All, Last Tuesday we had our Green Quad Day event. We had a few people stop by later in the week after talking with them and one potential student application for employment. We were also generously resupplied with clothes for making into rags. (Thanks, Morgan!) The beautiful weather was certainly an added perk.

On Thursday I picked up the remaining bikes from the warehouse that are worth our time. We’ll get to rehabbing those bikes this week. There are a good 20 – 30 bikes left there that are destined for the scrap heap. Unfortunately, 3 of the 10 bikes didn’t pass even a basic inspection so they’ll be fodder for parts.

We’re currently very low on used 26” tires. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.

This week I’ll also get the ball moving on fixing the outdoor pump, which is broken again.

The numbers:

Visitors: 40
Sales: $586.50
Bike (refurb): 1 for $190
Memberships: 7 for $210
Tires/tubes: 8 for $32

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

All are invited to the 2021 Campus Sustainability Celebration and appreciation event! Meet and network with your peer sustainability advocates and hear about exciting campus sustainability progress! Since the event is in person, please be prepared to wear a mask and show your Safer Illinois app or equivalent status. If you can't make it in person, watch the livestream on YouTube! >>>

October 20, 1–4 pm • National Center for Supercomputing Applications lobby, 1205 W. Clark St., Urbana

Julie Wurth • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment

2021 Campus Sustainability Celebration!

All, Slower week, which was welcome. Sold a couple bikes and were able to get a handle on the influx of drop off repairs. The Green Quad Day event that was supposed to happen on Thursday was rescheduled to Tuesday, so we’ll staff for that event and hobnob with the larger sustainability community.

I’ll make a run out to the abandoned bike emporium this week, too, and see if there’s anything worth our time. Was planning that for last week but it didn’t happen.

We’ve got a couple bikes in the shop build queue, but I’ll grab a few from Urbana unless we get more donations this week.

The numbers:

Visitors: 35
Sales: $850.50
Bike (refurb): 3 for $490
Memberships: 5 for $150
Tires/tubes: 5 for $20

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

In the atrium of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building (ECEB), there are two kiosks where people can sign various pledges related to decreasing energy use. Two solar-powered phone chargers will be raffled off to those who have signed the pledge during Campus Sustainability Month, October 2021.

Nearly 20% of energy is unnecessarily wasted each day; very simple steps exist to reduce that number, such as turning off the lights when you leave a room or unplugging devices and cords when we aren’t using them. Other examples include replacing inefficient appliances (like lightbulbs!), which can also save money! Signing the pledge to be more conscious of your energy is a great step toward leading a more sustainable life. Here are a few other ways to learn more and get involved with sustainability on campus:

• Subscribe to the iSEE (Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) Newsletter!
• Comprehensive Sustainability Calendar
• Check out the iCAP Portal where we list and track our projects and progress
• Read the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) to learn about the campus’ sustainability goals 
• iSEE offers a sustainability minor and certificate in environmental writing here: SEE Fellow Program.
• Collaborate with the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC), apply for project funding, and/or join a working group
• Help with sustainability research or project - reach out at sustainability@illinois.edu 
• Look into joining an iCAP Team. There are a limited number of student voting positions available; please reach out if you are interested because there may be an opportunity!
• Are you part of an office or Greek chapter, or do you host events? Certify as ‘green’ here: Certified Greener Campus Programs
• Sign the Use the Bin Pledge to always recycle and use the recycling bin!
• Talk to your friends and peers about sustainability to help incorporate a culture of sustainability at U of I’s campus. Lead by example!

If you have any questions about energy consumption or sustainability in general, feel free to reach out to campus sustainability staff at sustainability@illinois.edu. 

Alec Van Patten met with Brent Lewis, Betsy Liggett, and Morgan White to discuss the SECS' idea to get a new green roof on campus.  F&S staff shared some lessons learned from other green roof installations, and suggested some potential locations.  These include:

• Newmark Civil Engineering Lab - first floor roof by the bridge
• Nick Holonyak Micro & NanoTechnology Lab - closed picnic balcony on the north side
• National Soybean Research Center - gravel roof by iSEE conference room
• Turner Hall - the north entryway and offices
• Future Arboretum Building - longer term and influential
• The SECS team should review Google Maps and look at roofs they are interested in, if they want to consider other options.

We also mentioned the ECE green wall, which needs help getting refurbished.  It most likely needs better watering and possibly needs a review of the soil quality.

For the funding, the SECS is likely going to request SSC funding in the spring semester.  Brent says they can request pricing info from LiveRoof.com to get an estimated budget.

Once a location is selected, Alec will email this group to move into the preliminary approval stage.

iSEE invites you to a series of events throughout October to increase sustainability in our campus community. Take part in the Waste Reduction Challenge, join us for Green Quad Day (Oct. 7), or check out the first Student Sustainability Summit Research Symposium (Oct. 26)! And don’t miss the Campus Sustainability Celebration on Oct. 20. Find all the events on iSEE’s Sustainability Month Calendar!

October 1–31

Celebrate Campus Sustainability Month in October!