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As we have explored, a major benefit of
conserving green spaces is their mitigating
affect on “greenhouse” gasses in the
atmosphere. I am often asked what Rappahannock
Community College is doing to “reduce its
carbon footprint,” or conserve resources.
Happily, I can report that the college is two
years into a campaign to conserve and green-up.
This is our responsibility as a larger public
agency and a higher education institution.
Last year, Rappahannock Community College (RCC)
entered into a several-year, multi-million
dollar contract to upgrade its heating and air
conditioning plants at both campuses. The
engineering firm guarantees at least 30% savings
in energy costs each year, and the loan that the
college incurs to make this happen is paid by
the savings generated from this energy use
reduction. At the same time, new controls are in
place which assure more even comfort in the
learning areas.
In addition, both campuses have reinvigorated
the college’s recycling program, to include
regular office and student lounge collection of
paper, aluminum, and plastic. A college produces
a lot of waste in each of those categories! The
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapters at both
campuses have taken leadership to assure
awareness and practice of recycling for the
college. The Honor Society students also
participate in community cleanup and recycling
efforts as one of their service projects.
On yet another level, RCC revised its Campus
Master Plan for both Glenns and Warsaw Campuses
in 2006. These plans describe the campus layout
for approximately the next 10-15 years. Both
plans now display the campus as a cluster of
buildings around a central quadrangle, adding
minimal additional impervious parking area. This
design preserves the considerable forested space
on both campuses, as well as most of the open
fields. The college, the community, and the
wildlife will continue to enjoy the protected
green space, which contains miles of
recreational trails, ponds, and numerous native
plant species.
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