Agenda:

1. Alterations to the proposed locations for 20’ containers

1. Removing 1 container at IKE.

2. Determining if planters can be moved at PAR/FAR.

1. Considering the parking lot (F-17) for

2. Quotes for 5 20-foot containers (includes delivery and pick up)

1. MI-BOX: $1,795

2. StowAway: $1,499

3. Paid with a P-Card? Still determining

3. Advertisements

1. 200 paper-sized advertisements for residence hall bulletins

2. Advertisements for Housing’s digital boards - who should this be sent to?

4. Banner

1. Rough draft statement - any suggestions?

2. Keep it evergreen - no dates, no company names, so it can be reused for future years. QR code can change information easily.

3. Include University Housing and F&S logos at the bottom

4. QR codes links to basic description of Dump & Run’s purpose (zero iCAP objective connection), comprehensive list of accepted items, info on bike donation to Campus Bike Center.

1. Hosted on F&S website.

5. Gaylords

1. How many pallet/gaylords fit in a 20’ container?

2. Does F&S have gaylords to contribute?

3. Goodwill can contribute gaylords (take full, bring empty to replace).

6. LAR, Busey-Evans

1. How many boxes will be needed in these lobbies?

2. F&S takes full boxes to PPSB Truck Bay, Goodwill, Salt & Light pick up from there.

7. Volunteers

1. 2 volunteers per storage unit

2. Advertised to:

1. Junior League of Champaign-Urbana

2. Champaign County Forest Preserve

3. Champaign County Master Naturalists

4. Rotary Club of Champaign

8. Food Donations

1. Wesley Food Pantry wanting to discuss logistics.

2023-04-07 recording of the meeting here in google drive.

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

Jen and Morgan asked Brent Lewis about the use of plugs instead of seeds. They also want to explore partnering with schools and community groups to collect seed from local sources and that The Urbana Free Library has a seed library, in which we could help encourage participation.  Also, Jen would like to engage University Primary School, which is adjacent to the prairie where students found a lot of milkweed. One of their lessons is about monarchs. Milkweed pods are easy to harvest in the fall.

Brent responded with the following message:

Hi Jennifer,

If we are doing butterfly weed on the main part of campus, then I want to use plugs.  For this recommendation, we’ve shifted to enhancing the low mow areas.  In that case, we are talking about a huge amount of space.  Due to the easy nature of growing these from seed and the large impact we are looking for, having them broadcast seed through these zones is the most effective way of accomplishing this. 

We will make sure to get some out at the school there too.  That’s a great suggestion.

Thanks,

Brent.

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.

Link to the recording