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  1. 11/4 Resilience SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 

    The Resilience SWATeam met on Nov. 4th, 2020 and discussed an Urban Biodiversity Master Plan and an Environmental Justice Plan for the University and surrounding cities. Attached are the meeting minutes and chat log. 

    Summary of progress: 

    1.) Biodiversity Plan: A recommendation is being drafted to convene executive and advisory committees where university, local governments, and community members collaborate to gather research. The process could potentially be informed and organized by the Cities with Nature platform, which the city of Urbana is already using.

    2.) Environmental Justice Plan: iSEE is compiling a list of contacts to engage for starting an Environmental Justice Plan and conducting research on best practices for making such a plan. 

  2. Weekly Update: Moving bikes from warehouse; Traffic safety

    Associated Project(s): 

    All, Slow week again. Grabbed a few more bikes from the warehouse. I’ve been given clearance to remove all the remaining bikes, so I’ll be doing that in small doses for the rest of the semester. I’ll bring some of my staff along to help. Moving bikes around is a lot easier for college-aged kids anyway.

    I spoke with a UIPD officer last week about traffic safety after I had some close encounters with vehicles on campus. We’ve tentatively planned to do a meet and greet/talk next semester with my staff and UIPD to cover road safety on campus. It’ll be great to have the ear of enforcement on cycling issues and in the end, be better cycling advocates to the community.

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 6
    Sales: $228.00
    Memberships: 1 for $60
    Bike Sales (refurb): 1 for $160
    Misc parts: 2 for $8

    Thanks!

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  3. possible irrigation locations

    For a class project, F&S reviewed the irrigation metering for the following buildings:

    • 303 Play Field Service Building
    • 374 Hartley Gardens
    • 1486 Grounds Garage
    • 100 President House
    • 1502 Softball Training Center
    • 1270 Eichelberger Locker Room

    Out of that list, buildings 374 and 100 are the only ones with irrigation meters. The water consumption for those irrigation meters is attached here.

  4. Research news about organic agriculture

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative awarded a $2M grant to the University of Illinois and collaborators to "develop improved seed corn tailored to the needs of the rapidly growing organic industry." Martin Bohn will lead the project.

    -- From: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/812995663.html

  5. eweek announcement

    The New Speed of Politics: Technology and Sustainability in the EU

    Countries of the European Union have collectively offered a leading global voice on the use of technology for local and planetary sustainability. Please join the EU Center for this panel event on Thursday, November 12 at noon featuring two former members of the European Parliament: Hans-Olaf Henkel and Benedek Jávor. For more information and to register, click here.

    November 12, 12 pm

    Sydney Lazarus • European Union Center

  6. F&S Executive Director Dr. Mohamed Attalla talks Solar Farm 2.0 on The Solar Podcast

    Associated Project(s): 

    Dr. Mohamed Attalla, the Executive Director of Facilities and Services, recently spoke on the Solar Podcast about the progress made at the University of Illinois in regards to green energy with the addition of Solar Farm 2.0.  Dr. Mohamed Attalla was alongside Pedro De La Barra, the Project Manager for Sol Systems, as they discussed the working relationship between the University and those at Sol Systems. Solar Farm 2.0 is expected to be producing solar energy in early 2021. 

     

    Please see the link below to listen to this podcast!

    https://fs.illinois.edu/resources/newsroom/2020/10/28/podcast-dr.-attalla-joins-the-solar-podcast

     

     

     

  7. FY20 Green Power Partnership renewed

    F&S has renewed our campus' recognition as a Green Power Partner for FY20 through the Environmental Protection Agency. This voluntary program promotes the use of green power, and the combined supply for the Champaign-Urbana campus during FY20 was 7.2% of the total electricity usage. 

    Please see the attached file to see a more in-depth look at the green power supplied and generated on campus

  8. Weekly Update: Abandoned bicycles, Working bikes

    All,

    Pretty slow week. Had the iCAP sustainability celebration on Tuesday, which was great. Always fun to see/hear from other parts of campus that are working towards a better future for our campus. On the flipside, I had the displeasure of reporting a dangerous F&S driver that same day and then a dangerous MTD driver on Thursday.

    Todd came by and cleared out scrap on Friday which was welcomed.

    As of this morning, I communicated with Working Bikes that we will not be doing our annual abandoned bike donation as Parking did not collect bikes last spring, due to COVID, and thus we have no bikes to donate to them. It hasn’t been decided/communicated whether Parking will collect later in the fall/winter or wait until spring. This will also negatively affect how many bikes we’ll have for sale next spring, as the pool of available bikes is lower. But of course, most of the abandoned bikes were being donated and for sale numbers were always more dependent on our ability/time to build more than a dearth of bikes.

