William R. Sinkin Eco Centro

Eco Centro is currently closed to the public. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please sign up for our newsletter and check back on this page for updates and resources. Here is the May 2020 Newsletter. 

WILLIAM R. SINKIN ECO CENTRO: CULTIVATING COMMUNITY

The William R. Sinkin Eco Centro is a community outreach center for environmental sustainability operated by San Antonio College. The Center was seed funded through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities grant. Currently, Eco Centro is supported by the College, through grants and donations and from partnership efforts across the region. 

The LEED-certified, 3,000+ square foot facility serves as an example of sustainable building with a solar-photovoltaic system connected to 135 roof-mounted solar panels, a 2,700-gallon water catchment tank and five 40-gallon tanks, water-wise landscaping, four electric vehicle charging stations, a B-Cycle station, and large composting and gardening areas.

Eco Centro Resources for Faculty, Staff, and Students 

PRODUCE BOX GIVEAWAY

William R. Sinkin Eco Centro is hosting a free produce box giveaway for SAC students, faculty and staff each week on a Thursday or Friday through the end of July. To view the next date and reserve your produce box, please fill out this form. Once you complete the form, our team will send you a confirmation email with pickup details. This is contactless curbside delivery; you will not leave your car to pick up the box. 

We need volunteers! Volunteers will be provided with PPE and maintain social distance for food distribution. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this volunteer interest form. For questions, contact Caprice Diaz at cdiaz150@alamo.edu.

SEEDS! 

Get ready for fall gardening! We have seed kits for fall gardens, pollinator-friendly gardens, herb gardens, and more including custom seed kits upon request.  To place your order, complete this form. You'll receive an invoice and instructions when your order is ready for pickup (check your spam folder)! We can take credit cards or cash. Curbside, no contact pick up. If you do not receive the invoice within two days of completing the form, please contact us. We love to offer our seeds for free but due to current public health issues, our staff is very limited. We're asking for small donations to cover the cost of staff time and supplies. All seeds come with a gardening resources guide and you can always e-mail us with questions or for custom consults.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

We have free, live, virtual workshops on topics including gardening basics, composting basics, rainwater harvesting, and Ask Me Anything workshops with industry professionals on related topics. Register now at ecocentro.eventbrite.com.

COVID-19 UPDATE:

Eco Centro is currently closed. We are compiling information about food pantries, meal plans and other resources on our Facebook page and our resource directory. Please feel free to share with us as well. Read more about our response to COVID-19 in our April 2020 and May 2020 Email Newsletter.

COVID-19 Resource Directory for San Antonio

Every Day is Earth Day! 

April 22 is Earth Day, but every day is a little bit like Earth Day at San Antonio College. We're working hard to reduce waste, save energy and water and to use greener products. We're adding pollinator habitats to our campus and giving students opportunities to learn about Green Building, Natural Resources Management and Urban Agriculture. Connect with Eco Centro on Facebook or sign up for the email newsletter to find out how you can get involved! Check out our Growing Abundance guide.

GET INVOLVED

Visit our Facebook or contact us for volunteer opportunities, garden workdays, and other events. Many are free and open to the public. We can schedule volunteer workdays for large groups.

Donate to Eco Centro

GARCIA STREET URBAN FARM

Contact us for more information about the urban farm, currently under construction. SAC News: Urban Farm Groundbreaking

OUR MISSION

To cultivate the understanding, progress and practice of sustainability

OUR GOAL

Eco Centro strives to positively address environmental challenges by providing the information needed to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices.
Through education, outreach, service and research, Eco Centro advocates for the adoption of practical sustainable practices.

Our objective is to stimulate greater community, business and household self-sufficiency while supporting entities that further the overarching cause of environmental preservation through collaborative initiatives and educational programming.

WHAT WE DO

The William R. Sinkin Eco Centro serves as a demonstration center for organic gardening, composting, sustainable building, low impact development, water conservation, native landscaping, healthy living, developing community partnerships and more. The center provides meeting space for several local organizations and hosts community based and environmentally-related events. By partnering with our local community, other environmental organizations, private industry, governmental agencies, and sustainability experts, the William R. Sinkin Eco Centro furthers its goals of education and advocacy on a local level and beyond.

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

Rapid population growth, economic expansion, and excessive consumption of our natural resources necessitates a collective solution to the depletion of those resources most basic for survival and well-being. Sustainability has emerged as that solution and is of the utmost importance in making sure we have enough water, materials, and resources to lead productive, healthy, and comfortable lives.  Each of us must do our part to conserve the natural environment on which we all depend.