Student Sustainability Hub

Sustainability

Student Sustainability Hub

We’re all in this together

Explore sustainability, build community, and strengthen your skills with the Student Sustainability Hub. Our programs are designed for students who want to create positive change on campus and beyond. Choose your own adventure and thrive!

You belong! Join a club and to get in on sustainable actions across the district. Learn more about the Habitat Team, Cascade Environmental Justice Club, and more.

Keep up with all the sustainability related events at PCC by adding our calendar to yours!

Learn about PCC’s Sustainability Focus Award or find green classes like HE264 Health, Food, and the Environment for the upcoming term.

Come work with us! There are plenty of works study and part time jobs that involve sustainability at PCC!

Get outside and help our Learning Gardens thrive or help restore important wildlife habitat!

Person pulling english ivy in a forested area.

Learn more about sustainability related events around PCC under the Events tab below.

President Mitsui on panel at Climate Summit

Have an opportunity to add?

If you have something to add to this page, submit the information using this form.

Calendar

pcc.edu_hcdarlo154g0gmkn842dn2810o@group.calendar.google.com

Events

Volunteer

Looking to join the team of students, staff, and faculty who are dedicated to creating sustainable solutions? Opportunities for volunteering on sustainability projects at PCC pop up regularly, so check here for regular updates!

Cascade Learning Garden Work Parties

PCC Cascade, Learning Garden
Date & Time TBA
Check the Sustainability Calendar for Virtual Lunch Bunches!

All gardening experience levels are welcome to join us for fun planting and harvesting projects. Please stop by for any amount of time and learn how you can become involved. Gardening tools, gloves, and guidance provided. Please wear clothes that can get dirty and be prepared for any weather. For more information please contact Jolie Donohue at jolie.donohue@pcc.edu.

Volunteer for Veggies at Newberg Center

Newberg Center, Learning Garden
Date & Time TBA

The Newberg Center Learning Garden would love for you to come and volunteer! Come for a half hour or longer. Meet great people, learn about growing food, pollinators, and what makes the learning garden special. We’ll provide gloves, tools, and snacks. Volunteers get to take home a portion of the day’s harvest! Contact Lynn at lmontoya@pcc.edu for more info.

Volunteer for Veggies at Rock Creek

Rock Creek, Learning Garden
Date & Time TBA

The Rock Creek Learning Garden has volunteer sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00am-1:00pm. Earn $5 credit per hour to spend at Portlandia FarmStandia. And October-April, earn $5 vouchers for the cafeteria for every hour of volunteering (while they last!). More information is available at the Learning Garden’s Get Involved page.

Sylvania Learning Garden Work Parties

PCC Sylvania, Learning Garden
Date & Time TBA

Sylvania Learning Garden Work Parties

Take a break from classrooms and books and get your hands dirty! Join us in the Learning Garden (across from parking lots 13 and 14). Come for a few minutes or the whole time. Gloves and tools are provided. For more information, contact Jeanell at jeanell.innerarity@pcc.edu.

Classes

Sustainability Focus Award

The Sustainability Focus award recognizes students who have completed a broad range of sustainability-related courses. The award is designed to encourage students to learn to see environmental issues from multiple perspectives and to increase their experience in this multi-disciplinary topic. The earning of this focus award can demonstrate to potential employers and transfer colleges that the student has a deep and broad understanding of sustainability issues.

Fill out this application for the 2021-2022 academic year. Applications for the current 2020-21 academic year are now closed.

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Upcoming credit classes

The following classes in the Fall 2021 term include sustainability as a component of their curricula:

Jobs

We frequently have work-study positions available at the campus and district-level. Please see the PCC Work Study page for available positions or email sustainability@pcc.edu.

District Sustainability Department

Sustainability Work Study Assistant

Assist the Sustainability Manager with a variety of tasks and projects to advance the college’s sustainability efforts. Potential tasks and projects may include, but are not limited to:

Coordinating waste audits and recycling education
Conducting research on sustainability best practices
Data entry
Promoting sustainability awareness & outreach
Other duties as assigned

Desired qualifications:

Passion for sustainability and social justice
Dedication to promoting sustainable practices
Competency in Microsoft Office Suite & Adobe Suites
Skills in research, critical thinking, project management, and data entry
Strong written and verbal communication skills

Projects can be varied to align with student’s knowledge and experience.

