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Project Updates for collection: Student Sustainability Committee Funded Projects

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  1. Check out the I-Pollinate citizen science research initiative

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach
    Support Regional Sustainability

    I-Pollinate is a citizen science research initiative, through the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, designed to collect state-wide pollinator data. I-Pollinate enlists citizen scientists to participate in three research projects and collect data on monarch egg and caterpillar abundance, pollinator visitation to ornamental flowers, and state bee demographics. If you are interested in participating and want more information, visit the website site at https://ipollinate.illinois.edu/.

  3. Spring 2020 collection cancelled

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Due to concerns about volunteer safety, the stay-at-home order for Illinois, and anticipated continuation of the COVID-19 social distancing, we are officially cancelling the Dump and Run collection from University Housing this spring.  

    I am very sorry that this is the case, and I hope that all of you are safe and staying calm during this crisis.

    We intend to still hold our next group meeting on April 14 at 1pm, via telephone.  We will discuss options at that time for providing some of the benefits from the fall sale to our future incoming students.  We will also include an update from Shantanu about the preparatory work that can occur this spring and summer.

    Please let me know if you have any suggestions or concerns which we should also address during our next group meeting.

    Thank you and best wishes,
    Morgan
     

  4. Archived info - previous project description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    The University YMCA has coordinated a waste reduction program called "Dump and Run" since the early 2000's.  At student move-out, hundreds of volunteers help collect the reusable materials for resale after summer break.  Then the weekend before school starts, the YMCA's staff and volunteers sell the materials at a massive "garage sale" in the Stock Pavillion.  The University YMCA is a local non-profit, and they work with the International Student and Scholar Services department on campus, as well as University Housing.

  8. Dump and Run Scope Change (2020)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    "Shantanu Pai with Facilities and Services is serving as the point person to coordinate the Dump and Run event. Although University Housing submitted the request for funding and is currently holding the grant money awarded by the Student Sustainability committee, we would like to transfer the funds from University Housing to Facilities and Services. This will allow Shantanu more control and better tracking of the expenses as he plans and executes the event." -Bryan Johnson (2020)

     

    A file containing information on the Dump and Run scope change is attached below.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Planning underway, amidst COVID-19 changes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Hello all,
     
    Shantanu and I have held a few planning meetings with Marc and Kasey from the YMCA for Dump & Run.  We’ve talked with F&S communicators and the staff who will be clearing out of the space we intend to use.  Shantanu has put together a draft communications plan, and he identified an improved collection container which we can purchase with the Student Sustainability Committee funds.  We also began planning for a community drop off location that would not be at the F&S building.
     
    On Friday, Bryan Johnson arranged a quick phone call with Shantanu, Bryan, me, and Joe Glass at Housing.  We discussed the changes in campus and the anticipated student behavior, related to living in the residence halls.  We talked about the potential for several students leaving at random dates throughout the remainder of the semester, and how we could potentially still collect materials.  We also talked about the possibility of needing to cancel entirely for this year.  Ultimately, that decision will need more clarity about who is here in May.  Because we will not know which students choose to come back to campus after spring break until at least March 23, we are going to have a follow up discussion on 3/25.  
     
    In the meantime, I am cancelling the meeting we had scheduled for tomorrow.  Our next group meeting will be on April 14 at 1pm, and it will be a Skype call.
     
    Thank you,
    Morgan
     

  11. Seeking participants who are passionate about sustainable consumer products

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Procurement
    Achieve Zero Waste

    Seeking participants who are passionate about sustainable consumer products

     

    We are seeking individuals who are willing to participate in a short 30-minute conversation about sustainable and consumer lifestyles. Participants of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. If interested, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/LukTEJpRcY5Y8EY3A

     

    Angel Han • In Affiliation with Cozad

  12. Restoring the Ecology of Stone Prairie Farm

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan

    Mr. Apfelbaum will tell us about his life-long project to restore his land on the border of Wisconsin, taking it back to its original state, before the changes brought about by farming, described in detail in his book Nature’s Second Chance. Having carried out ecological restorations world-wide, he is presently working in Urbana, restoring the Stone Creek golf course to its natural state. 

