From: Scrogum, Joy Joann <jscrogum@illinois.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2023 5:02 PM
To: Kim, Hannah <hannahk9@illinois.edu>; Hulse, Daphne Lauren <dlhulse2@illinois.edu>; Patterson, Shawn L <spttrsn@illinois.edu>; Samaras, Zach <zsamaras@illinois.edu>; Feher, Savannah <sfeher@illinois.edu>
Subject: RE: Thank you:)

Hannah, thanks again for your conviction to make positive change and for preparing such a clear, well-considered presentation for today’s meeting!

I wanted to follow up by sending you a link to the Prescott Lab: https://mpp.fshn.illinois.edu/. They do a lot of work related to household food waste and food waste reduction interventions in K-12 schools (e.g. share tables). Dr. Prescott and colleagues also published a paper back in 2021 on how changing the size and shape of plates in dining halls can reduce food waste—see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105293.

You can visit https://tap.istc.illinois.edu/programs/zero-waste/ to learn more about the zero waste efforts of ISTC’s Technical Assistance Program, and see https://tap.istc.illinois.edu/category/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign/ for descriptions of past collaborative efforts with the UIUC campus. As I said, we’ll definitely reach out to you about volunteering at a waste sort if we end up working on campus building waste audits later in the year!

One thing we didn’t talk about on today’s call were Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) that you might be interested in. Check out VermiCUlture, https://www.vermiculture.eco/ and Grow2Give, https://www.grow2givecu.com/. Sydney Curts is involved in both organizations, and she might be a good connection for you to speak with; note that she’s graduating in May. You can connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneyncurts/, or email her at scurts2@illinois.edu.

I know Daphne and Shawn will connect you with additional groups, resources, and opportunities on campus. I wanted to share links to two statewide organizations we mentioned earlier. The Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition, https://illinoiscomposts.org/, might be something you’re interested in learning more about. If you don’t want to opt for membership, you can connect with IFSCC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or via our LinkedIn Group. Also, check out the Wasted Food Action Alliance, https://wastedfoodaction.org/. If your class schedule permits, the WFAA hosts a monthly meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month, and those are open to any interested party.

I hope all this helps and wish you luck in your efforts to improve waste management. Don’t hesitate to contact me, Zach, or Savannah if you have additional questions. When you work on waste reduction and management, it’s always such a delight to encounter students who not only understand the issues involved, but genuinely care and want to become involved. Thanks for brightening our day!

Joy

Joy Scrogum
Assistant Scientist, Sustainability
LEED Green Associate | Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Prairie Research Institute
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC)
Champaign, IL 61820
217.333.8948 | jscrogum@illinois.edu
www.istc.illinois.edu | www.prairie.illinois.edu

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyscrogum/
 


Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.

From: Kim, Hannah <hannahk9@illinois.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2023 3:32 PM
To: Hulse, Daphne Lauren <dlhulse2@illinois.edu>; Patterson, Shawn L <spttrsn@illinois.edu>; Scrogum, Joy Joann <jscrogum@illinois.edu>; Samaras, Zach <zsamaras@illinois.edu>; Feher, Savannah <sfeher@illinois.edu>
Subject: Thank you:)

Hello, 

I just wanted to sincerely thank you all for taking the time to listen to my thoughts and providing me with all the insights that I will take them to heart. As a student I appreciate talking to experts that are actively working on the field I am interested in and passionate about. Your comments allowed me to get a sense of where we are in terms of waste treatment and what I should be doing. I know my steps won't be big, but I will for sure make a change. Although it is quite sad that Illinois has poor infrastructure, there are still ways to improve such as students' perceptions and behaviors. With your advice, I think I will start from there. I will be reaching out for more advice and guidance in the near future:) 

If it wasn't for you, I would have left this idea in the back of my head. Thank you so much for the encouragement and reassurance that there are ways to be involved. Words can't explain how much I appreciate it. I hope there will be a chance for us to talk again and have a wonderful rest of your day!

Sincerely, 

Hannah Kim