One of the water strategies outlined in the 2010 Illinois Climate Action Plan was to include “true cost of water” charges with the energy billing program. The idea behind this strategy was to add an economic benefit in reducing the amount of water used by the University.
The University’s decision about whether or not they will implement this strategy is still being discussed.
The Miles C Hartley Selections Garden (Hartley Garden) comprises four of the 57 acres within the Arboretum and is used for educational and research purposes. Construction of this garden was completed in 1994.
The Campus Administative Manual (CAM) includes a Policy on Appropriate Use of Computer and Network Systems at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This policy should be revised to incorporate energy conservation and waste prevention measures.
The University is working on biogasification in collaboration with the City of Rantoul.
Biogasification is converting biomass into biogas. Burning biomass can cause pollution in the environment, but biogas (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) burns more cleanly. Anaerobic digestion is one way to complete biogasification.
Wind-turbines can be installed on top of a roof of a building. These rooftop wind turbines constitute one percent of the renewable energy market, and have a huge potential in urban and suburban areas. There is not a large market for them yet, but the benefits of these wind systems can include independence from the grid, and payback periods as little as five years. They demonstrate that it is possible for an individual residence to acheive 20 percent wind power in less than a year.