Position open until filled. Must be work study approved through financial aid. Please contact briar.schoon@pcc.edu with any questions, and to apply for the position after accepting your work study award.

Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Associate

Position Description

Portland Community College is looking for a qualified person to join our SEM Leadership Team to reduce energy use and increase our employee engagement activities. The associate will support the college’s Strategic Energy Management program and energy team by monitoring and tracking energy use, identifying energy efficiency opportunities and developing employee awareness and engagement campaigns.

This person should be prepared to work in a fast-paced team environment and will finish the associate position having gained broad experience in various aspects of energy efficiency and sustainability. Currently all our work is remote but we hope that we will be back on campus sometime in 2022. We are requesting at least a year commitment for the position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Work with the college’s energy and utility management system to monitor and track energy use college-wide to benchmark buildings enrolled in the SEM program and support energy management at PCC.
Analyze electrical and natural gas utility data for SEM modeling.
Work closely with Energy Trust of Oregon Energy Coach to review graphs of energy usage monthly and identify areas of energy inefficiency.
Conduct audits or building “treasure hunts” to identify energy efficiency opportunities when needed.
Review building automation systems equipment trends for efficiency opportunities.
Interview and document standard operating procedures with FMS staff for equipment and HVAC systems and develop written requirements based on energy efficiency best practices.
Work with the maintenance department to track and maintain Energy Action List and ensure completion of identified projects.
Oversee tasks in the US Department of Energy 50001 Ready certification process.
Create and deliver employee awareness campaigns; including the creation of signage, marketing materials, informational emails, games and competitions.
Assist with the preparation and delivery of training materials.
Research and identify areas in the organization where energy awareness is low and develop plans for engagement.
Develop reporting mechanisms for various stakeholders to understand SEM efforts.
Prepare and deliver presentations to employees and staff regarding the SEM program.
Attend energy team meetings on campus or virtual; including taking notes, tracking the completion of action items, and the development of agenda items.
Review the organization’s current purchasing practices, procedures or policies and identify areas to insert energy efficiency requirements.
Assist with event planning such as Earth week or EcoChallenge.

Qualifications

Interest in working in an energy-related field
Experience with engaging individuals, communities, and teams
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Familiar with Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Google Docs and Google Sheets
Experience with virtual platforms: Google Meets, Microsoft Teams and Zoom
Experience and comfortable with working from home
Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in related field
Ability to work well with others across disciplines and with different viewpoints.
Comfortable taking initiative and working on projects in a self-directed manner
Strong attention to detail
Data entry experience
Minimum one-year commitment

Learning Opportunities

Monthly SEM operations and organizational calls with the Energy Coaches and the Energy Team
Attend half day SEM workshops covering continuous improvement best practices and engagement strategies
Learn about energy monitoring tracking systems and variables affecting energy in the commercial sector
Become familiar with statistical regression modeling
Present accomplishments and findings at the end of the associate position to SEM Team and Energy Coaches
Network with industry professionals and develop a support base for additional learning and career opportunities
Potential to work with Atrius Building Insights and Energy Star Portfolio Manager
Participate in implementing aspects of the PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan
Participate in professional conferences related to sustainability and energy

Key Benefits

Paid internship-starting wage $16/hour
Flexible work schedule 20-30 hours/week
Opportunity to gain valuable experience working in higher education
Great professional development opportunity with Energy Trust of Oregon SEM workshops and a close working relationship with professional energy coaches
Work with a team of fun and dynamic people that includes sustainability and facility maintenance staff
Multi-disciplinary energy management approach allows career exploration across a broad spectrum of energy-related fields
Learn and gain hands-on experience from experts in HVAC systems, Controls Systems, lighting, and Electric Vehicle infrastructure.
Opportunity to learn new energy-related software programs

To apply email your resume, cover letter and three professional references to elaine.cole16@pcc.edu. Position open until filled, for best consideration apply by Sunday, October 31st, 5:30pm 2021.

