Butte College sits on a 928-acre wildlife refuge nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California. When it was founded in 1967, one of the college’s trustees was a conservationist who was impressed with the variety of wildlife that lived on the campus site. This setting positioned Butte as a trend setter in environmental stewardship and a future leader in the higher education sustainability movement.

Today, Butte is a national community college leader in sustainability education, green construction, energy conservation, and community partnerships focused on sustainable economic development and social equity. This year, it was the grand prize win-ner of the National Wildlife Federation’s “Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming” contest, which recognizes campuses for their efforts to solve global warming.

The president of the college, Diana Van Der Ploeg, Ph.D., is the most visible and energetic supporter of sustainability on campus. “Taking care of the envi-ronment is a part of our culture, especially given that we’re situated on a wildlife refuge,” she explains.

Van Der Ploeg’s arrival in 2003 brought on a renewed institutional commitment to environmental awareness. Following a conversation Van Der Ploeg had with the president of California State Univer-sity, Chico, “We identified sustainability as a great fit given our culture and within the region, and decided to partner,” says Van Der Ploeg. Campus and com-munity interest grew when she assigned responsibil-ity for sustainability to two deans and the college’s facilities managers, who urged her to launch a major green building initiative following a successful bond campaign. “People just started coming from all areas of the college because they were passionate about it,” she remembers. “It was exciting to watch.”

The main campus in Oroville, CA, is one of the larg-est community college campuses in the country. It serves an annual student population of more than 20,500 and employs 1,800 faculty and staff. In many respects, the campus functions as a self-contained small city. For example, the college provides its own

water supply, runs one of the largest community col-lege transportation systems in the state, maintains a waste treatment system, and generates a good por-tion of its own energy.

Van Der Ploeg continues her visionary leadership in reframing the college mission around sustainability. “Last year was our fortieth anniversary,” she points out. “We honored the college’s legacy of existing in balance with nature by continuing our commitment. By doing so, we hope to create a healthy and pros-perous environment for present and future genera-tions.” Van Der Ploeg made good on her word when she signed the American College & University Presi-dents Climate Commitment on Jan. 10, 2007.

Butte College went even further by endorsing the Talloires Declaration statement for sustainability created by and for presidents of higher learning in-stitutions that originated in 1990 in Talloires, France, when Jean Mayer, the president of Tufts University,

convened a conference of 22 universities. The docu-ment declares that institutions will be world leaders in developing, creating, supporting, and maintain-ing sustainability. University Leaders for a Sustain-able Future (www.ulsf.org), located in Washington,

Butte College: A California Community College Creates a Sustainable CampusBy Kevin D. Blanchet

An aerial view of the Butte College campus nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills

Butte is a national community college leader in sustainability education, green construction, energy conservation, and community partnerships.

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DC, serves as the registrar for the declaration. Van Der Ploeg signed the 10-point action plan, joining more than 300 university presidents and chancellors in more than 40 countries.

Sustainability was further institutionalized and em-bedded two years ago when the college conducted a strategic planning session comprised of a cross section of campus stakeholders. Five strategic initia-tives were identified, including sustainability. Now, Van Der Ploeg provides financial support to those various initiatives. Part of that financing will soon include hiring a full-time sustainability coordinator to ensure that the college remains a national higher education leader in the movement during the next several years.

Designing Degree Programs

In conjunction with California State University, Chico, Butte College provides students with course articulation in the sustainability minor as well as sustainability education across the curriculum. Fac-ulty and department heads are working to create certificate and associate degree programs that focus on every conceivable aspect of sustainability (see sidebar). For example, in development are certificate programs in sustainability theory, hybrid/alterna-tive fuel auto technology, energy assessment train-ing, and environmental restoration. New associate degree programs are being planned for majors in green building construction management, sustain-able land use/planning, ecological design, and sus-tainability studies. The National Science Foundation recently recognized Butte College leadership by awarding it a prestigious Advanced Technological Education grant to support the creation of a Green Building Systems Technologies ATE Center.

The college holds workshops on renewable energy technology, green building techniques, compost-ing, and sustainable agriculture. Faculty members are encouraged to incorporate sustainability theory and practice into their course curricula. While some course offerings are obvious (i.e., World Food and Hunger Issues, Environmental Management, Agri-cultural Economics), others are not so apparent. For example, courses such as Art Appreciation, Eastern Religions, and California State and Local Politics all have sustainability issues woven into them. This multidisciplinary approach facilitates student under-standing of the basic concepts, even if they are not majoring in the life or environmental sciences. “We hit students at a basic level in order to create aware-ness,” says Mimi Riley, an instructor in sociology and the faculty sustainability coordinator.

Students can earn one unit of academic credit by participating in or starting up a sustainability-relat-ed project, either on campus or in the community. In

addition, the campus has a Sustainability Resource Center, which houses books, journals, magazines, and electronic media.

