
Excellent to see all the hard work at GCC over the years is paying off! The smaller carbon footprint is really impressive given all the facilities & student body growth. Keep it up!!!
On May 3rd, 2012 at 5:01 pm Julia Smith Said:
It’s awesome that GCC is so green and has made such an impact on the enviroment! congratulations for making it so far!
On May 7th, 2012 at 7:56 pm Alex Smathers Said:
Great presentation! Really opened my eyes to how hard the campus is working to stay green!
On May 8th, 2012 at 12:17 am Melissa Hernandez Said:
It’s great to see GCC make a difference by educating students on sutainability. Their efforts towards giving awareness to people who don’t yet understand the importance of sustainabilty really shows their commitment! Go GCC!
On May 8th, 2012 at 1:59 pm Elaine Renteria Said:
Really great presentation! I am very proud that I chose to come to this school because you guys are doing so much, not only for the the students, by for our community as well. Let’s keep up with the great work! I love GCC!
On May 8th, 2012 at 4:23 pm Cecilia Rodriguez Said:
Way to go GCC, hard work always pays off! Keep up the good work =)
On May 8th, 2012 at 5:13 pm Taimour Rabadi Said:
I really liked how this video reminded me of how Gcc members make a great effort to keep the school a clean and healthy environment. I am so glad I attend GCC.
On May 9th, 2012 at 11:21 am Geordan Key Said:
This was a great video. I love GCC!