*We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that’s welcome. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

Student Life & Leadership

Panther Pantry (Food Pantry) Service Representatives

Student Life & Leadership is hiring work study positions for the Panther Pantry (Food Pantry). Support the operation of the Panther Pantry (food pantry) operations at the individual campus locations of Portland Community College.

The position will:

– Track and maintain the inventory in the pantry.
– Work in the Panther Pantry 10-15 hours a week (It will fluctuate).
– Establish and maintain consistent and regular work hours.
– Attend all mandatory training.
– Other duties and tasks that enhance the student’s college experience as directed by leadership.

Start Date – As soon as possible
Pay Rate – $14/hr
Posting # 7005
Apply using this link.

Southeast STEM Spaces

2021 Garden Liaison

Learning Garden Liaison – support the Learning Garden with marketing (website, social media), outreach (class wraps, tabling), and collaborate with student leaders are other resource centers available at PCC. Due to the current climate all work is located on a virtual platform. At this moment, SE Learning Garden is not allowed to work on campus in the living garden. Your work will be based on providing virtual content around gardening. For example, one way a student advocate us their virtual space was to do a nature walk once a week and wrote about one flower along the walk. They gave information about the flower such as: species, color variation within the plant family, the flower’s home place, any festivals that happen locally for the flower, etc.

You can view the posts at: https://www.instagram.com/pccselearninggarden/

There are many ways to communicate with PCC students. And, we are open to ways that are of interest to you!

Hours are flexible based on your academic schedule, and each position gives you the opportunity to develop new skills, and support our spaces in a meaningful way! All students are welcome to apply, whether you are pursuing a degree in STEM or not.

Currently, our weekly meetings are Fridays, 9am-11am. If you are unable to attend weekly meetings you are expected to communicate with administrative staff to setup a check-in to touch bases on projects and connect with the team’s updates. Note: Weekly meeting time changes every term according to staffs availability.

Students must provide proof of eligibility for work study in their 2020-2021 Financial Aid letter. This position requires work study eligibility.

Hiring Process:
Applications will be reviewed within two (2) weeks of submission. You can anticipate an initial response within one (1) week, to include next steps such as an interview. All hires are for the ending of 2020-2021 academic year, to start immediately. Click here for more details.

Sylvania Environmental Center

Outreach Coordinator

As our Outreach Coordinator, you would:

Help with E-Center communications:

Update the our sustainability outreach materials
Creatively design new signage
Work on our Newsletter around events and education

Help with sustainability projects:

Plan events including Upcycling and Earth Week
Talk with fellow students at tabling events
Help with sustainability activities, like learning garden work parties
Help with composting and recycling programs

Keep up and organize the Environmental Center office.

Contact Peter Ritson, Environmental Center Coordinator, peter.ritson@pcc.edu for more details.

We looking for team members who have skills, experience or wants to further develop in, outreach, people skills, organization, and planning. Contact Peter Ritson, Environmental Center Coordinator, peter.ritson@pcc.edu for more details.

Rock Creek Sustainability Office

Graphic Design Associate

Federal Work Study job or nonpaid internship @ PCC Rock Creek Sustainability Office

The Rock Creek Sustainability Office is seeking a creative, fun, career-oriented person to join our dynamic and forward thinking team. Duties would include helping us to design, publicize and market our sustainability-related events, programs and Learning Garden activities on campus. This will entail designing and revising educational materials, signage, marketing materials and website content. Job duties may include taking photos, short videos, and creating graphics for flyers, brochures, social media, PowerPoint presentations or information tables.

Necessary Qualifications:

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
Interest in art, graphic or web design
Ability to work independently
Flexibility
Strong work ethic
Dependable

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or other design software
Familiarity with sustainable practices at PCC such as the Rock Creek closed loop, composting facilities and Learning Garden
Detail-oriented
Welcomes collaboration and working across disciplines
Likes to think outside the box
A good time manger

Possible position duties include:

Website updating; work with the Sustainability Office team to revise content or photos
Social media posting on Instagram or Twitter.
Graphic design for flyers, website, branding programs, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
Creation and distribution of materials for sustainability and Learning Garden events on campus
Assisting in marketing materials for PCC’s Rock Creek’s annual Harvest Fest (October) and Earth Week celebrations (April)
Create infographics for reports or website
Helping with events and activities related to PCC Rock Creek Sustainability Office
Other office duties as needed

Federal work study details: $12.50/hour, ~10 hours/week and depends on your award amount.

