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Project Updates for collection: Living Lab Facilities / Programs

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  1. 2026 Undergrad Dump & Run Statistics

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    The total count for 2026 was 68 gaylord boxes and 97 loose pieces (furniture, etc) collected from 8 pods across campus during the week of May 11-16, 2026. Based on average pallet weights from previous years (150-250 pounds), we estimate that 15,000 pounds of donations were diverted.

    Donations were all picked up by Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries and taken to the Champaign store for redistribution. No other nonprofit partners participated this year in part because there was no full-time Zero Waste Coordinator between fall 2025 and May 2026.

    The highest-generation pods this year were ISR, Sherman, Hopkins, and Barton. Allen Hall, PAR, and FAR also did well. LAR was difficult to access with a box truck and had relatively low generation.

     

     

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  2. Weekly Update -- Bike Sales & Demand

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All,

    Uneventful week. Made some progress on emptying out last year’s batch of abandoned bikes, which I will continue to work on this week, as I am able with the extreme weather.

     

    We’ll be closed on Friday in observance of 4th of July, so a short week but we stand to get a few more bikes fixed up for sale.

     

    Tonight is the Bike Project Members’ Meeting, which I will attend.

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 30
    Sales: $1,335.50

    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $675

    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $110

    Memberships: 7 for $110

    Tires/tubes: 12 for $129

     

    Thanks!

  3. Weekly Update -- Bike Sales & Demand

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All,

    We’re burning through bikes as demand has increased with the summer weather. We sold one bike last week before it even hit the sales floor and another an hour or two after it was finished.

     

    This week we’ll work on organizing and trying to fast-track some bikes for sale as we can hardly keep more than 5-6 on the floor before another is purchased.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 29

    Sales: $1,494.50
    Memberships:  6 for $180
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $725
    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $110
    Tires/tubes: 7 for $62


    Thanks!

  4. Weekly Update -- Bike Donation & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All,

    Slow week and we were closed on Friday. This week we’ll get a few more bikes on to the sales floor and handle some housekeeping/organizational tasks.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 23

    Sales: $603
    Bikes: 2 for $395
    Memberships: 3 for $90
    Tires/tubes: 6 for $54

     

    Thanks!

  6. Weekly Update -- Bike Donations & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Good news is that we’ve been getting more donations from folks that are mentioning the advertising campaign to donate before the end of the semester! Bad news is we’re getting more donations!  Jokes aside, we’ll work on processing/saving what we can from some of the older and less viable bikes. Still cranking out shop builds to keep up with demand as best we can. Staff is dwindling as their finals conclude and/or are rescheduled.

    The numbers:

    Donations: 10
    Visitors: 36
    Sales: $499.10
    Memberships: 5 for $180
    Tires/tubes 21 for $130

    Thanks!

  7. Weekly Update -- Bike Donation & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Getting busy! Staff will be departing this week and into next, making for some slim payroll.

    Elsewhere, we have seen a few donations come in thanks to the “donate your bike” campaign—so that’s good! 3 alone this week.

    Ramping up our For Sale bike production, as the weather warms and more folks are looking to ride.

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 42

    Sales: $1,074.50

    Memberships: 4 for $120

    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $370

    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50

    Tires/tubes: 8 for $62

     

    Thanks!

  8. Weekly Update -- Fix-a-Flat Class & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    We’re burning through our admittedly meager offerings of bikes for sale. This week I’ll work on getting more finished.

    This evening is the Bike Project Member Meeting, which I will attend.

    Thursday is our last Fix-a-Flat class of the semester.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 58

    Sales: $825.30
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $175
    Memberships: 9 for $270
    Tires/tubes: 21 for $171

    Thanks!

  9. Weekly Update -- Sustainapalooza & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Busy week, as we had warmer weather and thus more folks into the space, as well as Sustainapalooza on Saturday. Weather turned out pretty good! Staff-made and upcycled keychains out of old bike parts were a freebie at the event and a major hit—gave away almost all 50 of them!

    This week we’ll try to bump our for-sale bikes into the double digits as the queue has not been kind to us—have run into lots of problems on mostly-finished bikes. But that comes with the territory of used bikes. Can’t save ‘em all!

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 88
    Sales: $1,004.25

    Memberships: 13 for $390
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $225
    Tires/tubes: 27 for $181

    Thanks!

  10. Weekly Update -- Bike Donations, Sustainapalooza, & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    We’re inching up in the busyness around here. Visitor numbers reflect that. Elsewhere, we’re working through an influx of kids bike donations that we’ll either store until our winter giveaway or repair for sale this spring/summer. We also got a bike donated back that we sold at least two years ago, if my memory serves.

