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  3. info about green labs from Paul Foote

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Lab Program

    See this article in Lab Manager, the author works with My Green Labs and lightly covers every aspect of what sustainable labs actions are and how they help. 

    She also used to work for Thermo Fisher Scientific and was in the team that developed cardboard coolers for shipping supplies instead of Styrofoam. 

    https://www.labmanager.com/business-management/making-sustainable-labs-a-reality-22090?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_LM_Issue-Preview_2016&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=85607339&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-81JOWdawR7cYhBcDz3EASMjNPx800pm39ilZOqUs4WiSZyOt-d2zSrWdpY8Ewp4zPmuGx4z6p4kupxIMH9XnWrII83QA&_hsmi=85613067

    making-sustainable-labs-a-reality-m.jpg

    Making Sustainable Labs a Reality

    How to reduce the environmental impact of research

    www.labmanager.com

     

    Have a great day!

  5. Car Culture and Climate Change: A Student Op-Ed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Driving on Campus

     

    ui-parking.png

    Student Op-Ed: Car Culture and Climate Change

    In this opinion piece, undergraduate Shelby Job uses the U of I as a case study to examine the impact of efforts to limit automobile use and enourage biking, walking and public transit on America's "car culture" — especially in lower- and middle-class communities. 

    "Although the campus’ lack of accessibility by automobile might feel like a constraint on individual freedom, using infrastructure to encourage active modes of transportation may be the way forward as we search for solutions to the climate crisis," Job writes.

    But higher parking rates and the scarcity of parking overall raise the question of whether manipulating road systems will lead to a car culture that is only accessible to socioeconomic elites, she writes. "If municipalities begin to restrict auto travel by cutting down on the amount of affordable parking, then the face of an area's car culture is likely to change in a way that excludes those of lower socioeconomic standing."

    The op-ed was originally written for a course in iSEE's Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW

  8. Legal opinion on authority to enter into virtual PPAs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Off-campus Solar Farm 3.0 PPA

    VIRTUAL POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT RULED LEGAL
    F&S and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment hired attorney Paul Durbin to evaluate the legality for the campus to enter into a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) to meet the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) goals for purchasing renewable energy. The analysis concluded that the Board of Trustees has the legal authority to enter into a VPPA, if it is financially reasonable; said agreement would be performed by Prairieland Energy, Inc. (PEI), a subsidiary wholly-owned by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

  9. Bee Campus USA in F&S quarterly report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    BEE CAMPUS USA
    F&S collaborated with students in the Bee Campus committee to complete the renewal of our Bee Campus USA designation in February; Illinois originally earned recognition in 2018 becoming the first B1G school to do so. This process includes using integrated pest management, installation of native plantings, student living lab projects, and outreach.

  10. SOLAR FARM LANDSCAPE BUFFER

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Bee Campus USA
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan

    SOLAR FARM LANDSCAPE BUFFER
    F&S representatives shared detailed designs for the pollinator supportive landscape buffer along the future Solar Farm 2.0 site to the Village of Savoy. Village leaders were pleased with the design plans and thanked us for being responsive to their neighborly request. When completed, this site will serve as a demonstration for pollinator-friendly solar arrays, following the requirements of the Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act (Illinois Pub. Act 100-1022). Solar Farm 2.0 will produce approximately 20,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, and will generate the equivalent electricity use of more than 2,000 average American homes.

  11. Transportation SWATeam Meeting: 30 March 2020

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Incorporate Sustainability Principles into Campus Master Plan
    Support Zipcar in Champaign-Urbana
    Encourage Telecommuting

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the Transportation SWATeam meeting on 30 March 2020. 

    The Agenda is as follows:

    Recommendations Review

    • (M. Hubbard) Support CMP by increasing pedestrian safety by reevaluating current pedestrian routes and conducting traffic studies.
    • (S. Prasad) Zip-cars continuity: continue to serve at popular locations and set up a system to maintain Zip-car presence (two options are to set up a fund to pay for Zip-car parking spaces or ask Parking not to charge the department). 
    • (J. Cidell) UI Ride Survey
    • (J. Cidell) Teleconferencing assessment
    • (Y. Ouyang) Faculty/Staff Vanpool Survey

    April Agenda

    • iCAP 2020 Transportation Chapter Review
    Attached Files: 

  12. Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting: 27 March 2020

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 27 March 2020.

    The agenda is as follows:

    March Formal Recommendations

    • America To Go Catering Sustainability Criteria
    • Aluminum Vending Machine Replacement
    • Student Sustainability Ambassadors

    April Agenda

    Recommendations for next round of submissions?

    • Any pertinent topics?
    • Staff/faculty Ethics training update?
    Attached Files: 

  14. FY19 Green Power Partnership renewal submitted

    Associated Project(s): 
    EPA Green Power Partner
    Use Clean Power
    Solar Farm 1.0
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    Wassaja Hall Rooftop Solar PVs
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
    Apply for Recognition

    F&S completed the renewal of our recognition as a Green Power Partner through the US Environmental Protection Agency. Green Power Partners of our scale now have to use renewable power for seven percent of their annual consumption, an increase from the previous requirement of three percent. Fortunately, the FY19 green power supply for FY19 was 7.28%.  See attached file.

    Overview submitted: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is proud of its sustainability initiatives, as documented in the Illinois Climate Action Plan. The first project was a 32.76 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) array on the Business Instructional Facility in 2009. The 14.7 kW PV array, ground mounted at the Building Research Council, is a research platform for the Information Trust Institute. The most significant on-campus renewable energy generation project to date went into operation in December 2015, with the completion of the 5.87 megawatt (MW) Solar Farm, producing approximately 7,200 MWh/year. In December 2015 another solar array was installed on the new Wassaja Residence Hall roof with a capacity of 33 kW. In September 2016, campus signed a ten-year Wind Power Purchase Agreement for 25 million kWh/year. Most recently, the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building had 970 rooftop panels installed. Since production began in April 2019, 11% of all power supplied to the ECE Building has been from the rooftop panels, not including the panels that are used for student-oriented research. The University will soon be home to Solar Farm 2.0, which is projected to produce 20,000 MWh/year, nearly tripling on-site production.

    Attached Files: 

  16. 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/.

  18. Arbor Day Celebration to be alternate format

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education

    Hello Tree Campus USA Committee,

    Thanks to those of us who were able to join the web-call this morning.  Here are brief notes about our discussion and next steps:

    • I shared that the Arbor Day Foundation has removed the requirement for a proclamation and celebration this year.  We discussed options and decided to still do something online for Arbor Day.
      • Andrew is going to talk with Mike Brunk about the process he had gone through for the proclamation, and let us know if he thinks we should proceed this time with trying to get a proclamation signed by the mayors and chancellor.
      • I am going to take the lead on identifying something that we can do online this spring.  Please send me any suggestions you have. Here are some we discussed this morning:
        • Jay suggested an infographic
        • Meredith suggested a connection to the Earth Month Bingo event that iSEE is hosting
        • I suggested sharing information about how to plant a tree
        • Kevin suggested including information about how to trim trees for private property
        • The Arbor Day Foundation sent the note below after our call, and they intend to provide some resources for ideas
    • Kevin and Ryan shared that their staff are not at work now, with the exception of a few employees watching the trees for safety purposes.

    Our next group meeting is April 27 at 9am, but we will be in touch during the next few weeks to finalize plans for April 24th.

    Thank you,
    Morgan

    Message from the Arbor Day Foundation: http://adestra.arborday.org/q/120OBVMvRZTmL6qMkonn/wv

  19. 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
     

  20. 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.

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