Sustainability

Students working in the original campus vegetable garden, at the Strawberry Hill Community Garden on 7th Street in downtown KCK.

On Campus:

Blue’s K.C. Food pantry - housed at the Counseling and Advocacy Center in the Jewell Student Center Building on the main campus and the Technical Education Center. All currently enrolled KCKCC students from all campuses can access the food pantry. It offers a variety of canned, boxed, refrigerated, frozen, and fresh food, as well as household and personal hygiene products.  Monetary and/or food donations are welcome.  For more information contact the Counseling and Advocacy Center at 913-288-7640.    Donate Now

The Cooper-Foreman Heirloom and Native Ethnobotanical Gardens is a collection of ethno-botanical gardens located on the main campus on the north side of the Flint Building.  The purpose of the gardens is to promote a greater awareness and appreciation of the historic gardening culture of Wyandotte County prior to 1920, while teaching children and adults how gardens looked, were tended, what plants the gardens contained, and how the plants were used. Volunteers needed! Contact Pam Louis-Walden at 913-620-6930 or plouis01@yahoo.com. www.cfheirloomgardens.com

A Giving Grove of 13 fruit trees was planted in 2016. We had our first harvest in the fall of 2019. Located just south of the Flint Building on the main KCKCC campus. Wyandotte County has a food insecurity rate of 18 percent compared to the Kansas average of 16.5 percent. Food insecurity happens when people have limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Giving Groves such ours help to alleviate some of that food insecurity and help community members live a healthier lifestyle. If visiting the grove, please do not pick the fruits. A majority of harvested food is donated to students in need. Volunteers needed to water, harvest, and more! To volunteer, contact Dr. Melissa Gentzler, KCKCC Assistant Professor of Biology at mgentzler@kckcc.edu.

KCKCC Campus vegetable garden serves as a classroom for students in nutrition classes, who are able to enjoy some of the produce they helped produce, with much food also donated to charity. Located on the south side of the Flint Building on the main campus.  Volunteers needed! Contact Dr. Melissa Gentzler, KCKCC Assistant Professor of Biology at mgentzler@kckcc.edu

Nutrition class students digging up sweet potatoes at the KCKCC Campus Garden October 3, 2018.

Local:  in the community and beyond:

Cultivate Kansas City works to grow food, farms, and community in support of a sustainable, just, and healthy local food system for all. They believe that growing and sharing local food nurtures our ability to care for each other and the world in which we live. In partnership with Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, they also manage the New Roots for Refugees program, which trains refugees with agricultural experience to become independent farmers. Many resources are located on their site, including listings of local farmer’s markets.

Deep Roots encourages the appreciation, conservation, and use of native plants in the heartland through educating, collaborating, and facilitating the planting of regenerative native landscapes that are essential for a healthy planet. Their new name reflects native plants’ deep roots, which are regenerative, meaning they can actually repair some of the damage caused by modern civilization. “What you plant matters.”

Food not Lawns – KC is part of a global community of gardeners working together to grow and share food, seeds, medicine, and knowledge. The movement began following the publication of the book, Food Not Lawns, How to Turn your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community by Heather Flores in 2006. 

Harvesters Our local organization to feed the hungry. Donate Food, Time, Money, and/or Voice. Their web site has a Food Assistance Locator for churches, charities, food banks, centers, and other organizations and locations. 

KC Farm School at Gibbs Road empowers individuals of all ages, abilities, and ancestries through community-wide, on-farm, hands-on experiences and job training opportunities, connecting them to the land and soil, food, themselves, and their communities. The school works to honor their rich history while creating a future with programs including the Farm Club, Farm Camp, Farm School, and Let’s Grow Wyandotte.

KC Healthy Kids  Established in 2005 to remove barriers to health habits for communities across the region, they work in schools to promote youth leadership, mental health, and early education.  Staff help community partners to strengthen our regional food system and improve access to healthy foods.  Local food and food policy are improved through several initiatives including Kansas Food Action Network and the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition.  In addition, they work to establish Complete Streets and Safe Routes for Kids.  

Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG) empowers and inspires low-income households, community groups, and schools in the Kansas City Metropolitan area to grow their own vegetables and fruit as they work to transform the local food system. Provides numerous workshops and gardening resources and oversees the Giving Grove program.

Kansas City Food Circle promotes a sustainable regional food system by connecting eaters with local, organic, and free-range farmers and providing an alternative to the industrialized agricultural system. Hosts many events, including a local foodie book club. Eat. Connect. Read. Play.

The Kansas City Gardener This local magazine has been offering information and ideas that readers trust for successful gardening since 1995. The paper version is distributed to 200 locations throughout the greater Kansas City region. Subscriptions are also available. The online version is an extension of the monthly magazine.

The Land Institute is developing Natural Systems Agriculture, an agricultural system featuring perennials with the ecological stability of the prairie and a grain and seed yield comparable to that from annual crops. Through such a system, ample human food is produced and impacts from the disruptions and dependencies of industrial agriculture are reduced or eliminated. When fully developed and implemented, farmers and scientists around the world will work together with nature to sustain and even rebuild soil, communities, and economies. Founded by Dr. Wes Jackson, it is located outside of Salina, Kansas. Consider attending their annual fall Prairie Festival.  “Hope rooted in science.” 

Seed Library at the Ruiz Branch  Explore the variety of free vegetable and flower seeds available at the Ruiz Branch.  To borrow seeds, all you need is a valid Kansas City Public Library card.  As the plant reaches maturity at the end of its growing season, collect the seeds, dry them out, place them in an envelope, and return them to the Ruiz Branch. This will help re-stock the Seed Library for the next season.  Also houses a collection of  gardening books and cookbooks.  Free classes on a variety of gardening matters are offered throughout the growing season for gardeners of all skill levels.

Composting

Curbside composting services:

• Compost Collective KC  takes food waste, food soiled paper and lawn clippings.  Is a small group of caring citizens and partners who strive to make composting easy and keep food out of local landfills. Serving both sides of the state line, they provide services to both residential and commercial customers.  The waste they collect is converted to healthy, rich compost which is provided back to members.

• Compost Connection  takes lawn waste including wood only.

• Food Cycle KC  takes food waste and food soiled paper, no lawn clippings.  Serves the Kansas side of the KC metro area. Local schools, businesses and organizations work with them to collect commercial food waste. They also provide homes and apartments with convenient valet-style weekly pick-up of food waste, or curbside composting. The waste they collect is converted to healthy, rich compost which is provided back to members, as well as local community and school gardens.   “Nothing goes to waste.” 

Drop-off composting services:

• Compost Collective Bin Swap  has 12 drop-off locations, pay per drop-off.
• KC Can Compost  provides five drop-off locations, monthly fee with unlimited drop-offs.
• Missouri Organic Recycling  takes lawn waste only.
• Urbavore Urban Farm  provides free compost drop-off, food waste only.

     The majority of what we throw away each week isn’t trash - over half of it is food and could be turned into nutrient rich compost.  A typical U.S. household produces about 17.4 pounds of garbage each day, or 6,351 pounds per year. Composting is the process of converting organic waste into nutrient dense soils. When not sent to landfills, composting food waste significantly reduces greenhouse gas production, particularly methane, and increases agricultural yield. Methane is produced in landfills among other locations and is a very potent greenhouse gas.  With as much as 23% of local landfill content coming from food waste, you have the ability to reduce waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support your community and local farming, thereby completing the food cycle in Kansas City.

Recycling, ReUse and Waste Management

Recycling, Reusing, Repurposing and Repairing used materials reduces the need to manufacture new ones and saves resources, including water and energy, reduces greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change, reduces waste going to landfills and accompanying fees, usually saves money and always makes sense – for both the college and individuals.

