The Zero Waste iCAP Team submitted recommendation ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking on 3/2/22. The recommendation is attached, and states in summary:

"The Zero Waste Team recommends that the number and status of all EZH20 bottle filling stations on campus are tracked by number, location, amount of water bottles saved, and their filtration status (I.e. green, yellow, red/date of filter replacement)."

Morgan White, Associate Director of F&S for Sustainability, sent the following email, declining PWR006.

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Hello Jen and Meredith,

I am writing this to close the loop on iCAP recommendation from 2015, and for posting on the iCAP Portal about this topic. In 2015, iSEE sent PWR006: Expanded Recycling to the Executive Director of F&S Al Stratman, from what is now the Zero Waste iCAP Team.  The director over the waste transfer station at the time, Carl Wegel, asked the staff to investigate the accuracy of the potential income from expanding the plastics collections.  Tracy Osby and Bart Bartels looked into it, and I was informed that in our local market there could be an increased cost to campus for collecting and recycling these additional plastics, rather than the projected increase of revenue.  Additionally, the existing baler at the Waste Transfer Station was deemed incapable of handling the additional plastics, in its old age condition.  For that reason, this recommendation was denied by F&S, in a discussion with the PWR SWATeam.

On a brighter note, we are currently working on hiring a full time Zero Waste Coordinator, who will be able to pursue this effort further.  We also are grateful to the support of the Student Sustainability Committee, which funded a feasibility study to identify the costs of replacing the current baler.  I have also discussed the funding needs for the new baler with Associate Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Kim Kidwell and Senior Executive Director of Principal Gifts David Bruns, in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement.

F&S looks forward to continuing our partnership with iSEE to support the implementation of the iCAP 2020 objectives, and we look forward to reducing plastics on campus in the months/years to come.

Thank you,

Morgan

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See PWR006 Expanded Recycling transmittal and iWG assessment here. 

See PWR006 Expanded Recycling recommendation here. 

The Energy iCAP Team made the following recommendation on 2/8/21. The Energy009 MMR Safety and Security is attached, and a summary of the recommendation is as follows. 

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We recommend that the campus commission a report on safety and security surrounding the micro-modular reactor (MMR).

Aaron Finder, Assistant Director of the Purchasing and Contracts Management office, sent the following email on 2/9/22:

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Hi Meredith,

I have met with NERC a couple time to get a better understanding of NERC and its Government Recycling Demand Champions program. Their Director, Lynn Rubinstein, and I discussed membership levels and the Purchasing and Contracts Management Office will join NERC as a “Supporting Member.”

Through our membership with NERC, we will also have the ability to participate in 4 active committees:

1. Plastic & Paper Recycling Markets
2. Bottle Bill Committee (Charge more for plastic at purchase but receive money back if you recycle)
3. Glass Committee
4. Organics – End Markets (Compost)

There will be limitations on how many participants we can invite to committee meetings or NERC conferences, but Lynn did say I could include at least one committee member (i.e. Tim Stark or Zero Waste Coordinator) if we participate in any event.  

After we become members, we will become a  State Recycling Organization Advocate within the Government Recycling Demand Champions program. This means we will commit to helping publicize the program and promote purchasing of products with post-consumer resin to their members and the public. While we are developing our EPP Guide, this seems to be the most appropriate classification.

I’ll let you know once our membership dues have been paid. I’m also sharing a couple documents Lynn provided.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks,

Aaron M Finder, mba cppb

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For future updates, see State Recycling Organization Advocate NERC project page here. 

Following the completion of iWG assessment for ZW004 Reusable Dining Containers Program, the recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Jeff Moore, Director of the Beckman Institute. 

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Hello Dr. Moore,

The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) Working Group (iWG) recently reviewed recommendation ZW004 from the Zero Waste iCAP Team (formerly known as a SWATeam) to implement the use of reusable dining containers. The iWG discussed this and recommends that Beckman Institute implement the option for reusable containers, as was done at Bevier Hall and University Dining.  Please see the details included in the attached iWG assessment and Zero-Waste iCAP Team recommendation.  

There are several advocates for reusable containers on campus, and a group of them met with the Zero Waste iCAP Team last July.  The notes are available online at https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project-update/zero-waste-icap-team-reusables-dining-meeting-notes-726 and may provide you with some initial insight into this recommendation.  University Housing’s Dining Services is an excellent resource to assist, and the iWG and Zero Waste iCAP Teams are available, as well. 

The Formal iCAP Procedures includes a section on campus unit responsibilities upon receipt of a recommendation, and we respectfully request your initial response to this recommendation by February 4, if possible.  If you have any questions regarding this recommendation, we are happy to arrange a zoom call. 

Sincerely,

Morgan

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See iWG assessment of ZW004 Reusable Dining Containers Program attached.

See iCAP Team Recommendation ZW004 Reusable Dining Containers Program here. 

Bill Stewart, Professor in Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism and member of the General Education Board, responded to Ximing Cai with the following email on 12/3/21:

Hi Ximing,

I’m following up about the Sustainability Gen Ed Working Group that was formed this year.  The Provost has directed the gen ed board to form a working group with the following charge:  Sustainability General Education: A student group is continuing work to develop a proposal to create a Sustainability General Education requirement. This working group will meet with the student group and provide updates to the full board about the status of the proposal as well as feedback about the implications of a new requirement for evaluation of courses.  I’m serving as chair, with the following members of the working group:  Geoffrey Challen, Leon Decosta Dash, Stephen R Downie, James Robert Miller, and Sterling Raskie. 

We’ve met twice now, with the first meeting focused on discussing our charge along with the history of sustainability education on campus.  We invited Jessica Nicholson along with others from her team to our second meeting to provide an update on the proposal and the intended next steps.  We plan to take back the activity to the gen ed board, and garner feedback from them.  Notes from our recent meeting are attached.

Just keeping you in the loop here.

Best,
Bill

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For future updates, please see the Sustainability Gen-Ed Requirement project page. 
See iWG assessment and transmittal of Engagement001 General Education Board Sustainability Sub-Group.
See original recommendation and submittal of Engagement001 General Education Board SUstainability Sub-Group here. 

Following the completion of iWG assessment for LW002 Vet Med Parking Lot Re-design, the recommendation was transmitted to the Sustainability Sub-Council (11-10-21) and Sustainability Council (11-29-21). 

See the attached iWG assessment for LW002 Vet Med Parking Lot Re-design.
See the Land and Water recommendation of LW002 Vet Med Parking Lot Re-Design. 

The Sustainability Council is in support of the formation of a Green Labs Committee, as discussed at the meeting on November 29, 2021. Jan Novakofski, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, also expressed support. A training component and Certified Greener Campus Program opportunities will be two items to include in committee discussions. For future updates, see the Green Labs Committee project page. 

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See transmittal and iWG assessment of Energy006 Integrate iCAP Goals into Research/Learning Labs here. 
See submittal of Energy006 Integrate iCAP Goals into Research/Learning Labs here.

The Sustainability Council is in support of the development of a Clean Energy Plan, as discussed at the meeting on November 29, 2021. Madhu Khanna and Ehab Kamarah agreed to work together on behalf of iSEE and F&S to move this forward and go through the RFP process.

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See transmittal and iWG assessment of Energy007 Implementation of Comprehensive Energy Plan here.
See submittal of Energy007 Implementation of Comprehensive Energy Plan here.

For future updates, see the Energy Planning Document project page.