Montgomery County Community College has done a number of things over the past year or so to shrink its carbon footprint by reducing vehicle emissions. College Communications Director Alana Mauger is also a member of the President’s Climate Commitment Advisory Council.  She says they had two separate SEPTA bus stops for years at the Central Campus in Blue Bell.  One was near Route 202 and the front of the campus, while the other was near Morris Road and the rear of the campus.  She says they have replaced them with one stop in a more central location.

“We worked with SEPTA to consolidate to one bus stop, which actually saves 20,000 SEPTA bus miles a year.  The buses no longer have to go around our loop road.”

She says they also have a shuttle running between the Central and West Campuses.

“A student who takes a class at the West Campus in Pottstown, and may not have the means to get to Blue Bell for another class, can now take the shuttle, so it speaks to student success.  However, many of our staff and faculty including myself have responsibilities at both campuses, and as such we sometimes have to drive back and forth in the same day.  This is no longer an issue because we use the shuttle.”

Mauger says Montgomery County Community College is almost out of parking spots at both campuses, so they really have to encourage students, staff and faculty to use the shuttle and car-pooling.  She says the shuttle between the two campuses saves up to 3,500 miles per day, and the college has also invested in hybrid vehicles, electric utility carts and bicycles for its public safety and facilities teams.  She says it’s one of only five colleges in the entire country to win an Institutional Excellence in Climate Leadership Award from an organization called Second Nature.