    March 12, 6:30 PM • Stone Creek Golf Club (Formerly known as Attie's), 2560 Stonecreek Blvd Urbana, IL

    Amanda Christenson • Cooperative Extension Service

    Restoring the Ecology of Stone Prairie Farm

  13. Status update from WEF Design Team Co-Captain

    Associated Project(s): 
    Independent Student Projects
    Green Infrastructure
    Water Environment Federation (WEF)

    Justin Chen, from the University of Illinois joint student chapter of the Water Enviroment Federation-American Water Works, and the rest of his design team have been hard at work this school year!

    Some project updates via the co-captian:

    • Chose project topic: Green Infrastructure Solutions for Veterinary Medicine Facility Flooding
    • Made team site visit to Vet Med, surveyed areas for potential green infrastructure applications
    • Came up with preliminary ideas on solutions and locations for implementation
    • Conducted research on past green infrastructure projects to establish a base understanding of the options available

    Click here to find out more and how you can become involved with WEF!

     

     

  14. Weekly Update - Bicycle Safety, Social Hack

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Truncated week for me as I was out of the shop on Wed – Fri recuperating. On Tuesday night I was hit by a car on my bike ride home. No injuries beyond some scrapes and sore muscles. I was very lucky it wasn’t much worse.
    Ultimately, we  have a long way to go when someone who rides as defensively and as safely as I do can get hit by a car on a quiet residential street.
    This week I’ll be meeting with my newly-hired Program Assistant to work out his schedule and responsibilities. I’ll be picking up more bikes from the warehouse, meeting with a student design group for transportation/climate issues (Design For America’s “Social Hack”), and building/scrapping bikes as needed.

    The numbers:
    Visitors: 63
    Sales: $32

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Manager, Campus Bike Center

  15. archived info - previous project description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0

    In order to reach the iCAP objective of 25,000 MWh/year of solar energy by FY25, additional panels will need to be installed.  Large scale, ground mounted panels appear to be the least expensive route towards achieving the FY25 objective.

  16. Weekly Update - Happy March!, Fix-a-Flat

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Happy March! Looks like it’s coming in like a lamb for a change.
    Still slow around here as far as visitors are concerned. On Friday of last week we got 7 bikes donated, all of which will be junked or passed along to Salt & Light (3 kids’ bikes). That’ll give the student staff something easy to do this week. Elsewhere: Our grinder wheel bit the dust so we’ll be all analog on filing housing and cleaning parts until that is replaced. Less electricity use = more sustainable!
    This week I’ve got an interview for a student worker, our Fix-a-Flat class on Thursday and on I’ll be setting up some of my staff to have key-access when I’m away.

    The numbers:
    Visitors: 45
    Sales: $132
    Membership: 1 for $30
    Tires/tubes: 4 for $49

     

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Manager, Campus Bike Center

  17. Participants needed: Help Illinois win the Freezer Challenge for third straight year

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello 2020 researchers! 

    After winning 1st place internationally in 2018 and 2019, lab researchers who use cold-storage at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are encouraged to register in the 2020 International Laboratory Freezer Challenge to save energy and help the campus win for a third-straight year.

    Sign up HERE!

    Campus efforts in more than 70 laboratories across 15 buildings earned Illinois the award last year. The total energy usage in these spaces decreased by an estimated 438 kWh/day or a combined annual total equivalent of 13.5 homes energy for one year.

    Worldwide recognition

    The University of Illinois research community has received international recognition from a number of organizations and media publications:

    • Lab Manager Magazine, Cold Storage March 2019 Published article with participants quoted for expert advice here

    • Nature Magazine feature published in Oct. 2018 and Sept. 2019 edition 

    • S-Labs highlights our achievements in their short-listed profiles here 

    • iSEE and Facilities & Services published news releases U of I Wins Freezer Challenge 

    Labs that use ultra-ultra low temperature freezers (-150C), ultra-low temperature freezers (-80C), lab freezers (-40C to -20C), refrigerators, or cold rooms can earn points by taking action now.

    For more details on how your lab can save cooling energy, visit freezerchallenge.org. 

    The Freezer Challenge takes place between December 2019 and May 2020. Individual labs self-report and estimate their energy saving on score sheets. These sheets are made available via email upon registration and are due by May 1, 2020.

