April 5, 2023 Green Research Committee (Kick Off) Meeting 1

Present: Lisa Moore, Daphne Hulse, Stephanie Hess, Jeremy Neighbors, Jennifer Fraterrigo, Chad Stevens, Shari Effert-Fanta, Sabrina Summers, Morgan White, Mitchell Bryant, Timothy Mies, Maisie Kingren, Paul Foote, Patty Jones, Susan Martinis, Madhu Khanna

Absent: Ehab Kamarah

Charge:

• Look at what others do.
  
  • Makes it less onerous.
  • Check in with our peer institutions
• Check in with our iCAP.
• Structure what we come up with in short- and long-term goals. We have a tight timeline and a broad objective overall.

Discussion:

• Two graduate students joined, which is very valuable to us.
• Deadline to show ideas and progress and present to Ehab, Madhu, and Susan, by May. Jeremy & Stephanie will give this update and summarize what is discussed now and a general timeline going forward.
• Morgan’s been thinking about this for 7 or 8 years, and is excited to see it come to fruition. The core is that researchers are making huge changes and breakthroughs to address climate change but we’re still buying plastic and throwing it away, leaving fume hoods open, etc. How to integrate it into research without jeopardizing the research itself, is the question to explore.
• Messaging must be very cautious to balance safety with sustainability.
• Opportunity to review the iCAP 2020 or 2015 objectives to identify how it applies today.
• Green Research as opposed to Green Labs: allows us to be more broad in our approach.
• Paul Foote spent a year just doing a Green Labs Program so he has tremendous experience and background knowledge on the subject. Don’t reinvent the wheel. I2SL, My Green Lab are good resources to look at.
• Mitchell: Not a lot of knowledge about how to dispose of waste safely (information deficit), so he sees a lot of improper disposal as a student. A lot of opportunity for energy reduction in labs. Concerted effort across campus is necessary, but can we add the carrot (incentive) as well?
• Tim: ACES, South Farms, see inconsistency with how waste is disposed of. Some go through Waste Transfer, others go through Area Disposal. Researchers want to do the right thing, but most people are strapped on time “how do I do it versus how do I have time in the day?” Growth chamber: big refrigerator with a lot of light bulbs. Remove the heat from lamps. Some people don’t turn them off - maintenance or researchers just forgetting. Think of a way to incentivize this? Support the researchers as much as possible.
• Mitchell thinks is very much falls on the individual to ensure they are following the right instructors (don’t pour stains down the sink, etc.).
• On Stephanie’s mind is a culture change for safety. How can they improve the culture of safety on campus? There is simultaneously a sustainability culture we need to grow, too.

How to accomplish this:

• The charge letter had three different goals:
  
  • Break into three groups and each would tackle one of those before the next meeting.
    
    • On-site wet and dry research labs, off-site UIUC research labs, agriculture land and field sites
    • Develop a program whereby groups and departments can qualify for a Green Lab or Green Research certification. Contribute to the iCAP goals.
    • Outline a framework to recommend building-specific plans for safe energy conservation
• Sub-teams in Teams is how we will communicate among our teams.
• Cadence of meetings?
  
  • Big meeting once per month, small groups on the week between (each team has a delegate for scheduling meetings for their group)
  • October deliverables - so we have until the end of September to work
• Resources to carry this out
  
  • Anything that will require funding we will need to state, justify, estimate cost, expected impact from the investment.
• Consider reward packages for research groups.
  
  • Rewarding research groups will be key, according to Donald Stevens
• Paul will put together a sheet of how funding in the past has worked, for projects he’s been involved with. Give the group an idea of how we can tap into funds.
• Stephanie: think about connections you have, things you can tap into.
  
  • Ex: TV screens in lab settings for safety communication. Interest from researchers for this, especially if they can get it for free. A way to communicate without needing paper. Where can we ask for favors?
• Jen’s concern: how can we get voices from other researchers on campus and oversee labs: find opportunities and barriers?
  
  • Paul: successful programs have Green Ambassadors who can be a voice for the labs and can brainstorm together what will work for different labs.
  • Group agrees that more faculty PIs should be included in the conversation.
• Donald & Morgan discussion on zero growth space policy - Capital - comes from Deferred Maintenance than any sort of energy-related issue.
• Mitchell Bryant: attending a seminar tomorrow on this topic and will post his notes in Teams

Thank you for your responses so far to attend this very important event to confront Health and Environmental Strategies for Climate Adaptation.

For those who have not yet responded, there is still time. 

Please register using the link below today.

Cart Tutt

----------------------------------

FYI, I'll be speaking at this event this week (online). It is a free event, and we will highlight the indoor air quality project with Safe Traces and Integrating Green Technologies.  Thanks, Morgan 

---------------------------------

Morgan,

Did we get a report on the Astronomy Building from the Safe Traces test they ran?

