Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) was honored with a City of Lakewood 2009 Mayor's Sustainability Award at the April 13 Lakewood City Council meeting. The Sustainability Awards were created by the city to celebrate Earth Day and recognizes individuals, companies, and institutions in Lakewood who are leading the way to a more sustainable future.

Red Rocks Community College earned the award for both their Green Campus Initiative and their academic programs in Environmental and Energy Technology. RRCC made a commitment to lowering the college's carbon footprint through several phases that will result in a future zero-waste, carbon-neutral campus. The first improvement was the installation of a new three-stage main boiler that resulted in a decrease in gas use. The savings translates to a reduction in carbon emissions by 935,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, a decrease of nearly 30 percent. The RRCC Energy and Environmental Technology program includes degrees and certificates in solar energy and water quality management.

"Red Rocks is honored to be recognized by the City of Lakewood for our sustainability efforts," said Colleen Jorgensen, RRCC VP of Instruction. "This award demonstrates our commitment to supporting the workforce while creating an environment for sustainability."

Other award categories were Community Sustainability Award, Defender of the Planet Award (for ages 18 and under), and Eco-Employee Award for City of Lakewood Employees. Winners were evaluated on achievements in the areas of climate change, innovation in environmental technology, preservation of ecology and biodiversity, green design, and waste reduction and recycling.

Since 1969, Red Rocks Community College has delivered quality education to students of all ages and backgrounds. RRCC offers more than 300 programs leading to two-year degrees or professional certificates and serves over 14,000 students per year at campus locations in Lakewood and Arvada. Visit www.rrcc.edu or call 303.914.6600 for more information.