The college makes money for recycling some of the following items. All money raised on campus goes to scholarships for students. Since 2010 we have raised nearly $50,000.  (Items marked with an $)     

Please RECYCLE RIGHT. Keep our contamination levels as low as possible.  Contaminated recycling can lead to an entire batch of recyclables being sent to the landfill and increases costs. If you are unsure if an item is suitable for recycling, please ASK or dispose of it properly. The following guide should help increase recycling rates and lower contamination levels.

Comingled/Single Stream recycling (On Campus) – Most plastics #’s 1-7 (bottles, cups, containers), paper food cartons (milk, juice, soup, etc.), and cans (aluminum $ and tin/steel) that are empty and clean (no food residue) may be placed together in the blue bins found on all campuses. NO CAPS/LIDS, PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM, PAPER CUPS, STRAWS, or FOOD WRAPPERS.

At the Leavenworth Pioneer Career Center (PCC) – A bin for comingled recycling, including paper, paperboard and cardboard, is provided in the parking lot for campus and community use. Recycled through Waste Management.

Regional visual guide for home or office from RecycleSpot. (See description at end of guide.) 

For Community Use, please see your local city or county for curbside recycling and/or recycling centers.

Glass - The main campus hosts a Ripple Glass recycling bin for campus and community use.  Glass is turned into new products by many local businesses, most notably Boulevard Beer for new bottles and fiberglass insulation at Owens Corning. Look for the large purple bin in the SW parking lot. They will accept glass food and beverage containers, candle jars, drinking vessels, cosmetic bottles and jars, and windows, table tops and shower doors.  For specific details on what can and cannot be recycled click here:

Paper and paperboard (On Campus) – go into the grey containers from Shred-It. Staples and paper clips are okay, but NO HEAVY METAL CLIPS, BINDERS, OR HANGING FILE FOLDERS. Secure documents for shredding can be safely put into these containers on the main campus and the Technical Education Center (TEC).

At the Leavenworth Pioneer Career Center (PCC) – A bin for comingled recycling, including paper, paperboard and cardboard, is provided in the parking lot for campus and community use. Recycled through Waste Management.

Note: Paper reduction settings for printing and copying are being used on our campuses.

For Community Use, please see your local city or county curbside recycling or recycling centers.

Batteries (On Campus) – If recycling either small-sized batteries or a small amount of batteries, send to Facility Services through inter-office mail.  For large-sized batteries or large amounts of batteries, please create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Recycled through Heritage Crystal Clean.

For Community Use, please see your local city or county recycling centers or RecycleSpot.

Hazardous waste/materials: Batteries are made from a number of different materials. These include acid, lead, nickel, lithium, cadmium, alkaline, mercury and nickel metal hydride. When they are not properly disposed of the casing can disintegrate and the toxic chemicals within can leach into the surrounding environment, thereby polluting the soil and groundwater.

 

Books – for ReUse (On Campus) - Some valuable used books can be donated to My Shelf to Yours, a campus organization that hosts used book sales and sells books online to enhance student’s business skills, practice sustainability and raise money $ for student scholarships. Contact Shai Perry, Art Gallery Coordinator at 913-288-7508 or sperry@kckcc.edu.

In addition, books can be donated to the Ezekuna College of Education, a newly established peace college at Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Sponsored by the Henry Louis Center for Global Transitional Justice, this is a campus-based educational non-profit named after Dr. Henry Louis, historian, global citizen, and life-long scholar of diverse cultures and histories who served the college for over 40 years. Books on most subjects are desired. Contact Dr. Ewa Unoke at 913-288-7318 or eunoke@kckcc.edu.

The KCKCC Library recycles weeded books from its collection through the print book recycling and re-homing service Sustainable Shelves provided by one of their vendors, and receives tangible credits to use for new purchases.

For Community Use - For most books, consider donating to your local library, as well as local thrift stores, used bookstores, Disabled American Veterans, and other community organizations.  A complete list of donation locations is available from RecycleSpot.