Going Green in Construction

Since 2002, the college has made every effort to fol-low sustainable design principles in its plans for new building construction. By the end of 2009, five new campus buildings will meet the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. All of the new facilities will use natural and recycled materials, maximize energy efficiency, allow daylight to stream indoors, and showcase outdoor views. Construction is under way on the college’s visual and performing arts building. Recently, there was a groundbreaking for the fifth new building—the student and general services facility. These last two structures will aim for the highest LEED certification possible. “Every-thing from the countertops to the flooring will be sustainable,” points out Van Der Ploeg. “There will also be descriptive signs telling people why and how different design elements and materials are fostering sustainability.”

The campus is midway through completing energy conservation projects throughout all campus facili-ties. Such efforts include upgrading HVAC units and lighting occupancy retrofits. Partnering with Butte College in these projects is Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) through the California Community Colleges’ Investor-Owned Utility Partnership Proj-ect. Other plans call for the use of new hydrogen technology and solar energy to generate hydro-gen, which can be used to fuel peak-time electrical needs.

Visiting any building on campus, one notices subtle and obvious innovative technologies at work to pro-mote energy efficiency. These include everything from waterless urinals, low-flow valves, and water sensors in the lavatories to vendor misers, lighting replacements, and occupancy sensors in classrooms and offices for HVAC and lighting. These and other innovations are paying off. Five-year results for 2002 to 2006 show that the overall use (usage per square foot) of electricity and natural gas in campus facili-ties decreased by 33 percent.

Photovoltaic Solar Project

But possibly the biggest payoff is from the school’s solar panels. Twenty-eight percent of the college’s electric needs are supplied by a one megawatt solar Phase I photovoltaic system. The system uses 5,700Sharp 185-watt photovoltaic panels situated on 3.5 acres. Each panel produces 1.01 kilowatts of direct current and 901 kilowatts of alternating current. Annually, the system generates 1.6 million kilowatts

“Everything from the countertops to the flooring will be

sustainable. There will also be descriptive signs

telling people why and how different design elements

and materials are fostering

sustainability.”

248 SUSTAINABILITY MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 1 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2008 • DOI: 10.1089/SUS.2008.9947

Year founded: 1967

Annual student population: 20,500

Faculty and staff: 1,800

Number of LEED buildings: 5 (by the end of 2009)

Percentage electric needs supplied by solar energy: 28%

Percentage decrease in overall use of electricity

and natural gas: 33% (2002-2006)

Annual waste stream recycled:

75% to 93%

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per hour and provides about a quarter of the college’s total energy. “This is enough to meet the energy needs of 300 single family homes,” says Mike Miller, director of facilities planning & management and Butte College’s land-use coordinator. “We have one of the largest community college solar arrays in the nation and are preparing to expand.”

Miller is quick to point out the benefits reaped by the photovoltaic solar project. “Our total utility cost reduction as a result of using this technology is $300,000 per year,” he says. The system also elimi-nates significant greenhouse gas emissions. The col-lege is working on securing funding to upgrade to a 4 megawatts system in order to produce 100 percent of electrical energy on campus. This will be accom-plished by adding additional solar photovoltaic pan-els, as well as the generation and storage of hydrogen. By the end of this year, the college will complete a full environmental impact energy assessment. “Our goal is zero carbon footprint by 2015,” he says. “We want to be a 100 percent sustainable campus and get completely off the grid.”

Partnering for Success

A long time ago, Butte College officials recognized the tremendous value in forging partnerships to achieve sustainability goals. “Our relationship with California State University, Chico has worked well,” says Van Der Ploeg. Joint projects and programs include an investor-owned utility, various transpor-tation and habitation conservation planning initia-tives, co-sponsorship of a sustainability conference, and the development of construction management and contract education courses.

The college also partners with organizations in Sac-ramento and Redding, both 80 miles away, on a vari-ety of initiatives. In Chico, the campus works closely with the city’s sustainability committee. Closer to home in Oroville, everyone collaborates on efforts to increase energy efficiency and sustainability. They also partner and work closely with North State

Renewable Energy, PG&E, and local, regional, and statewide industries. Additional community out-reach efforts focusing on teaching sustainability to children in K-12 and various service projects. There is a wide array of continuing education offerings dealing with sustainability. In addition, the college has created a small business development center and a regional occupation program with strong sustain-ability components.

Recycle EverywhereIf there is a way to recycle or use recycled materials, Butte College is doing it. Annually, 75 percent to 93 percent of the operations waste stream is recycled. The campus meets the 50 percent waste diversion goal for 2000 established by California when it adopted the AB 939 recycling law in 1989. Van Der Ploeg cites three examples: Food services regularly composts food waste; recycled tires have been used to resurface the college’s athletic track and the law enforcement academy firing range; and con-struction managers recycle close to 100 percent of their building materials.

Sharing Wheels

Buses are another defining aspect of Butte College. The school operates the largest community college transportation system in California. Buses travel along eight different routes, logging in 250,000 miles each year. Every day, 1,100 students take advantage of these transit rides with reduced fares through a partnership with Butte County Transit. Currently, the sys-tem uses three natural gas buses and 10 biodiesel capable buses. The college is now investigating purchasing three additional buses that will be hybrids.

