The Sustainability Fellows program is designed to engage faculty throughout campus in the sustainability efforts occurring with the existing and future infrastructure on campus. The goal of this Request for Proposals is to help create a living learning community where faculty and students can become involved in an open-innovation ecosystem related to campus buildings, land, and energy. There are two levels of participation.
The Center for Sustainable Environment (CSE), iSEE's predecessor on campus, sought proposals in FY14 from faculty to support research activities related to specific Facilities & Services (F&S) sustainability projects. These projects were directly related to the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), which describes strategies to achieve campus sustainability goals.
The Mahomet Aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for municipalities and homeowners in 15 Illinois Counties. It is the sole source of water for residents of the Cities of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy, as well as other central Illinois communities. The aquifer provides drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people. The aquifer also supports thousands of commercial, industrial, and agricultural water users.
The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges profiles 320 institutions of higher education in the United States and two in Canada that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation. The 232-page guide is the only free, comprehensive, annually updated guide to green colleges.
The Natual Resources Building is the site of another native species planting project, both in front of the building and behind it on Pennsylvania Avenue. This project is funded by the Student Sustaianability Project.
Each year, Sierra, the official magazine of the Sierra Club, ranks America's most environmentally responsible and forward-looking colleges and universities in its annual "Cool Schools" issue. Now in its seventh year, this list and the stories surrounding it draw national media attention from such outlets as the New York Times, CNN, NPR, Huffington Post, and many others. It is, by far, the magazine’s most talked about feature of the year.
Since 1987, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) has presented Governor's awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices.
In late 2011, the Office of Sustainability submitted an application for the University of Illinois to the Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards program. Illinois was selected as a finalist and was requested to make a video showcasing sustainability efforts at the University. Illinois faculty, staff, and students expressed great pride for the video, which received the most votes (2,038) for Illinois' Carnegie classification.
The Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact outlines environmental goals for higher education institutions. The Compact encourages universities and colleges within the state to integrate sustainable practices throughout their campuses and work towards objectives such as purchasing renewable energy, implementing green building practices, and incorporating sustainable dining practices. The Governor’s Office recognizes achievement at the bronze, silver and gold levels. Illinois has been recognized at the Gold Level!
The Alvin H. Baum Family Fund supported the Center for a Sustainable Environment (CSE) through a generous donation. The contribution was in support of the Center for a Sustainable Environment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