Note: Many instructors are replacing or supplementing print textbooks with Online Educational Resources. (OER’s)

 

CD’s, DVD’s, VHS, cassette tapes, and cases

For ReUse – My Shelf to Yours is no longer taking these materials. You may contact the various locations listed above under Books and be sure to also check out RecycleSpot for additional donation locations.

For recycling – These items cannot be recycled on our campuses at this time.

For Community Use visit RecycleSpot for reuse or recycling. 

 

Cardboard (On the Main Campus) – $ - Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket. Please specify the size and amount of cardboard needing recycled to ensure proper pickup.  Flattening cardboard is preferred, but not required.

At the Technical Education Center (TEC) – $ - You may either leave cardboard outside of your office or classroom or call Facility Services for pickup.  Recycled through Waste Management.

At the Leavenworth Pioneer Center (PCC) - A bin for comingled recycling, including paper, paperboard and cardboard, is provided in the parking lot for campus and community use. Recycled through Waste Management.

For Community Use, please see your local city or county for curbside recycling or recycling centers.

 

Clothing and textiles – for ReUse and recycling - A container from Planet Aid is located in the SW parking lot on the main campus for campus and community use.

     Clothing that is decaying in a landfill releases methane, a very potent greenhouse gas.  Producing the fibers to make clothing fibers, such as cotton, is energy-intensive and requires large inputs of fossil fuels, water, fertilizer, and pesticides.

Planet Aid has numerous locations throughout the metro region; also see RecyleSpot for Community Use.

 

Community recycling containers (On the Main Campus) – a container for paper recycling from Abitibi, mixed recycling (plastic, cardboard, and metal) provided by EcoRewards Recycling, and the Ripple Glass and Planet Aid bins for clothing and textiles are all located next to each other in the SW parking lot of the main campus for community and campus use.

 

Computers and computer equipment – For ReUse or for Recycling (On Campus) – Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Information services determines whether computer equipment is at the end of its life cycle or if it can be reissued. Recycled through Midwest Recycling Center if not reused on campus.

Hazardous waste/materials: Electronics, including computers, computer equipment, and other electronic waste can contain heavy metals such as lead, nickel, cadmium and mercury which can be hazardous to human health and the environment if mismanaged. They also contain valuable resources which can be recycled such as gold, copper, glass, metals, and plastics.

Other E-waste (Electronic Waste) On Campus – headphones, remotes, chargers, cell phones, cables, cords, wire, mice, power strips, etc. Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Recycled through Midwest Recycling Center.

Note: The College uses Midwest Recycling Center, which is an RIOS third party-certified recycler to recycle and dispose of campus e-waste responsibly.

Electronic waste (Community) - Best Buy, Staples and Office Depot offer electronics recycling for personal recycling needs.  Also see RecycleSpot and your city or county for local recycling centers and events. A fee may be charged for some larger items such as TV’s and monitors. 

Note: The city of Leavenworth was the first city in Kansas to provide e-waste recycling for its residents.

 

Florescent light bulbs (On Campus) – Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Recycled through Heritage Crystal Clean. 

Hazardous waste/materials: Fluorescent light bulbs contain elemental mercury which becomes airborne when bulbs are broken.

For Community Use - Bulbs can often be returned to the customer service areas of big box stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s or your local hardware store.

Furniture (On Campus) - Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup.

Ink jet and toner cartridges (On Campus) – Information Services will pick these up when they replace the empty cartridges.  Cartridges are recycled by the copier companies.

For Community Use - Best Buy, Staples and Office Depot offer recycling for personal needs.  Also see RecycleSpot.

Hazardous waste/materials (In general - On Campus and anywhere) - Solvents, oil and other toxic liquids can leach into the groundwater through the soil or leak in the landfill liner. The College can face fines if hazardous waste is not disposed of properly.

Hazardous waste (Community) - The College is unable to accept hazardous waste from off-campus sources. Your county will have a hazardous waste collection site and may have collection events periodically. For more resources and local events visit RecycleSpot.