We are flexible and will work with you to create a work schedule that meets your learning goals, classes and our work needs. Email one document that includes a cover letter and 1-2 page resume with two professional references to Elaine Cole, elaine.cole16@pcc.edu, 971-722-7635

Panther Works job ID #44331. Want more student jobs? See the Paying for College tab in MyPCC.

Web and Marketing Assistant

Rock Creek Sustainability Office Work Study or Internship

The Rock Creek Sustainability Office is seeking a career oriented person to join our fun and dynamic team. Duties would include helping us revise our website with content, photos, videos and design ideas. The position will help to publicize, inform and educate about sustainability-related events and Learning Garden activities on campus. Possible tasks will entail designing and revising educational materials, signage, trainings, social media and website. Job duties may include taking photos, videos, and creating graphics for flyers, conferences or information tables.

Necessary Qualifications:

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
Flexibility between office and various work spaces on campus
Express professional interest in art, graphic or web design
Ability to work independently on projects with deadlines
Strong work ethic
Dependable

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency with Canva, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and WordPress (website)
Familiarity with Rock Creek sustainability practices
Team player with friendly disposition
Detail-oriented
Likes to think outside the box

Possible position duties include:

Website maintenance and updating
Social media posting via Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Graphic design for flyers, website, conference presentations, Power Point presentations
Creation and distribution of flyers for Sustainability events on campus
Assisting in marketing materials for PCC’s Rock Creek’s annual Harvest Fest (October) and Earth Week celebrations (April)
Helping with events and activities related to PCC Rock Creek Sustainability Office
Other office duties as needed

Work study details: $12.50/hour, ~119 hours allotted per quarter, can work no more than 8 hours/day and 34 hours/week,

We are flexible and will work with you to create a work plan that meets your learning goals and our work needs. Email a cover letter, 1-2 page resume with 2-3 professional references to Elaine Cole, elaine.cole16@pcc.edu

Panther Works job ID #43378. Want more student jobs? See the Paying for College tab in MyPCC.

Sustainable Practices Educator

Work Schedule: flexible

Hours per Week: 5-11

Wage/Salary: $12.50/hr for Work-Study

Portland Community College’s Rock Creek Sustainability Office is looking for a passionate, enthusiastic and organized student to join our team to advance the college’s sustainability practices. Under direction of the campus Sustainability Coordinator, the Sustainable Practices Educator will assist with new and current sustainability practices and initiatives as well as provide administrative support to the team.

Some duties may include:

Assist with the coordination and promotion of existing sustainability programs, such as the Green Office program and PowerShift.
Contribute to our sustainability online presence, including website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Conduct research on potential new initiatives and opportunities that will contribute to the achievement of college-wide sustainability goals.
Assist with the implementation of new sustainability programs/initiatives and develop sustainability resources.
Conduct sustainability assessments and gather data for activities such as waste audits and energy conservation projects.
Support events and programs related to sustainability, such as Earth Week, Eco Challenge, Pollinator Week and Harvest Fest
Coordinate promotional activities and tabling during college events.
Develop educational materials for staff and students and coordinate outreach campaigns.
Perform general administrative tasks, including: note taking, writing document summaries, sending emails and returning phone calls.

Qualifications:

Passionate about sustainability or a related fields.
A basic understanding of sustainability and social justice.
Skills in data collection, critical thinking, project management, and data entry are a bonus.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently.
Ability to effectively organize and meet established deadlines.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
Comfortable using social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter
18 years of age or older.
Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent.

Application Details: Please email a resume, cover letter and two professional references to the Sustainability Coordinator. If you have any questions, please call 971-722-7635.

