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Project Updates for collection: Student Sustainability Committee Funded Projects

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  1. Sonified Sustainability Festival a great success

    Associated Project(s): 
    Advance Student Sustainability Outreach Efforts

    Good morning, team!

    The Sonified Sustainability Festival was this weekend, and had a pretty solid turnout (between 400-500 by my informal running headcount throughout the afternoon).  If you couple that with the turnout for the Gallery opening (~100) and the previous two concerts (a little over a 100 each time) you’re looking at around 750 for the project as a whole, without even counting all the other folks who pass through the gallery show before May 2nd. 

    On top of that, we got some solid coverage for SSC.  We were included in the programs and all the advertisements, and also got decent recognition in the local media.  Here’s the news roundup:

    Not bad considering we were up against Ebertfest and the spring football game.

    All My Best,

    Micah Kenfield

    Student Sustainability Committee Coordinator

  4. Weekly Update

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

    Hello all, this past week we ramped up visitors slightly.  The weather really hurt attendance, which would have been much higher.  We still had people coming in and good attitudes abounded.  We sold 2 bikes for $300, 1 build-a-bike for $30, 2 memberships for $50, and grossed $1353.50.  We have been storing a lot of things we dont' need, and have lost a lot of space to idle items.  This week I realized how limiting this has been and how we need to change our work flow.  Also at the member meeting we discussed a front desk area with a host  and how many workspaces benefit from this.  Since we have a membership database promised to be coming soon I built a front desk area to capitalize on this. I reorganized the back and threw out a lot of useless junk.  The space is much more open now and we have more room to work and store useful items like tools and bikes.  We held a 3 speed hub class which was requested by at least 10 separate individuals, but no one attended.  I will be looking into a remedy.  I was able to update a good portion of the shops reports thanks to all the time freed up by Lily's hard work.  Lily and I continued our work on getting a sponsored donation site for the residents halls so normally abandoned bikes can be directly donated saving us all a lot of work and headaches.  We got a few bikes built, but were slow because of large donations and other projects. 

    This week I plan on continuing to update the shop's reports.  I will be working with Lily on presenting the cargo bike to FAA.  They had a change in leadership and some other set backs so we are restarting the relationship with a cool bike demo and presentation.  Lily's heading this up so I will be supporting her.  I will be trying to get some more bikes out of the warehouse and processed in anticipation of the spring cutting.  Lily is working with the residence halls on the donation event, and doing most of the planning work, but I may go to some of the meetings since I will be in charge of the implementation of the event.  I'm going to seek the assistance of Lily in ways to promote the Thursday afternoon classes.  I will also be sending out information on the wheel building class this week.

    From the Campus Bike Center,
    James Roedl

  5. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    Hello all, This past week was busy.  We lots of folks coming in to fix their bikes, but the weather made it weird some days we were empty others we had a 15 minute wait for repair stands.  We saw a lot of new faces, and made some new friends.  The shop sold 4 bikes for $630, 1 build-a-bike for $35, 5 student memberships for $125, 1 community membership for $40, and grossed $1517.  I talked to some of the people involved in the cargo bike loans, but was unable to get any progress yet.  I was unable to build a new desk welcome area, but did acquire a commercial hook wall for free!

    This week I will be working on meeting with people for the cargo bike program, and getting things ready for the residents hall donation program.  I will also build more bikes to sell.

    From the Campus Bike Center,
    James Roedl

  8. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Hello all, This past week was super chill.  We had a steady trickle of people come in and it was a good mood.  I was able to build some bikes and the stable is bust'n with rad steeds.  I was able to clean and organize the shop to an even greater level.  I am trying to make it more accessible to new comers.  I was able to catch up on some work which was nice.

    This week I plan on setting up some new fixtures in the shop and maybe building a sign in/register desk area so we can have a host greet people, sign them in, check them out, and register their bikes. 

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl

  9. ECBS SWATeam Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Energy Dashboard Project

    The SWATeam continued the discussion about its Big Picture Recommendation for energy conservation regarding the Campus Master Plan.  Students reported their findings on what undergraduates want to see on energy displays in campus buildings.  Smaller updates on fume hood efficiency efforts and Illini Lights Out followed.  Green Labs Initiative intern Natalie Pelekh attended this meeting to present her research on Green Labs programs at other schools and to discuss factors that need consideration before launching our own Green Labs program.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Request for Paxton grant funds

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas
    Agriculture, Land Use, Food, and Sequestration (ALUFS) SWATeam

    Attached and embedded below is a request to utilize the remaining funds in the Paxton grant for campus sustainable landscapes which is now under the purview of ISEE.  The persons on the CC are all familiar with some of the work in this area done over the past few years and can likely speak to the wisdom of using the funds to supplement the ongoing efforts. 