Moving boxes (On Campus) - Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for delivery only. Returns are not accepted after use; instead, please reuse, repurpose, or recycle.

Paint (On Campus) – Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Recycled through Heritage Crystal Clean if not reused on campus.  Hazardous waste/materials: Paints can contain chromium, silver, barium, arsenic, and selenium and can also be flammable.

Pallets/Crates – For ReUse - if you either have these to give away or if you would like some to use, create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup or delivery. 

 

Plastic bags, plastic packaging, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, foam peanuts, etc. - These items cannot be recycled on our campuses at this time.

Plastic bags for community use can be recycled at grocery or big box stores, which usually have a collection area just inside the front doors. For more information on plastic bag and other plastic and foam recycling, please visit RecycleSpot. 

Plastic is primarily produced from crude oil and made to last forever, yet up to half of all plastics are discarded after a single use. Americans discard more than 30 million tons of plastic a year; only a small percentage ends up being recycled or repurposed, although many plastics, such as water bottles and bags, are 100% recyclable. The rest ends up in landfills or the environment, polluting our soil, drinking water, and groundwater when they leach toxic chemicals. Plastic cannot biodegrade; it breaks down very slowly into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. Eventually over 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans, threatening wildlife. Land animals are also threatened, and exposure affects human health as well.

 

Scrap metal and metal from construction (On Campus) – $ - Create a Facility Services Help Desk ticket for pickup. Recycled through Heritage Crystal Clean.

Steel producers in the United States use more than 70% recycled steel which reduces mining wastes by 97%. This reduces toxic runoff, groundwater pollution and physical scars on the land which can cause habitat reduction and unstable geologic conditions, all of which are associated with mining. Metal is also heavy, so keeping it out of the trash helps save the college landfill fees which are based on weight.

For Community Use – a container for scrap metal and other items is provided by EcoRewards for campus and community use in the SW parking lot of the main campus. You can also get paid $ for recycling most metals. For larger amounts and outside of Wyandotte County see RecycleSpot.

RecycleSpot - for everything else.  This is Greater KC’s one-stop spot for all recycling information.  Here you can find where to take items to recycle and reuse - everything from household items, car seats and other baby supplies, bikes, prescription drugs, tires, fabric, exercise equipment, mattresses, furniture, clothing, Christmas trees and lights, and much more. Also, information and fact sheets are available on various aspects of reducing, reusing and recycling, including recycling events. 

Bus

 

We have a high ridership in our service area for our metropolitan bus service, RideKC provided by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). Bus route maps can be found in the Admissions office or online from the student transportation assistance link below, which also provides links to general RideKC information. RideKC Freedom provides mobility services throughout the system, including paratransit in Wyandotte County through UG Transit.

Note: The system now has two electric buses for a smoother, quieter ride and a reduced carbon footprint

RideKC Bus Stops. The bus stop on the main campus is located at the south end of the parking lot closest to the main campus buildings at Campus Blvd. There is also a bus stop on State Avenue on the north side entrance to the TEC. Refer to the Campus map for locations.

Note:  RideKC buses and RideKC Freedom are zero fare for everyone, all the time!

U-Pass. Allows students to use their student ID card on any RideKC bus route except the K-10 Connector. It can take you to trendy spots and hot spots for jobs as well as to school and back. For more information click here. 

Carpool. There are lots of great reasons to carpool. Students and employees can save money, help keep the air clean, keep miles off their cars and reduce stress by sharing the ride. 

Guaranteed Ride Home. Employees are guaranteed two free taxi rides home a year, 24/7, in case of an emergency. You must register for the service in advance here. 

Vanpool. Offers an easy way to save money while getting you to and from work and school on a regular basis in a designated van provided to your group. RideKC teams up with Enterprise to provide low-cost, flexible vanpool options. Service is available in Wyandotte, Leavenworth, and Johnson counties in Kansas and several Missouri counties as well. 

Note:  Patrons may also bring a bike on their journey throughout the RideKC transportation system with their on-board bike racks.

