The Collegian

Media Credit: Junifer Mamsaang GOING GREEN: Students on campus are being encouraged to be more environmentally friendly and recycle whenever possible as well as other means.

Superintendent Raul Rodriguez signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, encouraging Delta to eliminate its carbon footprint and begin to be more environmentally aware.

Greg Greenwood announced early this month that a committee will set goals to follow the Presidents' Climate Commitment's agreement to assess the college emissions and the effect on the environment and take steps to become "climate neutral."

Greenwood said changes such as encouraging double-sided printing, recycling, and even possibly eliminating paper altogether would help alleviate wasted energy and money.

Changes could be made to how curriculums are managed and distributed.

Modification of materials for students as well as forming open-source partnerships with other organizations helps both the college and its students save money.

One major element of Delta going green is the possible implementation of solar paneling to help create cost-effective and eco-friendly energy.

Greenwood said that Delta would like to use Butte College's plan for renewable energy as a model, in which Butte is aiming to be off the energy grid by 2012. A large advantage Delta has is its assets on land areas, such as Manteca Farm, Galt properties, and Mountain House, which can also be used to house solar panels.

Options presented by the agreement are the purchasing or production of renewable energy that will provide a minimum of 15 percent and encourage use of public transportation.

The Commitment has currently over six-hundred signers, with institutions from all across the United States. California has over fifty colleges and universities committed, including UC Davis, UCLA, and CSU: Chico.

Some notable supporters are the National Wildlife Foundation, Treehugger.com, and the Conservation fund.

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