     

    TO: Dr. Evan DeLucia and Dr. Ben McCall

    From:  John C. Marlin

    RE:  Use of “Support for Sustainable Landscapes” funds

    Date:  March 21, 2016

     

     

    Several efforts are underway on the University of Illinois campus to promote the use and reestablishment of native plant species.  The intent is to integrate native plants into the main campus landscaping and establish larger more diverse plantings in areas farther from the main campus in conjunction with the removal of invasive plants such as bush honeysuckle.  The plantings will be especially valuable to insect pollinators and birds and will provide significant educational opportunities.  To date much of the funding has come from the Student Sustainability Committee.  

     

    Work at the moment is concentrated on the 2.3 acre prairie at Florida and Orchard in Urbana, the wooded area at the southern end of the Arboretum known as SAW (South Arboretum Woods) including the Pollinatarium, and the Forestry Plantation along Race Street.  Other active sites include Burrill Hall, the Natural Resources Building, and the Florida Orchard Prairie.  Another small project is about to begin at Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall, which will be largely supported by LAR funds and student volunteers.

     

    In addition to the SSC, several campus and community groups have made substantial contributions to the effort primarily through volunteer labor.  The Master Naturalists and Grand Prairie Friends have provided hundreds of volunteer hours as have local citizens who attend work days.  Individual students, faculty, and staff as well as Red Bison, Students for Environmental Concerns, and other student service organizations put in additional hours. 

     

    NRES purchased a $30,000 chipper and hired a contractor to remove honeysuckle with a forestry mower at the forestry plantation.  The machine was also used on a limited basis at the Arboretum.  Additional staff and in kind support was provided by the Arboretum, Pollinatarium, Prairie Research Institute, and Illinois Natural History Survey. 

     

    Recent SSC funding received by the Arboretum makes it possible for the forestry mower to return and remove large stands of honeysuckle.   Workers will then remove by hand the honeysuckle too close to trees for the machine to cut.  The area will then be replanted with native understory species as the invasive plants are brought under control.  This will take several years.  Various research projects focused on native plantings and their usefulness to other species are also envisioned. 

     

    Considerable additional funding beyond that provided by SSC is required to complete this effort.   It is anticipated that the Arboretum and others will seek grants for future work and research.  It is, therefore, requested that the remaining funds in the $10,000 donation “Support for Sustainable Landscapes” Dr. Jack Paxton made several years ago be made available to further this work.   The funds would be used to supplement and match SSC and other funding.   Specifically the funds would be available for the following purposes as needed: supplies and equipment, removal of invasive plants by contractors or hourly workers in campus areas, and purchase and planting of native plant material at appropriate campus locations. 

     

    Dr. John C. Marlin, a research affiliate at ISTC and INHS and Adjunct Professor in NRES, has lead much of this effort since 2011 as a volunteer.  He continues to coordinate considerable activity by students, staff and community volunteers on these projects.  He is also available to coordinate the proposed project.

     

    Primary collaborators include Dr. Marlin; Arboretum Director, Dr. Kevin McSweeney; and Jay Hayek the Extension Forester within NRES. 

     

    This use of the Paxton grant is supported by Dr. Paxton (who has contributed numerous volunteer hours) and campus Facilities and Services.   If a committee is needed to consider this matter, the SWAT team that deals with land and agriculture could probably be involved. 

     

    If there are any questions or a need for discussion, please contact Dr. Marlin at marlin@illinois.edu 217-649-4591

     

    CC:

    Dr. Jack Paxton

    Brent Lewis

    Morgan Johnston

    Jay Hayek

    Dr. Kevin McSweeney

    Micah Kenfield

     

    John C. Marlin PhD.

    Research Affiliate

    Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and

    Adjunct Professor

    Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

    University of Illinois

    One Hazelwood Dr.

    Champaign, IL 61820

     

    marlin@Illinois.edu

    217-333-8956

     

    Attached Files: 

  12. Electrification Study discussion with F&S

    Associated Project(s): 
    Explore Options for 100 Percent Clean Campus Energy

    Ben McCall, Morgan Johnston, Scott Willenbrock, and Mike Larson met with Ted Christy and Jim Sims to discuss the process for an Electrification Study.  Ted provided the attached document that needs to be completed in order to move forward.  Additionally, Ted indicated that attachment a is the most pertinent.  He said, "This statement would tell us what, from your perspective you hope to receive at the end of this study for it to be considered successful. It doesn’t need to get into detail. A paragraph or two in your own words to provide general description is very helpful. On the other hand, don’t feel like you need to limit this item, many departments submit a several page document. This information is used by the Planner to develop a scope statement that you will need to sign off on before we seek project approval."