 

Bicycles

Bicycle racks on the main campus are located at the old bus stop (located in front of the Science Building on Quindaro Lane), the current bus stop (located at the south end of the parking lot closest to the main campus buildings at Campus Blvd), at the Field House and at the Wellness Center. The TEC and Pioneer Center each have one bike rack as well. The rack at the TEC is located just inside the main building in the entryway. Refer to the Campus map for locations.

You might sometimes see Campus Police Officers riding on bicycles instead of in police vehicles. They can get places quicker and interact more with the campus community. In addition, less pollution is emitted when fewer vehicles are on the road.

BikeWalkKC works to make Greater Kansas City a safer and more accessible place to walk, bicycle, live, work, and play. Their mission is to redefine our streets as places for people to build a culture of active living though advocacy, education, community planning and events. They operate Kansas City's bike share system, RideKC Bike. Their advocacy programs include: 

• Complete KC: Their campaign to redesign our streets for people of all ages and abilities.
• Safe Routes to School: Their work to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school.

RideKC Bike is a 24/7 bike sharing system, operated by BikeWalkKC with assistance from Drop Mobility. The RideKC Bike system is a part of the RideKC family of shared-use mobility services extending the fixed-route transit system and giving local residents and visitors a variety of options for getting around Kansas City. For a list of bike rack locations, including the two in Wyandotte County, click here. You can download the RideKC Bike app to get started. For more information contact info@RideKCBike.com.

RideKC Bike features include:

• Smart, electric-assist bikes and classic pedal bikes.
• Bike Share for All, ensuring all Kansas Citians have access to bikes – especially those impacted by disparities in mobility, health, and economics.
• Bike+Bus Pass, allowing commuters to transfer seamless between RideKC Bus, RideKC Max, and RideKC Bike.

Note: BikeWalkKC is the very first advocate-owned bike sharing system in the country.

Rent RideKC Bikes at JCPRD Parks and Facilities. Through a new partnership with Johnson County Park & Recreation District, RideKC Bikes will be available in several parks throughout Johnson County. Bikes are located at hubs in each park. 

Kansas City Regional Trails and Bikeway Map – created by MARC, the Mid America Regional Council. Walking and biking benefit your health, your wallet, and the environment. The Kansas City region is a great place to explore by bikes. Get the app for your smartphone. Printed maps are available at many locations locally, but for an interactive map to locate trails and bikeways all across the metro.  

 

Mass Transit

KC Streetcar  The Downtown KC Streetcar starter line has been envisioned as a beginning to the development of a comprehensive streetcar system for the Kansas City Region. The KC Streetcar runs through the heart of downtown and connects to RideKC buses at either end of the route and at the 10th & Main Transit Center. A regional trip planner, connecting streetcar to bus transit, can be found on the RideKC website. The streetcar is always free to ride, and bikes, strollers, and wheelchairs are welcome. Currently the Main Street extension is under construction, a Riverfront extension is in the planning stages, and an east/west route along 39^th Street is being studied.

 

Scooters

You may already be familiar with the scooters that are available throughout the metro area. Many cities have these available for rent, including KCMO, North Kansas City, Prairie Village, and Kansas City, Kansas. The United Government makes these available through Bird Rides Inc., which is a shared electric scooter company. According to the UG, Bird’s Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans, and senior citizens. Download the app! (bird.co)

You can learn more about the new RideKC Bike and Scooter App here.

Hydration stations for refilling reusable bottles with filtered water and thus reducing the use of plastic water bottles have been installed on all water fountains on all campuses.

     Billions of plastic water bottles are made each year and only one in five are recycled. Producing a plastic water bottle requires three times the amount of water than it does to fill it.  Transporting bottled water uses a lot of fuel, and chemicals can leach from the bottles into the water itself. Buying bottled water is much more expensive than getting it from the tap, and most tap water is more heavily tested and regulated than bottled water even before filtering.

Also see the Take Action for Savings section for water savings tips and more information.