     

    The numbers:
    Visitors: 11 (7 UIUC-affiliated)
    Sales: $225
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Misc parts: 8 for $55

     

    Thanks!

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  9. F&S and UIC status update call in regards to SmartWay

    Associated Project(s): 

    Discussions continue in regards to University of Illinois System's EPA SmartWay affiliation status. Kate Yoshida, UIC Program Director of Sustainability, met with Morgan White and Sinead Soltis to brainstorm departments across both campuses that would benefit from learning more about the SmartWay program. Morgan and Sinead shared their plans to present to iSEE, F&S Transportation, the Illini Union, and other relevant departments that will assist in recognizing our status of being an affiliate.

  10. Municipal Approval Status of Tree Species Data Table

    Associated Project(s): 

    Bianca Han, an undergraduate student, compiled a table that compares the approval status of various tree species by municipality (Champaign, Savoy, and Urbana). The table highlight inconsistencies in biodiversity policies. As examples, scarlet oak and blue ash appear to be prohibited in Champaign, approved in Savoy, and not addressed in Urbana.

    The table also illustrates possible sources of information developed in one municipality that could be used in others. For example, crabapple appears to be approved in Champaign but not addressed in Savoy and Urbana; English Oak appears to be approved in Savoy but not addressed in Champaign and Urbana; and river ash appears to be prohibited in Savoy but not addressed in Champaign and Urbana.

     

  11. eweek announcement

    Associated Project(s): 

    Food for Justice | Food for Thought, with Artist Seitu Jones

    Artist Seitu Jones will join a panel of Champaign-Urbana residents to talk about local food insecurities and the needs, desires and hopes of the community. This discussion, moderated by Urbana arts and culture coordinator, Rachel Storm, will feature Dawn Blackman, Ruby Mendenhall, Jennifer Monson, Magdalena Novoa, and Bobby Smith II, in conversation with Seitu Jones.

    October 26, 5:30–7:30 pm • Map

    Sharon Irish • Center for Advanced Study and Dance

  12. October 2020 construction progress

    Associated Project(s): 

    For this month's progress, the fence has been installed and the statistics are as follows:

     

    191 rows with motors and partial torque tubes.

    103 with all torque tubes and ready for panels.

    79 rows of panels.

     

    These numbers are included in each other, i.e., the 103 is included in the 191 and the 79 is included in the 103.

    Thank you,

     

    Sushanth Girini

    Management Engineer,

    Facilities & Services,
    UES-Utility Distribution, UIUC

  13. Student collaboration: Promotion of bicycle registration system

    Sarthak Prasad met with Shayna Talpallikar to discuss her proposal to promote bicycle registration on campus. Bicycle Registraiton has been mandatory for years, as explained in the University Bicycle Ordinance, and the university should promote it more like that. There is a new national registration system, with a one-time $10 registration fee, and it is available to all - students, faculty, staff, alumni (in C-U area), departmental bicycles, as well as the residents of Urbana, Champaign, Savoy, or any other Champaign County residents.

    Shayna expressed interest in helping us out with this project and how we can achieve it. We discussed two main ideas, and thought adding signage to major bicycle parking areas to be the best option right now. Another option was to have Bicycle Registration days or events across campus where we give out free donuts and raffle option to those who register. However, this idea was discouraged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Please see attached some notes from the meeting. A recording of the meeting is also available.

    Attached Files: 
  14. F&S Sharing SmartWay status with UIS

    Associated Project(s): 

    F&S Sustainability reached out to Cindy Ervin, the University of Illinois-Springfield Transportation Supervisor, about our system's status as a SmartWay member. Attached is the letter sent to share this information, along with other important resources on getting involved as a SmartWay partner along with its benefits. 

  15. Weekly Update: Abandoned bicycles, Sustainability Celebration

    All,

    Mike, a semi-regular at the old shop, walked in on Friday for his appointment, looked around and said, “What’d you have to do to get upgraded to such a nice spot?”

    Just another positive review of our new space.

    I coordinated with Parking to do more frequent pick ups—but smaller loads—of abandoned bikes, which should allow for a better flow of bikes in and out of the bike center. This should be more manageable for myself and my staff going forward, as well.

     

    This week is a Campus Sustainability Celebration on Tuesday, a CBC staff meeting Wednesday evening, and warm weather to close out the week, which usually equals some more traffic, but we’ll see if that holds during a pandemic.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 14
    Sales: $178.20
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Misc parts: 4 for $40

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

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