This past fall, members of Students for Environmental Action (SEA) at Spoon River College worked with CFO Sarah Gray to secure a grant to install solar lighting on the walkway between the Multi-Purpose Building and the Snapper Villas housing unit on the Canton Campus. Thanks to the generous support from the Illinois Green Economy Network, that lighting is now installed.
Previously the walkway had little illumination at night, a time when many of the students were using it to return to the Villas following athletic events at the Multi-Purpose Building.
Spoon River College students have been active in providing education on environmental sustainability and participating in green events for the past decade. They have planted trees on Earth Day, and in the spring of 2023, planted 17 trees that were purchased by the SRC Foundation and that line the entrance to the college.
The students also successfully advocated for the college to implement a recycling service, sponsored a free Tai Chi workshop for both students and employees, and sold reusable coffee mugs and bags as a fundraiser.
The members continue to hold campus clean-up days in the spring, and three years ago they teamed up with agriculture students to clear paths in the Arboretum, an ongoing project with a goal of creating walking trails that connect to the existing trails behind Centers. They are also working with maintenance staff to build hammock stands for use on the back patio, and will be planting perennial flowers and building birdhouses, bird feeders, and squirrel feeders.
“Our goal is to encourage students to recycle and reuse what they can, and to spend more time outside and enjoy nature, with the hope they will treat it with greater care,” said Jim Sheff, math professor and SEA advisor. “If students—and staff—develop a greater appreciation for nature, they will be more likely to treat it with respect and teach future generations to do the same.”
The Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) was formed in 2008 through an intergovernmental agreement with support from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Governor’s Office, and the Illinois Community College Board. Funds are utilized to support the consortium of all 39 Illinois community college districts (35 active members). A Presidents’ Steering Committee governs IGEN.
