General Sustainability

Sustainability requires reducing the negative impacts of our economic choices and using natural resources wisely to protect and conserve the environment for our generation and those to come. It is the balance between the environment, social equity, and economy to create thriving, healthy, diverse, and resilient communities. Accordingly, sustainable policies emphasize the future effect of any given policy or business practice on humans, ecosystems, and the wider economy. The IGEN network of colleges have implemented numerous programs and initiatives to help support students and the workforce to create a more sustainable Illinois.

Waste Management and Prevention

There is a growing concern worldwide about the underlying link between solid waste management, environmental pollution, land use, resource management, and public health. As the population grows and generates more solid waste — garbage, landscape waste, and construction/demolition debris — landfill capacity is rapidly decreasing. Yet, nearly half of the solid waste produced globally is organic or biodegradable. Additionally, disposing of recyclable or reusable goods necessitates the production of more materials from new resources, requiring additional extraction from the environment and releasing more greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. One example of how recycling conserves natural resources is that recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. As such, reducing, recycling, and composting waste is critical to building a healthier ecosystem.

In Illinois, solid waste management efforts are supported by three primary laws: the Solid Waste Management Act, the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. These regulations help guide waste management decisions and implement proper waste management plans.

Illinois Community Colleges and Sustainability

The IGEN network of colleges is part of the sustainable resource management movement toward zero waste. Colleges are working to change attitudes as well as practices on their campuses and in their communities. Towards those goals, colleges are:

• Incorporating waste reduction strategies into procurement guides to require recycled content, product life cycle analysis, sustainably made goods, and local sources.
• Completing waste audits to establish baseline metrics to increase waste diversion rates and create directed institutional policies.
• Keeping organic waste out of landfills by composting landscape waste and pre-consumer food scraps.
• Installing water bottle filling stations at drinking fountains to encourage reusable water bottles and to keep plastic bottles out of landfills.
• Cutting back on the use of lawn mowing and use of pesticides.
• Institutionalizing recycling programs that go beyond paper, glass, and plastic such as printer and toner cartridges, batteries, automotive programs waste, and fluorescent and HID light bulbs.
• Holding community collection events for household hazardous waste and E-waste.
  Utilizing recycled material for construction and landscaping projects.
• Auctioning off or donating used office and classroom furniture.