For Friday, Nov. 20, 2020

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1 – Delta College is in the Top Ten when it comes to sustainability.

In simple terms, sustainability refers to how we’re treating the world we’ll leave behind for our children and grandchildren, and meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. 

The college has been named a national top performer in sustainability practices by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, coming in at No. 9 in the United States and Canada. 

Delta is included in the association’s 2020 Sustainable Campus Index, and listed under associate colleges as a top performer. 

The index recognizes top-performing colleges and universities in 17 impact areas. Nationally, Delta continues to rank high in campus engagement and building categories.  

Delta officials say some notable and recent sustainability projects include:

• Trees that were cut down on campus last year have been composted and are being used as mulch
• The new downtown Saginaw and Midland centers also were constructed to green building standards.

2 – If you’re digging into the Christmas decorations and find lights that don’t work anymore, you can recycle them in Bay County. 

Bangor Township is partnering with Bay City on a Holiday Light Recycling Drive. It started this week (Nov. 16) and runs through Jan. 15. 

You may drop off broken or unwanted Christmas tree lights in collection carts at a number of drop off sites. 

Those include Bay City Hall, the Sage and Wirt libraries in Bay City, the Bay County community center and civic arena, the Bay County Building and Bangor Township Hall. 

For questions or more information, call Bay City Recycles at 894-8312.

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3 – Speaking of recycling, America Recycles Week was this week. 

A newly updated report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency highlights the economic benefits of recycling. 

The EPA says recycling contributes significantly to the economy by converting waste materials into valuable raw materials, creating jobs and building more competitive manufacturing industries.

EPA officials say there’s been progress on recycling in the US, but more needs to be done. 

The recycling rate was about 32 percent in 2018, when almost 94 million tons of trash was recycled and composted out of a total of more than 292 million tons that were generated. 

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Friday mornings in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM (streaming). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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