What does it mean to be sustainable?

Our campus is sustainable because it is environmentally healthy, economically sufficient and socially inclusive. Breaking up the word "sustainability" into these three parts (environmental, economic and social) helps us adequately define sustainability on our campus.

Earth Month 2021

  • Previous Earth Month 2021 Events

    • Life Changing Tours of the JJC Natural Areas: Experience the Beauty of JJC's Fen
    • Life Changing Tours of the JJC Natural Areas: JJC Arboretum
    • Life Changing Tours of the JJC Natural Areas: JJC Greenhouse
    • Trash Bash Competition
    • NWF Eco Careers Conference
    • Houbolt Road Clean Up
    • SMHEC Sustainable Food Challenge
    • JJC's Prairie Ecological Restoration Day
    • Meaningful Action: A Panel on Environmental Justice in the Local Context
    • Documentary Panel Discussion on "David Attenborough: A Life in Our Planet"
    • SMHEC "Go Solar" Presentation and Q&A with Experts
    • PTK Adopt a Highway Street Clean Up
    • Socially Distanced Arboretum Party
    • $250 Scholarship Opportunity
    • Sustainability - Free Gifts to Participants

Environmental Sustainability at JJC

Environmental sustainability is about not depleting our vital natural resources faster than they are renewed to ensure that people and other species live well now and in the future. You can:

  • Get Priority Parking - Main Campus

    JJC offers priority parking spaces for hybrid and Low Emission Vehicles (LEV).

    View LEV designated parking areas on Main Campus

    Have a hybrid or low emissions vehicle and want to park in one of our spaces? 


    Have an electric car?
    Electric vehicle drivers can park and power up at the same time with JJC's ChargePoint Electric Car Charging Stations. The ChargePoint Electric Car Charging Stations are in East Lot 2.

    electric car charging station joliet junior college jjc

     

  • Solar Panels

    electric car charging station joliet junior college jjcSaving the college more than $1.6 million in electricity expenses over 25 years, JJC's solar array consists of 3,542 solar panels on Main Campus.

    Over the life of this system, it is estimated to produce 61,836,250 kWh of clean and reliable electricity. JJC is expected to offset its total energy consumption by 22.5 percent, making the campus one of the greenest in the state. Learn more.

    Other smaller groupings of solar panels, powering sections of lighting, can also be found across campus.  

  • Take a Class

    Learn in our environmentally friendly (LEED certified (PDF)) buildings or take a class online. Providing quality education while using the least amount of resources is one of our sustainable priorities.

    Learn more about our facilities and online class offerings.

    See a list of sustainability courses on the Get Involved page.

  • Walk or Bike the Trails

    Explore the self-guided prairie and forest trails on Main Campus! The college has 2.75 miles of paved trail and two miles of unpaved nature trails. The paved trail is part of the Rock Run Trail. The Rock Run Trail connects to the 61-mile I&M Canal Trail.

    There are many landmarks along these trails, such as a limestone wall that was built by Confederate Civil War prisoners. Also, there are granite boulders brought down from the north by a glacier 12,000 years ago.

    View a map of our forest and prairie trails

  • Recycle

    JJC offers recycling for:

    • Paper
    • Bottles and bottle caps (only fall and spring semesters)
    • Cans
    • Tires and motor oil
    • Organic waste
    • Toners and ink cartridges
    • Pens and markers (only fall and spring semesters)
      • JJC recycles expired pens and markers to the company, Terracycle. Terracycle rewards its contributors using a point system that equals donations to three charitable organizations: Charity: Water, Carbon Fund, and Eco Schools USA. 

    Learn more by calling Facilities at extensions x2553 or x2332.

Economic Sustainability at JJC

Economic sustainability is about the economic climate evolving to meet the needs of the people by being efficient, responsible, and dependable for the long term. You can:

Social Sustainability at JJC

Social sustainability is about education, diversity, tolerance, inclusion, empathy, and equity achieved by a strong civil society and a developed sense of community. You can: