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  3. SSC Seeking Subject Matter Experts for Sustainability Competition this Fall

    Associated Project(s): 
    ReImagine Our Future
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Sustainability Competitions

    The Student Sustainability Committee will be managing the Reimagine Our Future Undergraduate Sustainability Competition.

    If any subject-matter experts are interested in participating this year, we ask that you fill out this google form indicating your availability and your specialty before August 6th.

    For more information, you can view the attached the PowerPoint describing this year’s competition or check out Reimagine's website.

     

    Attached Files: 

  6. New iSEE Green Event Certification

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certified Green Event Program
    Certified Greener Campus Programs

    Congratulations to the newest recipient of our Greener Campus Certification Programs!

     

    Green Event: Office of the Chancellor-Special Events Chancellor's Medallion Ceremony, Certified April 2022

     

    They ensured that the event will be held at a location convenient for public transportation, biking, or walking. They also chose locations with natural lighting whenever possible to minimize lighting needs, among other sustainable efforts. Keep up the great work!

  7. March 2022 TED Talk: Eco-Edition Series

    Associated Project(s): 
    TED Talk: Eco Edition Series [ARCHIVED]

    Shallon Malfeo, intern at the Student Sustainable Farm and president of Students for Environmental Concerns, hosted the iSEE March TED Talk: Eco-Edition around the topic of sustainable agriculture on March 28th at 7pm. The presentation is attached.

    The TED Talk: Eco-Edition series is designed to unite campus and community members for a passionate, respectful, and thought-provoking dialogue about a certain aspect of sustainability. We hope that everyone is as energized by this talk as we are, and ready to engage in another open conversation! Grab your favorite snack and get comfortable! Topics and hosts vary each month.

    TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_centr...

    Attached Files: 

  8. February 2022 Ted Talk: Eco-Edition Series

    Associated Project(s): 
    TED Talk: Eco Edition Series [ARCHIVED]

    Josh Jay James, marketing student and Chief Marketing Officer of Karma Trade, hosted the iSEE February TED Talk: Eco-Edition around the topic of fast fashion and sustainability in the fashion industry on February 22nd at 7pm. The presentation is attached.

    The TED Talk: Eco-Edition series is designed to unite campus and community members for a passionate, respectful, and thought-provoking dialogue about a certain aspect of sustainability. We hope that everyone is as energized by this talk as we are, and ready to engage in another open conversation! Grab your favorite snack and get comfortable! Topics and hosts vary each month.

    TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCSn2HKTg-U

    Attached Files: 

  10. April 8, 2022 Illini Lights Out Data

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out

    At the April 8 Illini Lights Out event, 4,068 light bulbs were shut off, saving $590.15 in energy costs. This also prevented 4.96 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from the average car driving 12,344 miles. That's a big impact!

    Illini Lights Out is a certified Green Event! Click this link to learn how to green-certify your own event.

    The final Illini Lights Out of the semester is Friday, April 29th, at 5:30 pm, and you can sign up for that event using this link if you haven't done so already. Earth Week is also right around the corner! Browse upcoming sustainability events on this calendar.

  11. Urbana-Champaign Solar Group Buy Celebrates Another Successful Year

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Urbana-Champaign

    From: Marta Monti <marta@midwestrenew.org>
    Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2022 10:05 AM
    To: jhoeflinger@gmail.com; Scott Tess <srtess@urbanaillinois.us>; White, Morgan <mbwhite at illinois.edu>; christina@faithinplace.org; Amanda Pankau <apankau@prairierivers.org>; alruedi@urbanaillinois.us; lawilcock@urbanaillinois.us; cjm@cityofmonticello.net; bamilton@piattfs.com; Dennis.Donaldson@savoy.illinois.gov; stacygloss@gmail.com; g-hazel@village.rantoul.il.us; jbustard@parkland.edu; kpfeifer@mahomet-il.gov; Paul.Storke@cityofdanville.org; nichole.millage@champaignil.gov; Kim Knowles <kknowles@prairierivers.org>; Andy Robinson <andrew.robinson.1980@gmail.com>; Cassie Carroll <casandcarroll@gmail.com>
    Cc: Taylor Ball <taylorb@midwestrenew.org>; Peter Murphy <peterm@midwestrenew.org>
    Subject: [THANK YOU!] Urbana-Champaign Solar Group Buy Celebrates Another Successful Year

     

    Hi everyone,

     

    Thank you for your support of the Grow Solar Urbana-Champaign program. It's been another successful program, with 16 properties decided to go solar, resulting in 120.12 kW of new renewable energy generating capacity in our region. We passed our 50 kW benchmark, resulting in an average household bulk buying discount of an additional $270.

     

    Final press release for the 2021 program, if you're interested and would like to share with your networks. If you are able to help circulate the press release, or the results, that would be great. Let me know what you need from me if you are going to share the press release!

     

    We have one final ask of you to help us wrap up the program: If you could be so kind as to fill out this program evaluation survey. The feedback you provide will help us continue to improve and facilitate more successful Grow Solar programs like this one. https://forms.gle/9MouKj8NKt3frqcP9 

     

    This program couldn't have happened without your support. So whether you went solar yourself (congratulations!), or represented one of the partnering municipalities, neighborhood associations, or organizations, whether you co-hosted a Solar Power Hour presentation, or simply helped spread the word about the program to your network, thank you!