    Reductions were achieved due to the dedication and creativity of researchers across campus in implementing best practices for cold storage management. They received points for taking actions such as properly maintaining freezers and refrigerators, discarding old samples, and retiring unneeded units.

    Campus-specific highlights from the 2018 competition and 2019 competition are available on the Illinois Freezer Challenge website. 

    In 2019, over 400 labs representing 41 organizations around the world competed, and Illinois was named one of three organizational winners by saving 160,000 kWh/year. The Ming Lab in the Department of Plant Biology, managed by Julie Nguyen, was named an honorable mention winner in the individual lab category.

    The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) and My Green Labs run the Freezer Challenge. Participants have already saved over 8.5 million kWh since 2017, approximately enough to offset the carbon emissions associated with driving over 15 million miles.

    Past winners were announced at the I2SL conference and their accomplishments published in Nature. 

     

    For more information on the Illinois campus achievements and competition, check out our Illinois-specific website: https://freezerchallengeui.wixsite.com/freezerchallenge

     

    Join us and submit your scoresheet by midnight on May 1st to achieve world-class results!

     

    For help getting started contact:

    Madeline Barone @ mbarone2@illinois.edu

     

    Madeline E. Barone, B.S.

    Environmental Sustainability and Psychology

    Energy Efficiency & Conservation Specialist | UIUC Facilities & Services

    Co-Director | Eco-Olympics

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

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  18. Pollinator Supportive efforts at Extension

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    East Central Illinois Master Naturalists just formed a Pollinator Taskforce. They are focused on getting more pollinator plants into the community and planning programs associated with pollinators and pollinator plants.

     

    The Extension team created some wonderful handouts that have native plant suggestions for 5 types of habitat. We have been handing those out like crazy. PDFs can be found at (https://extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/pollinator-pockets).

     

    We have the pollinator pocket program (see link above)

     

    Educational Programs held (just ECIMN, does not include programs organized by master gardener programs):

     

    March 18, 2019 – Making Pollinator Habitat Work on the Modern Landscape

    May 16, 2019 – Wildflowers

    July 15, 2019 – Champaign Prairie Areas

    July 22, 2019 – Buzz on Native Bees

    August 19, 2019 – Illinois Monarch Project

    January 27, 2020 – Native Plants in the Landscape

     

    They just had a table at the Mudpuppy festival and had information on pollinators for children

     

    The Master Gardener program in Vermilion County is mostly organic (unless something crazy happens). The Master Gardeners in Champaign put in a native pollinator garden last year at the IDEA garden on campus.

     

    In the training for MG and MN we talk about pollinators, native plants, and pest management.

  19. Info from Andy Robinson at F&S

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Net-Zero Energy Building
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Retrocommissioning (RCx)
    Electrical and Computer Engineering Building: LEED Platinum

    I am on the team that did the Retrocommissioning project in 2018 and I would be happy to share some of our knowledge from that process.  Below is the link to a presentation of that project that we took to a Big Ten energy conference.   Some of our main takeaways are that the combination of chilled beams, dual HX wheels, coil sizing, occupancy ventilation, and thoughtful building pressurization have led to one of the most efficient buildings on campus.  Also, the heat pumps work well to heat/cool with electricity, but would be optimal if there were more of a reheat load, or a hot water loop to send reject heat to a neighboring building in summer, which campus is looking into in certain locations. 

     

    https://www.fs.illinois.edu/services/utilities-energy/energy-conservation/rcx-energy-results

    https://webtest2.fs.illinois.edu/docs/default-source/retro/big10-friends-mechanical-energy-conference-2018-09-30.pdf?sfvrsn=7a85cbea_2

     

    Andy Robinson, LEED-AP, CEM

    DDC Specialist, F&S Energy Services - RCx

  20. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, I only worked Monday and Tuesday last week as I had a family emergency out of town. Those two days were slow. I picked up some bikes from the warehouse to keep everyone busy. Those bikes are coming along.
    This week is business as usual. I’ll look to reschedule some of the meetings I missed in my absence, pick up a couple more bikes, and box some more stuff up for our move.

    The numbers:
    Visitors: 27
    Sales: $106
    Membership: 1 for $30
    Tires/tubes: 4 for $23

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Manager, Campus Bike Center

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