Since the campus is relatively iso-lated—10 miles from the nearest community—cars remain a neces-sity. However, the college rewards those students who carpool with more than 300 premium carpool spaces. Carpooling is encouraged through membership in Butte County’s AlteNetRide carpool sharing program. There are also preferred parking spots for alternative fuel vehicles.

Student Leadership in Sustainability“Every student who attends Butte College has a wealth of opportunities to get involved with sus-tainability issues on campus,” according to Kelly Munson, associated students and student activities

“We have one of the largest community college solar arrays in the nation and are preparing to expand.”

— Mike Miller

President Diana Van Der Ploeg with a Toyota Prius

Some of the solar photovoltaic panels situated on 3.5 acres

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 1 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2008 • DOI:10.1089/SUS.2008.9947 SUSTAINABILITY 249

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advisor, who also serves as the student sustainability coordinator. “One way for students to provide insti-tutional leadership is to join the Steering Committee on Sustainability.”

Composed of faculty, students, and staff, the steer-ing committee focuses on implementing the overall College Sustainability Plan. Meeting bimonthly, the group oversees major projects, assessment, grants and funding, a newsletter, and awards. In addition to the steering committee, there are a number of action committees students can get involved with to work on specific sustainability projects and areas of the plan.

Butte College was one of the first community col-leges to participate in the Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Campus Program (www.ase.org). By bridging the divide between students and institutional energy costs, students work through the program to save energy on campuses by building general campus awareness, incorporating energy conservation and efficiency into course curricula, and implementing projects targeting energy use, student purchasing decisions, and operational changes. The Green Cam-pus Program serves 12 University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) campuses.

Butte College also participates in the Campus Cli-mate Challenge, a project of more than 30 leading youth organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada (www.climatechallenge.org). It leverages the power of young people to organize on college campuses and

high schools across Canada and the U.S. to win 100 percent clean energy policies at their schools.

Butte College also participated in Focus the Nation, an educational initiative on global warming solu-tions for America that took place at more than 1,900 campuses, civic, and faith organizations and in all 50 states on Jan. 31 (www.focusthenation.org). The college co-sponsors with California State University, Chico the annual This Way to Sustainability Confer-ence, which is one of the largest events of its kind in the country. In addition, for the past two years, the college has hosted its own national conference called Built Environment/The Greening of Our Schools. Students play an important role in organizing these conferences.

Students may join a variety of groups related to sus-tainability. These include the Student Alliance for Sustainability, Associated Students, Students in Free Enterprise, Phi Theta Kappa’s Operation Green, and Friends of the Refuge. Another way to get involved is to become a Sustainability Ambassador. Open to students and others, the ambassadors share tips with colleagues, go on field trips, listen to guest speakers, and act as sounding boards to develop strategies and find solutions to sustainability issues.

General Contact Information

Butte College 3636 Butte Campus Drive Oroville, CA 95965 Phone: (530) 895-2511 Website: www.butte.edu

Diana Van Der Ploeg, Ph.D. President

Mike Miller Director of Facilities Planning & Management Land-Use Coordinator

Kelly Munson Associated Students & Student Activities Advisor Sustainability Coordinator

Mimi Riley Instructor, Sociology Sustainability Coordinator

The Future

Van Der Ploeg is particularly excited about getting the college’s sustainability degree and certificate programs up and running. “Strategic academic and technical programs embed sustainability into future generations,” she declares. Although she has no crys-tal ball, Van Der Ploeg sees sustainability as no pass-ing fad. “I believe it is going to sweep this country

Butte College students examine a species of wildflower found on the 928-acre wildlife refuge and campus.

250 SUSTAINABILITY MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 1 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2008 • DOI:10.1089/SUS.2008.9947

“Every student who attends

Butte College has a wealth of

opportunities to get involved with

sustainability issues on campus.”

— Kelly Munson

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General Education and Transfer• Course Articulation with CSU, Chico Business Management, Sustainability Minor• Course Articulation with University of California System Sustainability Programs• Sustainability Components in General Education Courses Focus on Environmental, Social and Economic Literacy

Certification Programs (Development Stage)• Sustainability Theory• Hybrid / Alternative Fuel Auto Technology• Environmental Restoration• Energy Assessment Training

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 1 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2008 • DOI: 10.1089/SUS.2008.9947 SUSTAINABILITY 251

“Once our nation fully embraces sustainable practices, we won’t have enough people with adequate skills to provide the infrastructure that will be required to meet the demand.”— Diana Van Der Ploeg

like something we haven’t seen in a long time.” That’s why she wants Butte College to be at the forefront in training people to undertake leadership roles. “Once our nation fully embraces sustainable practices, we

won’t have enough people with adequate skills to provide the infrastructure that will be required to meet the demand,” she says. “Butte College is going to be poised to provide the education and training.”

Associate Degrees (Development Stage)• Green Building Construction Management• Ecological Design• Sustainable Land Use/Planning• Sustainability Studies

Workshops• Renewable Energy Technology (Auto Program)• Green Building Techniques• Composting• Sustainable Agriculture

Academic Programs in Sustainability

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