     

    All the best, 

    Marta

     

    --

    Marta Monti, she/her/hers

    Solar Program Manager

    marta@midwestrenew.org

    414-988-7963

     

    Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)

    3628 W Pierce St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215

    www.midwestrenew.org

     

    Grow Solar in your community with help from our team. 
    Become a proud     member of the MREA.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Weekly Update: Bike donations; Buid-a-Bike

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Rainy and cold kept us slow last week. Made some headway on some builds and received some donations that were aside for our Build-a-Bike program. Interest in Build-a-Bikes seems high--or at least stands out when we don’t have any available.

    On Friday, we were able to coordinate with Lael Elementary to donate most of the leftover kids bikes from last winter—15 bikes—despite the rainy weather. They were super appreciative and are interested in future donations of more kids bikes, which is great.

    Most of my staff will be gone for the summer, so this week I’ll finalize availability and assess from there with an eye towards setting summer 1 hours.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 26
    Sales: $551.50

    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $120
    Memberships: 9 for $270
    Tires/tubes: 7 for $46

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  15. This Week in Research - micronuclear

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Energy Plan

    UIUC's plans for a new microreactor were featured in the April edition of "Nuclear News." The article highlights efforts to build a  "research, education, and training facility intended to help advanced reactor technology become a widely deployable, marketable, economic, safe, and reliable option for a clean energy future."

  16. Interview with Paul Foote (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Specialist) and Karl Helmink (F&S Associate Director of Utilities and Energy Services)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Energy Plan

    A document containing the notes from this interview is attached below.

     

    Summary of the Clean Energy Transition Plan Interview:

    Paul Foote - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Specialist

    Karl Helmink - F&S Associate Director of Utilities and Energy Services

    On 4/8/2022, the team met with Karl Helmink and Paul Foote. They both stressed an emphasis on energy conservation for the energy plan. They stated that a large problem stopping energy reduction is the “billions of dollars” worth of deferred maintenance that exist in campus buildings. This is in addition to the new buildings being constructed despite existing abandoned building space. They also informed us about the retro-commissioning team that they are both a part of. They reduce energy by an average of 25% for each building retro-commissioned and have saved the university over $100,000,000 in utilities since 2007. They do this by focusing on the “low hanging fruit,” this being scheduling, sensors and some maintenance. They roughly estimate that it will cost about 2 billion dollars to make the steam to hot water transition. This would take many years and about 10 boilers for redundancy. They recommend geothermal but warn that the university already has a lot of underground, so it would need to be placed carefully, possibly on the perimeter of campus. It would also still need a backup system (probably Abbott).

    Attached Files: 

  17. Weekly Resiliency Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Green Infrastructure
    Urban Biodiversity Master Plan
    Design for America
    Environmental Justice Plan

    Present: Meredith Moore, Morgan White, and Stacy Gloss

    Gloss reported on the following:

    • Green Infrastructure Mapping: Lisa Merrifield met with Illinois EPA and partners at the end of March to discuss the mapping project. Meetings will be held with NCSA soon about feasibility and next steps.
    • Gloss notified Lisa Merrifield that she is available to help with Biodiversity Plan
    • DFA advising on-going. Their upcoming presentation is April 27 on E-waste in Siebel Center for Design
    • Final report from Ann Witmer's capstone course is expected: A student consulting team is developing a report on renewable energy technologies that can be adopted through a campus local-offset program
    • Gloss and Moore will present  to GEEB on April 26 on environmental justice

    Discussed:

    • SSC semesterly reporting requirement for NGICP training is due July 1; Gloss will email campus NGICP participants.
    • Sustainability Clinic recommendation meeting next steps;
    • Working to understand Extension's role in environmental concerns / environmental justice.  White, Gloss, and Moore will work to meet with Shibu Kar as an introduction between the Resilience Team and Extension on iCAP resilience goals, environmental justice planning, and support for programs like a sustainability clinic

    Tasks (Gloss):

    • Help with agenda for next resilience team meeting & update the gantt chart for meeting resilience goals
    • Attend next Land & Water team meeting if available (related to potential campus master plan for rainwater management & relationship to/with community coordinated rainwater master plan)
    • Attend the iWG meeting as resilience team rep for Environmental Justice iCAP recommendation

     

  20. Interview with Mike Larson (F&S Director of Utilities Production)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Energy Plan

    A document containing the notes from this interview is attached below.

     

    Summary of the Clean Energy Transition Plan Interview:

    Mike Larson - F&S Director of Utilities Production

    On 4/7/22, the team met with Mike Larson. This interview gave valuable insight on the transitioning to clean energy, as well as the challenges that go along with using renewable sources. In the short term, it is recommended to focus on conservation as well as carbon capture technologies. He does not believe carbon capture is feasible for the long term, but it could be a valuable technology to use while technologies such as nuclear are being developed further. He believes that when nuclear is commercially viable, it will be the best option for campus. He also thinks that electrification of the university could be positive, but only if the grid electricity becomes more renewable. At the moment, the efficiency of Abbot is greater than the electricity sources that power the grid. If the campus were to be electrified and converted to hot water, technology such as heat recovery chillers should also be considered.

    Attached Files: 

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