     

    This week we have another fix-a-flat class offered (still no takers yet) and will be gearing up for Sustainapalooza on Saturday.

    Hope to get a couple more bikes on the sales floor, too.


    The numbers:

    Visitors: 77

    Sales: $696
    Memberships: 9 for $270
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $170
    Tires/tubes: 16 for $77

    Thanks!

  12. Weekly Update -- Bike Center Classes & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    Uneventful week. Pulled some of the salvageable parts off bikes in the containers and should have that project completed by end-of-week.

    Tonight is TBP’s Member Meeting which I will attend.

    This Thursdays is another Fix-a-Flat class. We have signage up in the Bike Center, so hopefully will get some takers for that.

     

    Thanks!

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $1,575.35
    Memberships: 11 for $330
    Bikes (refurb): 4 for $620

    Bikes (BaB): 2 for $110
    Tires/tubes: 27 for $34

  13. Weekly Update -- Regular Hours & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    This week we will reopen to M – F from our scaled back winter hours!

     

    We’re also hosting our Fix-a-Flat class on Thursday again. Was also alerted that Illini Cycling will begin offering three rides a week that start at the Bike Center, so that will be good publicity for the fitness riding folks.

    This week I will make a final run through of the abandoned bikes and which to keep or not.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 46
    Sales: $909.50
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $360
    Memberships: 8 for $240

    Tires/tubes: 13 for $73

     

    Thanks!

  14. Weekly Update -- Warmer Weather & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Warmer days are coming in fits and starts. Last week we confirmed for a sustainability event in April, and will continue prep for the spring happenings: busy shop and more folks riding!

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 47
    Sales: $447.75
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $65

    Memberships: 5 for $150

    Tires/tubes: 6 for $30

  15. Weekly Update -- Build-a-Bike & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    Pretty relaxed week overall. Approaching double digits on the number of For Sale bikes we have on the floor.  By end of week, we should be at a dozen or so. This is our prime building season, so we’ll take advantage as we can. Will also get some B-a-Bs prepped. Warmer weather this week usually correlates to more visits to the space, so we’ll see if that holds.

    A Bike Project member met me on Thursday at the abandoned bike storage facility and pulled some stock to help their space. We plan to continue with that to help shrink the scrap pile.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 24
    Sales: $520

    Bike (refurb): 1 for $180
    Bike (B-a-B): 1 for $60
    Memberships: 3 for $90

    Tires/tubes: 2 for $30

     

    Thanks!

  16. Illini Lights Out 1/30/25

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out

     At this ILO, students shut off 1535 light bulbs were shut off that otherwise would have been left on all weekend, saving $233.54 in energy costs. This also prevented 2.29 metric tons of CO2 equivalent from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from 225 gallons of gasoline being consumed. That's a huge impact!  

  17. Weekly Update -- Bike Queue & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    Happy Groundhog Day!

    Things have calmed a bit—thankfully! Warmer weather this week means I can get out and safety check the half dozen or so bikes that have been in the queue without risking frostbite.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 32

    Sales: 704.25
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $420
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $60
    Memberships: 3 for $90

     

    Thanks!

  18. Weekly Update -- Start of Semester Crowd & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    Last week we opened for the semester and were positively inundated. Wednesday saw 40+ people come through, almost all with rusty bikes from leaving them out for winter break. Fingers crossed for some legitimate storage solutions down the line…

    Friday was less busy but still all stands full for most of the day. Successfully convinced someone to tackle a build-a-bike instead of sinking time and money into a Walmart bike. I’ll call that a win!

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 60

    Sales: $471.96*
    Bikes: 2 for $420
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Tires/tubes: 2 for $12

    *Outstanding sales are still pending, as IT issues prevented us from accepting payment on Wednesday, Jan 21st.

     

    Thanks!

  20. Weekly Update -- Donations & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    This is the last week we are open for the semester. We’ve got ~17 kids bikes done and will hopefully have a few more donated this week, so between both shops our numbers should be right around 50 bikes! Weather for Saturday looks acceptable, too!

    The shipping containers are fully organized/separated. All the bikes we would like saved are in shipping container 7. This week I’ll triple check that and check with the Bike Project if they’d like to save any additional bikes.

    The numbers:

    Visitors:
    Sales: $164.50
    Memberships: 3 for $90
    Tires/tubes: 4 for $33

     

    Thanks!

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