Rock Creek Bike Rental Program Coordinator

PCC Rock Creek is looking for an enthusiastic student bike rental coordinator! This is a unique opportunity to help launch a brand new on-campus bike rental program. The coordinator is a critical position that will work to service bikes and provide general support for the smooth functioning of the program.

Responsibilities:

Check, repair, and fix bikes
- Take notes of all work done and update database record
Keep track of inventory (bike fleet, parts, repair equipment, etc.) – promptly commute any supply needs to transportation department
Keep track of bike rental program applications, returns, and services.
Customer service – assist with any bike related questions, collect feedback
Provide feedback and suggestions to the transportation demand manager on program
expansion and improvement.

Required Skills:

Basic bike repair skills (changing a flat tire, basic maintenance, brake adjustments, etc.)
Strong organizational skills
Basic computer proficiency
(Preferred but not required) Advanced bike repair skills (tune-ups, wheel truing, etc)

Compensation: Work-study rate

Application Details: Please email a resume, cover letter and two professional references to the Sustainability Coordinator. If you have any questions, please call 971-722-7635.

Panther Works Job ID 44744, Job Title Bike Rental Program Coordinator-Rock Creek. Want more student jobs? See the Paying for College tab in MyPCC.

Clubs

Cascade Green Team

Are you a student at Cascade and interested in getting involved in sustainability initiatives on campus? Join students, faculty, and staff in the Cascade Green Team! We like to find ways to advance sustainability at our campus through educational events and action projects. Some projects that we have worked on recently include efforts to reduce plastic bottle consumption on campus, supporting the learning garden and contributing to Earth Week activities. We always welcome new folks and ideas! If you are interested in learning more about the club or attending a meeting, contact Taryn Oakley at taryn.oakley@pcc.edu.

Southeast Learning Garden Club – Food Justice

Inspired by students passionate about gardening and breaking down barriers to food security, we have created the Southeast campus’s first Food Justice Club. The club is open to all PCC students and is dedicated to building awareness and resources to empower fellow students. For more details, please contact Abigail Jeanseau at abi.jeanseau@pcc.edu or Hunter Wiseman at hunter.wiseman@pcc.edu.

Southeast Green Team

Are you a student at Southeast and interested in getting involved in sustainability initiatives on campus? Join students, faculty, and staff in the Southeast Green Team! We are in the process of developing a learning garden that will be a comprehensive outdoor learning space for our students to learn, our faculty to teach in, and our Southeast Campus to enjoy. This will provide opportunities for students to work outside of the standard classroom and to connect sustainability and gardening with learning and everyday life. We promote a number of other green initiatives, like the Bike Rental Program and annual Earth Week events. If you are interested in learning more about the club or attending a meeting, contact Davida Jordan at davida.jordan@pcc.edu.

Sylvania Food Justice Club

The Sylvania Food Justice Club/Cohort is comprised of food justice champions from multiple Identity Based Equity Centers (IBEC) including the Queer Resource Center, Multicultural Center, Women’s Resource Center, and Veterans Resource Center. Collectively, the cohort organizes advocacy and education around food insecurity and how to help students in need. Our mission is to tackle the root cause that continues to perpetuate the same outcome. We stand by three fundamental strategies that can address systemic hunger by, teaching, connecting and advocating. This includes policies, practices, and norms here at PCC. At PCC Sylvania, we draw strength from all who support us on campus and in our community. We hope people across the city and state will see our efforts in taking the lead in addressing hunger here in Oregon. All are welcome. If you are interested in being a part of this cohort, email Ryan Ott at ryan.ott@pcc.edu and/or Jeanell Innerarity at jeanell.innerarity@pcc.edu.

Organic Garden Club

The purpose of the LAWNS club (Land Air Water Nutrients Space) is to make gardening accessible to all PCC students, staff and faculty and open the door to promote transformation of LAWNS into biodiverse environments that engage all plants and gardeners by bringing access to affordable, sustainable gardening and an awareness to food sovereignty. To get involved, contact Peter at peter.ritson@pcc.edu.