    Attached Files: 

  13. Deer excluders at SAW

    Associated Project(s): 
    Native Plants at Arboretum

    Over the weekend student and community members put up 3 deer excluders at the South Arboretum Woods. 

    WE will be continuing with honeysuckle removal and general cleanup. 

    We also now have a decent shed with a lock on site thanks to the Natural History Survey.  We can store items in it including red bison things. 

     

    John C. Marlin PhD.

    Research Affiliate

    Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    Attached Files: 

  14. BTUs and Costs of biomass vs Propane

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass use on Campus
    1. Propane contains 91,333 BTU’s per gallon @ current price of $0.7858 per gallon = $8.60 / MBTU
    2. Miscanthus contains 14MBTU’s per ton @ proposed price of $50/ton = $3.57/MBTU

    Propane is 2.4 times more expensive to burn to achieve the same amount of thermal energy.

    ~Mike Marquissee, F&S Utilites and Energy Services

  17. ECBS SWATeam Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Energy Dashboard Project

    The iCAP ECBS Objective 2 consultation group is forming, and the first meeting is planned for the week after spring break.  Karl updated on fume hood efficiency efforts, which have led to several fume hoods being shut down.  The Energy Dashboard project was discussed and give to the Objective 4 Subcommittee as a new item to work on.  The team also discussed ways to advocate for energy conservation funding in the campus master plan and decided to create a proposal to send to the Office of the Provost.

    Attached Files: 

  18. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bicycle Education

    Hello all, This past week was good.  We saw steady increases in attendance with relation to the weather.  The weather even allowed us to open the doors which is a great improvement to visibility and atmosphere.  We sold 7 bikes for $750, 4 memberships for $100, and grossed $1470.  I was able to build bikes, and organize the shop a bit with the help of volunteers.  We've been able to integrate mobile time cards into shop staff procedure which has already shown dividends in saved time and complication.  I hired Lucas Hsu, an Urbana volunteer, on to the staff to replace Mike who took a degree related internship with the city.  I was able to get some bikes from the warehouse and assess the remaining handful.

    This coming week I will be having America table at the EcoFeminism sustainability event on campus.  I will building bikes for the spring rush.  I will work on removing the rest of the warehouse bikes, and cleaning up the warehouse. 

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl

  19. Architecture Review Committee approval

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar PVs at Idea Garden

    The Architecture Review Committee (ARC) approved the concept for rooftop solar on the Idea Garden shed, per this description from F&S Engineer Kristine Chalifoux: "Engineering Design has been approached by the Illinois Extension about designing solar panels for the roof of the shed at the arboretum.  They would like to cover the room with panels and use batteries in the shed to store the power.  They would like to have a light on site, ability to use power tools, and possibly some heat during the winter.

    The panels would be approximately (depending on manufacturer) 3’x5’ and cover the entire south facing portion of the roof.  The roof has two slopes with a shallower slope at the front.  Both would be covered."

    ARC approved the request and concept of installing the solar panels on the roof of the shed providing that the integrity of the shed could support the installation. 

  20. weekly update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Departmental Bike Sharing
    Bicycle Registration

    Hello all, This past week was great.  We weren't too busy, and we got some cool stuff done.  We sold 5 bikes for $640, 1 build-a-bike for $60, 4 memberships for $100, and grossed $1161.10.  We had a lot of volunteers come in and we were able to clean up the shop.  It looks great and is more functional.  I was also able to sort and organize a lot of the parts and we are much better for it.  We scrapped a lot of damaged frames, and low quality parts.  I added a couple of new tools to make things go faster and easier.  I worked on the cargo bike demo program, and am lining up a new department to lend the bike to.  We built several bikes and have about 40 for sale.  I was able to start ordering from the new supplier accounts I setup it was cool and we got some deals on parts.  We scrapped a lot of damaged frames, and low quality parts making some space.  We started using the new registration database.  The database is fully functional and awesome.  I meet with Stacey and Lily we did some pre Bike To Work Day planning.  I had a volunteer get all the advocacy materials organized and setup to be handed over to Lily. 

    This coming week I plan on getting more bikes from the parking warehouse, building more bikes for the spring rush, and continuing to clean and organize.  I'm going to work on setting up more classes for the spring.

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl

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