It's here, it's here, it's finally here. Waste Transfer Station purchased a new green rolloff container specifically for recycling. We expect to use it for tailgate recycling, welcome week, and any other event that produces an excess of recycling or would benefit from a container dedicated to recyclables.

Prepare outline for bike audit

• how to do it
• What will we need
• What information do I need
• What information are we trying to get out of this
• How are we trying to do this 
• What resources will we need (GIS)
• When are we doing the audit 
• When do we think we can finish it (number of hours, dates not necessary)
• Condition assessments of bike rack 
• Looking at rack itself and concrete 

Re-familiarize self with stuff

Black racks are ground mounted, we want bike racks on rails (gray ones)

Only university owned bike racks and paths 

Attendance: Jen Fraterrigo, Sophie Boel, Daphne Hulse, Amy Fruehling

Sophie Boel introduction: been with Redwood 2+ years, managing construction and engineering team, moved to external affairs (consumer recycling, outreach and education programs). Taking over the university partnerships piece from Seema. Two pieces to look at together:

• Consumer education, branding materials, and how-to for safe collection and mailing.
• Research - existing program to bolster with data, or bring about together.

Recalling our first conversation with Redwood Materials:

• What is redwood looking for?

• How can the university offer collaborative experiences with Redwood? Research, battery collection drives.

  • Jen forwarded Sophie the documents she had provided Seema as far as research opportunities go.

Redwood's experience with collection:

• 40-50 Audi and Volkswagen dealerships have collection bins - regularly collected and shipped back to Redwood.
• International Rotary Clubs host collection events throughout the country.

Daphne's research on where batteries are sourced from and where they end up across campus. Daphne could only speak to batteries that are procured with university money. There is not a gauge on what the community does with batteries and what their needs are.

• DRS collects Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NMH), Lithium (Li) Ion & Polymer (LiPo), and Silver Oxide (AgO) batteries for recycling. Daphne and Jen don't know the name of the recycling vendor, but they will find out. Sophie says there is a chance that the vendor already works with Redwood Materials, we just have to find out. Rechargeable batteries that are part of a device may get removed, and the device sent to someone like Redwood Materials to find recycling outlets for the device materials, too.

What could Redwood provide support on if the university would undertake something with them?

• Bring Seema back into the conversation side (she is involved with business development support).

Has Redwood done many events with universities? No, they haven’t done many events with universities:

• University Nevada - Reno, as this is located close to their HQ.

• Have done events in collaboration with International Rotary Clubs:

  • Environmental & Sustainability Action Group (ES-RAG) - made collection events a part of their piece on sustainability

  • 50-100 collection events - active consumer engagement pieces

  • Earth Day events

• For events, Redwood can send a Redwood employee - if there is a lot overlapping in terms of time of year (especially Earth Day or Month), some of the rotary district governors act on behalf of Redwood go to an event to staff and educate.

• Reach out to Urbana and Champaign counterparts - they hold an annual event for Illinois residents for electronics recycling. Maybe there is a need for more than just once a year? And if they combine forces with the university and Redwood, we would have more resources and support to go around.

  • It will be good to hear what the cities think, as their population will likely be the main source for the waste. Students don't often have these kinds of devices and batteries laying around.

• Any money that can be reinvested to the program? The university tries to find ways to reinvest when possible.

  • Sophie to talk to Seema about this

Sarthak sent announcements (to Caitlin Kaparaz) to be added to the ISSS newsletter (publishing on August 25):

1. Reclaim Your Abandoned Bike
   Every summer, F&S tags and removes all abandoned bikes. If you left your bike and want to reclaim it, email bike@illinois.edu and include where it was located, the make/model, color, and serial number, if possible. Bike registration information or other documentation will be needed to prove ownership (e.g., pictures). Deadline to reclaim your bicycle: Friday, September 22. All unclaimed bicycles will be donated after that date.
2. Light the Night – Free Bike Light Giveaway
   The 16th annual Light the Night is Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Alma Mater Plaza, Hallene Gateway, and Ikenberry Commons Quad. You MUST bring your bike to get a light set. Approximately 1,000 bike light sets will be available this year. Remember, bike lights are required by Illinois law when riding at night. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please sign up here.
3. Celebrate Bike to Work Day on September 14 and Receive a Free T-Shirt
   Ride your bike to campus on Thursday, Sept. 14, and get a free t-shirt! Welcome stations will be set up across the area from 7 – 10 a.m., including eight U of I locations. Celebrate Champaign County Bike to Work Day with others by stopping in for refreshments and snacks. You must bring your bicycle and pre-register at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BiketoWorkDay to get the shirt!

Optional announcement

• Register your bicycle
  Bicycle registration is mandatory for all bicycles parked or operated on campus and owned by students, staff, faculty, University departments, and community members. There is a one-time $10 registration fee per bicycle. All bicycle registrants will enter a raffle for a chance to win a U-lock or a Helmet. Learn more about the bicycle registration raffle. Contact bike@illinois.edu if you have questions regarding bicycle registration.

On 08/16/2023, Morgan, Daphne, Sarthak, Quinn and Hrushikesh attended/ hosted Sustainability LLC iCAP presentation for the upcoming and aspiring undergraduate students to provide them information about all the aspects of iCAP and other entities. Additionally it was also a great mode of communication to connect with the young minds and get to know their vision regards the same cause.

Sarthak Prasad, Jen Fraterrigo, and Daphne Hulse intend to pursue conversations with campuses that have successfully installed anaerobic digesters. Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University have been identified as the first campuses to initiate a conversation with. The goal of these conversations will be to understand how campuses achieved momentum and will for the digesters to be financed and built (stakeholders include but are not limited to farmers, relevant academic departments, crop sciences, digester operators, waste management and sustainability, organic waste haulers, researchers).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qGob6lBsBE and now featured on the Reduce Single-Use Plastics Project Page.