Dave

Dear Colleagues,

Parking is in the process of forming a steering committee to develop university standards and policies regarding electric vehicle charging stations on the UIUC campus.  We will be partnering with Desman Consulting to develop the document and recommendations.  You are receiving this email because we would like you to serve on the steering committee.  We have worked with various divisions within F&S to identify individuals who have expressed interest, and who have in-depth knowledge of university infrastructure and systems.  Please let us know if you want to serve on this committee by next Friday, October 14, and we will set-up a time to meet in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you,

Marty

-----------------

Good morning,

Thank you for agreeing to serve on the EV steering committee. You should have received an invitation to a folder in Box containing the parking study done by Desman. I have also attached it to this email. Please review this document and provide your feedback.

Warmly,

Maria S. McMullen

---------------

Dear Maria,

Thank you for sharing the report. I reviewed it and have several comments:

1. Currently, there is limited public level 2 charging on campus and in the vicinity of campus. Yet we have many visitors to campus who are coming from out of town and may therefore need to charge their vehicle while here. If chargers are (only) added to parking permit facilities, visitors will not have access to them.
2. Related to the point above, it is unclear if faculty, students, and staff who do not hold a permit for those facilities (but may hold a permit for other parking areas or may not hold a permit at all) will be able to use the chargers.
3. I wonder if the analysis could take into account commuter driving distance when estimating demand. Many of us with EVs charge at home and rarely need to charge while on campus because the trip is within the range one can travel on a full charge. Consequently, the demand could be lower than expected.
4. Finally, I think it is important to evaluate the spatial distribution of potential charging locations. We should aim to distribute these in an way the serves all of campus. It is possible that parking facilities are evenly distributed and thus chargers will be as well, but this is not clear from the parking study.

Sincerely,

Jennifer

--------------------

Dear Maria,

I would appreciate an update as to when the review period will end and the EV steering committee will meet to discuss the comments and next steps.

Thank you,

Jennifer

-------------------

Jennifer,

Thank you for your continued interest in serving on the EV committee. We plan to meet in the next couple of weeks.

Stay tuned for more info!

Maria

All,

Nice meeting with you this morning. Attached is the report and feedback we received. Again, we hope to get the committee together in the next couple of weeks.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Maria S. McMullen

Assistant Director

Attendance: Pete Varney, Shawn Patterson, Dan Hiser, Bryan Johnson, Mark Kuehl, Morgan White Daphne Hulse

1. Squirrels. Housing was scouting areas outdoors and BSWs brought up the concern with squirrels.

1. If we collect food, will the squirrels be an issue?

2. We would only accepted closed, non-perishable foods, but this does not ensure students will follow the guidelines exactly.

3. What do the squirrels do?

1. E38 in front of Campus Rec/Scott Hall, squirrels have been seen eating the wiring. BSWs are concerned that squirrels would eat and break things stored in the storage units.

2. PODS locations for LAR, Allen, & Busey. There are not many great spots outdoors.

• Potentially: parking spots - in front of Allen, or over by McKinley.
• Busey: place it on the grass between this area? Not a lot of space.
• All of the other places suggested, it would work okay to put PODS outdoors.

3. Staff to man the storage containers.

1. If volunteer staff are outdoors to open and close the doors to the PODS, it can allow us to keep the PODS idea and also prevent squirrels from entering.

2. Things don’t really get busy until Wednesday. Maybe do a couple hours of pickup during afternoon on Monday and Tuesday. Start full time on Wednesday. Saturday is the last day. No volunteers on Sunday.

4. Dan & Transportation Co. can provide transportation to the places that can’t have a big pod in them.

1. This would follow our original plan to put gaylords in the halls and have them taken to PPSB.

5. Create certain hours for drop off (volunteers man during these hours). All other hours the PODS are closed.

6. Suggested locations for PODS.

1. 4 spots at IKE (one at each corner)

2. 1 PAR

3. 1 ISR

4. 20 footers.

5. Markup on exactly where those are at, LAR-Busey-Allen would go.

6. Northside of Allen Hall/LAR check with transportation people - Morgan will check and copy Daphne.

7. Daphne to reach out to the Main Library about their food pantry.

1. Thurman in Dining may be able to assist with collection.

2. Group agreed that keeping food collection separate from Dump & Run is best.

8. Daphne’s quotes (for local PODS companies) was close to the estimate that Bryan and Mark found.

1. One company was significantly more expensive, probably because they come from Normal, IL (not in town) and they have extra fuel surcharges, expensive pick up and drop off fees.

2023-03-24 Meeting recording here on google drive.

Notes from SSLC's March General Meeting.