ORANGE COAST COLLEGE PRACTICES GREEN CLEANING AND OPERATES OWN RECYCLING CENTER:
Orange Coast College (OCC), located in Costa Mesa, CA, began its recycling program in 1970 and has been getting Greener ever since. Forming a partnership with Unisource's local office in La Palma, CA, in 2004, the college has made the conversion to Green cleaning chemicals and products by using the following: Unisource Respect™ Glass Cleaner, Unisource Respect™ Neutral Floor Cleaner, 3M™ Easy Scrub Express Flat Mop System, 3M™ Easy Trap Duster System, 3M™ Matting, Kimberly-Clark EPA compliant Roll Towels, and Unisource Multifold Towels and Toilet Tissue.
In addition to converting to Green cleaning products, OCC is a leader in sustainability efforts underway throughout educational institutions in the State of California. OCC is the first college in the state to have its own fixed recycling center - which employs 26 people alone! The recycling center is completely self-sufficient and does not receive or require any funds from the school budget. In fact, in 2008 the recycling center was able to return approximately $160,000 to the school and still fund staff salaries and supplies from earned profits. With their gradual successes, the college is now able to offer free consulting to other campuses and also serve as the community recycling center.
"Going Green" and practicing overall sustainability is important for all facets of maintaining and establishing a "Healthy School." OCC has also made the switch by using recycled paper in the campus print shop, and has prohibited use of banners on campus that contain a high level of petroleum products. The college will now use non-toxic banners made from Bio-flex, which was named the first landfill degradable PVC.
Other Green measures the college has taken include the installation of water-efficient toilets, auto shut-off water faucets, energy-efficient lighting, recycling containers placed throughout the campus, "smart" thermostat controls, water reclamation, and low-irrigation vegetation.
Overall, "Going Green" at Orange Coast College has made a huge positive impact on campus life and its sustainability and environmental efforts have received a very favorable response from employees, staff and students alike. It is estimated that the college will save approximately $12,000 per year in chemical use alone, and OCC plans to continue using Green products to remain a sustainability leader among campuses across the nation.
