Office of Sustainability

    Enhancing Educational Experiences within the Office of the Dean of the College

Welcome To Winter Starts


The Office of Sustainability (OOS) wishes to welcome the new Winter Start class to campus and introduce the role of the OOS at CC. The work of the OOS ranges from on-campus collaborations with students and offices to off-campus initiatives with local partners. Some of our more popular programs include the CC Exchange, Plant Exchange, and partnerships with PikeRide and Mountain Metro - both of which are free to CC students! Be sure to take advantage of what CC has to offer as you begin to explore around campus, and the surrounding Colorado Springs area! 

Passion to Action: Building a Sustainable Creative Career


The Career Center, Arts & Crafts, and the OOS have partnered to present a 3-part series titled "Passion to Action: Building a Sustainable Creative Career." In the initial two sessions, you will be introduced to community partners and alumni who are currently navigating the intersection of art and sustainability, where they will be sharing insights into their artistic journey. The final session will focus on different practical aspects, such as portfolio development. We hope to see you there! 


Tuesday, Feb. 20, 5:30pm-7:00p.m. at Tutt Library 201 
Thursday, Feb. 22, 5:30pm-7:00p.m. at Cornerstone 131 
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6:30pm-7:00p.m. at the Career Center Carriage House 

Meet the Stars Team


We are excited to introduce the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) team for this academic year, consisting of two interns: Brigitte Arcoite ‘24  and Louise Dellarco ‘26 alongside three volunteers: Mimi Allehaut ‘24, Ella Simons ‘25 and Jessie Squires ‘26. Annually, this team works with data stakeholders across the college to collect and input data into STARS. The system is administered by the Association of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and is a comprehensive, self-reporting metric that tracks and rates institutions across broad sustainability efforts. CC has participated in STARS since 2014 and currently has a gold rating. In addition to the data collection for STARS, the team also works to create the State of Sustainability report which provides sustainability highlights from the year. 

Arcoite enjoys making measurable impacts to the CC community by helping with the collection and analysis of sustainability data, while Dellarco’s favorite part of the position includes getting a holistic view of all the sustainability efforts at CC. Thank you STARS team for all your hard work! 

Pictured above, left-right: Brigitte Arcoite ‘24 and Louise Dellarco ‘26

Sustainable Wednesdays 


In Block 5 our Exchange team is leading their first Sustainable Wednesday. They will be hosting scavanger hunt challanges for students. Students will be provided with a prompt that requires knowledge of the CC Exchange. If you get the answers right, you will get a little reward. This block's sustainable Wednesday will take place on Feb.7, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Worner Campus Center. 

Professional Wear Clothing Drive


The Career Center and CC Exchange, an on-campus thrift store located in the basement of Worner, are organizing a Professional Wear Clothing Drive in an effort to support CC students in their professional development. They are looking for gently-used professional clothing. You may drop off your donations at: 

OOS: Monday-Friday, 9a.m.-5 p.m. 
Career Center: Monday-Frida,  8:30a.m.-5p.m. 
CC Exchange: Thursdays, 2-4p.m. 

Your donations will directly impact the lives of CC students by providing them with affordable and stylish professional attire to enhance their confidence and professionalism! 

Green Events


CC emphasizes sustainability in all aspects of campus life, extending to events like Homecoming, club meetings, and lecture series. The Green Event initiative, in partnership with CCSGA, encourages sustainable practices at campus events. The Green Event Guide, created by the Office of Sustainability, serves as a resource for students, faculty, and staff. Events receiving over $5,000 in CCSGA funds must be certified as Green Events, supporting CC’s larger sustainability goals. Certification involves a checklist review and a meeting with a member of the OOS. It's an opportunity to showcase environmental responsibility and contribute to financial and resource savings.  

If you are interested in learning more about Green Events or would like additional support in planning a Green Event, please visit our Green Event webpage or contact the OOS at sustainability@coloradocollege.edu. 

Coming Soon..


Earth Week 2024 is right around the corner! Taking place from April 22-26, Earth Week is an annual celebration designed with the help of numerous campus groups and community partners who are united in an effort to bring awareness to sustainability and conservation. Earth Day was founded on Apr. 20, 1970, by Senator Gaylord Nelson in response to the lack of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and environmental protection policies. Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated in countless countries, demonstrating the vast support for our planet's protection. Make sure you stay tuned for important Earth Week updates. 
Our role in Earth Week is creating a centralized webpage and marketing campaign to highlight all the Earth Week Programming. We also work to ensure that the programming is scheduled according to the campus events schedule and similar programs are collaborating with one another. Our office typically hosts/ cohosts one or two events during the week but welcomes other offices, departments and clubs to engage as well. Stay tuned for important Earth Week updates.  
View this email online
powered by emma