Howard Community College (HCC) is an open-access, public community college offering associate degrees and certificates, as well as workforce development training and continuing education classes, that help students attain new skills, and prepare for careers or transfer to four-year institutions. With 2,724 employees, the college educates about 30,000 students annually through a main campus in Columbia, MD, in addition to the Laurel College Center in Laurel, MD, and the Ecker Business Training Center in Columbia, MD.
In support of its strategic objective of carbon footprint reduction, HCC was one of the original signers of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) to minimize global warming emissions and provide knowledge and education to achieve climate neutrality. HCC outperformed all associate degree-granting college signatories, as recorded in the ACUPCC Reporting System, with a 0.21 metric ton reduction in emissions, saving the college $74,280 over a six-year period, with a projected savings of $123,000 over the next two years.