Pierce College hasn’t stopped at a recycling program in the push to promote environmental friendliness, as changes to campus greenery are in sight to lower water usage.
The “Go Green” movement motivated a few biology professors who, after originally proposing drought-tolerant plants for the Botanical Garden in 2001, are now pushing for the same kinds of plants around campus in place of unused lawns.
Half of the two-acre garden was replaced with water-saving, Mediterranean plants in 2003 and the other half was finished by 2007, cutting water use in the garden by 70 to 80 percent, according to Dr. James Rikel, biology department chair and one of the original proponents of the idea.
Propositions A/AA have already paid for this sort of landscaping along the mall, but with the Nov. 4 passage of Measure J, more of these projects should hopefully be in sight.
This effort follows a Los Angeles Community College District policy that states campus landscaping should be sustainable, meaning less inflow to and outflow from the areas in question.
Some examples of unused lawn include the area behind the Campus Center and Chemistry Building, serving only as a stamping ground for passing students.
Jessie Lomeli ()