Sustainability Center

MCC is helping our community grow stronger by focusing on sustainability and environmental education. Check out the McHenry County Recycling Directory Green Guide, learn about our green campus projects, and see how we bring sustainability into campus life and local outreach.

Solar Energy Resources

• Help finding a professional installer
• Illinois Solar Energy Association – FAQs and General Information
• Information for homeowners
• Community Solar – use renewable energy without buying panels yourself.
• Solar energy educational videos
• Consumer protection for solar customers
• Additional consumer resources

Student Environmental Action Club

• The Environmental Action Club is directed by the interests of the students involved for that semester. For 2024-2025, the club has been very active with multiple field trips and lots of great conversation about climate change, waste reduction, national parks, and more. Club members attended two national conferences this year and had several very successful field trips to local thrift stores. The club met with the producers of an award-winning film shown on campus. Students also helped the Sustainability Center host a low-impact lunch where the impact of fast food was discussed while enjoying a vegetarian, compostable meal from local fast-food restaurants.
  Join the club in Co-Lab B on Wednesdays at 3:30pm! Or contact club president Daniel Cosgray at dcosgray@students.mchenry.edu. The club advisor is Kim Hankins, Manager of the Sustainability Center, who can be reached at khankins@mchenry.edu.
• Follow the Student Environment Action Club on Instagram and Facebook.

Carey Center for Agrarian Learning

The Carey Center for Agrarian Learning is a community resource for all growers, sharing the latest growing and business practices to keep their farms sustainable, productive, and, above all, profitable.

"Dangers of Black Plastic and Safer Alternatives"

Below are additional references mentioned in the Green Guide article on black plastic.

• Don’t Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatulas
• Alarming Study on Toxic Black Plastic Kitchen Utensils Gets an Update
• What Makes Black Plastic an Environmental Nightmare?
• Are Your Black Plastic Utensils Dangerous? - NBC News
• Are Bamboo Utensils Dishwasher Safe? Pros and Cons Explained
• Are Bamboo Products Toxic? - Million Marker
• Updated Notice on Plastic Containers and Utensils Containing Bamboo
• Are Bamboo Utensils Safe? Read This First! - Cookery Space