Sylvania Garden Club

The purpose of the club is to learn more about organic gardening, share gardening knowledge, plan events for the Learning Garden, and attend field trips and guest speaker events. There is still time to join. For more information go to https://hub.pcc.gardening.club! If you’re interested, email Jeanell Innerarity at jeanell.innerarity@pcc.edu.

Sylvania Environmental Club

Join others to talk about the environment and participate in fun sustainable activities, like making terrariums, seed bombs and flower starts. Club will not meet over the summer. If you’re interested, email madisen.lattanzi@pcc.edu.

Habitat Restoration Team at Sylvania

Would you like leadership and environmental field experiences? Come join the team! We don’t usually meet for two hours but sometimes we write grants, show movies, do a walkabout, or have a mini-work party. The Habitat Restoration Team, working with the Sylvania Grounds crew, PCC students and staff, and community members, works to remove invasive species, plant NW native plants, and help stabilize creek beds. To get involved, contact April Ann Fong at afong@pcc.edu.

Food Recovery at Rock Creek

This club works to prevent campus food waste by recovering and donating unsold, unconsumed food while promoting sustainability and giving back to our community. If you are interested in learning more, contact Stephanie Saunders at stephanie.saunders1@pcc.edu.

Rock Creek Food Justice Club

This club focuses on bringing awareness to food insecurity in college students and campuses. Participate in outreach to educate others on what the Food Justice Movement means and how they can help. As students and as human beings we have the right to fight for our right to have quality, healthy food for every meal. Our goals of this club are as follows; collaborate with local non-profits, collaborate with resource centers stationed at Rock Creek, complete service projects on and off campus, create an event on campus to promote food justice. Interested? Contact Kathryn Lopez at kathryn.lopez@pcc.edu.

Get involved with the garden and learn more about organic gardening, composting, and greenhouse production. Help host work parties and events in the Learning Garden. Now’s the time to get growing! For more information email Miriam Latzer at miriam.latzer@pcc.edu.

Rock Creek Sustainability Club

This is an organization of students from Portland Community College who believe that a collect effort can make a difference for a better world. Our mission is to build awareness about the issues of environmental degradation and environmental social justice, and to help the community adopt a sustainable lifestyle in their own lives and on campus. We have community outreach projects, volunteer opportunities, and outdoors activities.

Our Goals for 2020-2021 are:

To educate PCC community about the sustainable practices through presentations, exhibitions, events, and talks.
To build awareness about the pollution caused by single-use plastics.

Please contact Kathryn Lopez at kathryn.lopez@pcc.edu or Grace Grace at grace1@pcc.edu with questions or concerns!

Rock Creek Green Team

Comprised of staff, students and faculty, this group of dedicated people are the champions of sustainability at the Rock Creek campus. Functionally serving as an advisory committee to the Sustainability Office, this group has strategic influence on department level sustainable practices, information dissemination and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP), as well as serving as contacts for campus-wide initiatives and education. It is this group of sustainability promoters that keep us going! We always welcome interested folks! We usually meet once per quarter over lunch. The Green Team always has something going on. Please contact Elaine Cole at elaine.cole16@pcc.edu to learn more.

Thinking of starting a club?

First contact the district sustainability department, who can connect you with people and resources that you will need to know. Who knows – maybe there’s already a club that exists, waiting for someone like you to step into a leadership role!

Resources

Eco Social Justice Grant

Issues of environmental degradation, inequality, and economic disparity impact us all. Here at PCC we value our students, staff, and faculty and their commitment to sustainability as well as their advocacy and efforts towards creating more equitable, diverse and inclusive spaces across the district.

We are supporting and fostering a culture of collaborative, innovative problem solving using environmental sustainability and social justice initiatives to accomplish these goals. From our learning gardens, water bottle fill stations, our great bike programs and farm stand, to our annual #EcoSocialJusticeEvent, we have been working together to address our community’s most pressing ecological and social challenges with fresh ideas. We also feel that it is important to both celebrate and give thanks and acknowledgement to the amount of time, money, and effort that students have put towards making Portland Community College a nationally and globally recognized higher education institution and leader in the sustainability movement.

