The Going Green Initiative at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is committed to integrating environmental awareness and responsibility throughout the college community by educating those on our campus and in our community to be responsible stewards of our natural resources. The Initiative seeks to foster environmental literacy among the campus community through academic and co-curricular avenues. It is our aim to involve faculty, staff, and students with programs and activities with the greater goal of building a more sustainable campus, community and world.

The idea of recycling is hardly new, although the new buzzword  of 2008 seems to be “green.” With our natural resources dwindling, our landfills overflowing, and our climate changing, “green” is a term that needs to become a commonly used word.

For years the computer printers at RCCC have spit out page after page in the writing and computer labs and offices. For all the outdated memos, drafts, and extra pages printed, the paper accumulated in the trash cans. Students often asked, “Where does all this paper go? Is it recycled?” It is now.

The initiative of RCCC going green started with an idea from faculty members after the school decided to start charging for print outs at the ICLC. It was one of those “light bulb” moments that instructors hope for from their students. Immediately, volunteers signed on to research how RCCC could stop flooding the landfill with its “trash.”

Within weeks, the idea spread to other faculty members, staff and administrators, and they became eager to help RCCC start a recycling program. The initiative was revealed at the summer Open Houses with great reception.

Soon all RCCC campuses will be dotted with recycling bins. There will be receptacles for paper and plastics in every building on every floor. The copy rooms and the student center will offer more bins.

Plastic, white paper and mixed paper (other types of paper such as newspapers and magazines) will be recycled. Students can help RCCC recycle by simply tossing their plastic, white paper or mixed paper in the bin stamped for its particular use. Instructors, staff and administrators will share a common purpose with students and toss recyclables in bins.