In 2008 the Associated Students of Portland Community College (ASPCC) District Student Council approved a ten cent addition to the student activity fee, creating The Green Initiative Fund. At the beginning of 2018, the ASPCC District Student Council unanimously agreed to change the name of this fund to the Eco Social Justice Grant (ESJG), this name change better reflects the broader scope of what these grants have been and will be dedicated to. This fund exists so that students, staff, and faculty can participate in our culture of innovation and contribute meaningful advances to sustainable practices. At PCC, our goal is to achieve sustainable excellence in all operations, to live our commitment to social justice, and to meet our targeted greenhouse gas reductions as detailed in the Climate Action Plan. If you have an idea for a project that moves PCC towards these outcomes, we want to hear from you!

Learn more and apply for the Eco Social Justice Grant!

Southeast Cycle Center

At PCC Southeast, the Student Life and Leadership Program provides alternative modes of transportation through the Southeast Cycle Center. Students and staff can rent a bike or bike locker on a term-by-term basis.

Bike Rentals cost $15 per-term. Students need to meet with an academic advisor to complete an academic plan. Once the application is completed and approved, students will meet with the Bike Coordinator and receive a bike, helmet, lights, and U-Lock. Participants must return the bike by the end of the term that they rented the bike. Students who do not return the bike and/or lose the bike will have a $400 hold placed on their student accounts.

Bike Lockers cost is free. Students and staff can turn in an application on a first come, first serve basis to utilize the lockers.

Students can access our Cycle Center, by appointment only, to get free maintenance done on their personal bike!

Applications for Bike Rental and Bike lockers can be found on our Southeast Cycle Center page in PantherHub.

Student can also find this information here: https://hub.pcc.edu/organization/southeastcyclecenter

Rock Creek Garden Community Plots

Calling all gardeners! Interested in caring for a plot in the community beds at the Rock Creek Campus Learning Garden? Sign-ups begin soon. For more information, contact Elaine Cole at elaine.cole16@pcc.edu.

Climate Research Guides

An updated climate change research guide is now live on the PCC Library website. This updated guide has a tab highlighting the PCC Climate Action Plan, which is also profiled on the Actions and Solutions tab. One of the best ways to support students experiencing eco-anxiety and climate grief is to help them connect with a community doing meaningful climate justice work.

Also, there are two more guides in production focused on integrating climate change into classroom curriculum: Teaching Climate Change in the Community College and Climate Change Curriculum. Would you be able to contribute some PCC-specific content to help complete these additional guides?

Specifically, the guides would benefit from:

assignments and curriculum related to climate change created by PCC instructors
PCC instructors and staff willing to advise or support colleagues wanting to add a climate component to their courses

Please reach out to Roberta Richards at rrichard@pcc.edu if you have assignments to share or are willing to be listed as a support person.

Panther Pantries

We know that keeping students fed is imperative to equitable student success, that diverting food waste lowers PCC’s carbon impact, and that projects like the Learning Garden and Food Forests build community resilience to the impacts of Climate Change.

Panther Pantries are on all four comprehensive campuses and provide food for students in need: Cascade (Second Floor, Student Union Building); Rock Creek (Room 113, Building 5); Southeast (Room 105, Mt. Tabor Hall); and Sylvania (Room 102, College Center).

FIERCe

This resource center was created by PCC students for PCC students to combat food insecurity and hunger. It is loaded with tools and resources within PCC and around Portland, Oregon to educate and destigmatize food insecurity. Check out the site here.

Find more resources for students on PCC’s Student Life page.

The Menstrual Project

Cascade Women’s Resource Center is providing more FREE reusable menstrual products through the Eco Social Justice Grant to help students and PCC reduce their waste and lower the amount of money used on menstrual products.

Go to our Instagram @cascadewrc or to find more information on the products!

You can directly request products any time via The Menstrual Project. Fill out this form to request products!

GPSEN College Network of Environmentalists

Stay in the loop of networking events in Portland, discuss goals and ideas for the future, and more!

Want to learn how to be more sustainable on the day-to-day?

Take the Sustainable Choices Pledge.

Social & News

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What's Growin' On at Portland Community College

Check out the District Wide Learning Garden Newsletter!

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