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  1. 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: 

  3. 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: 

  5. 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/.

  7. 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

  8. 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
     

  9. 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.

  14. Covid-19 shut down of recycling sort line on campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    Establish a Net Zero Waste Plan and Policy

    All:

    Staying consistent with the guidelines issued by the CDC and University of Illinois effective Friday, March 20, 2020 at 3PM the sort line will be closed at the University of Illinois Waste Transfer Station until further notice Enumerated below are the changes effective 3/20/2020:

    • DSC staff has been notified and will not be sending their staff to the waste transfer station starting Monday, March 23, 2020.
    • No waste will be sent to the sort line. All collected mixed waste will be sent directly to the landfill.
    • Pre-sorted materials such as a paper and cardboard will be continued to be collected and processed on the floor as normal.
    • Pre-sorted materials such as bottles and cans will be stored in a roll-off container to be processed at a later time.
    • All staff that will continue to work during this time at the WTS must adhere to the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Please note that there will be no change in waste and recycling collection schedules. Facilities and Services will continue to collect source separated trash and recycling from campus dumpster there will be no change in collection service. As there will be no material going to the sort line we do not anticipate an increase in material as most of campus is currently working remotely. Facilities and Services will be working with Area to monitor generation and evaluate if additional hauling service would be needed.

     

    We thank you for your support and understanding during these unprecedented times. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach me or my team directly.

  15. 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: 

  17. 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
     

  18. Meeting minutes from the March 16th meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Crowd Management for Quad Day: Living Lab Project

    Please see attached the meeting minutes from the meeting on March 16th. Also attached are the slides from this meeting.

    Attended by: Yanfeng Ouyang, Shelly Zhang, Morgan White, Stacey DeLorenzo, Sarthak Prasad, Weichen Li, Rui Feng She, Barb Robbins, Paul Jensen, Gina Lee-Olukoya, Dementro Powell.

    Attached Files: 

  19. Bike Month plans for 2020 cancelled

    Associated Project(s): 
    Encourage Bicycle Use

    Hi All,

     

    I think we have reached a working consensus: postpone the major events of CU Bike Month 2020 (Bike to Work Day, Bike to School Day, etc.). I think Urbana’s Market at the Square is going to different as well, especially in May.  So likely no Bike to Market, no Spring Bike Rodeos, etc.

     

    I think we can find ways to stay in contact with our participants from the last few years and encourage them that going out on bike rides could be a very healthy and life giving activity this spring. The links below are from a post today by another cycling advocate:

     

    I think the message that cycling can reduce stress is a positive message while we navigate this pandemic.

    We are in unprecedented times. Our thoughts go out to the people who have been affected by this global health crisis, and we are humbled by those on the front lines who are working tirelessly to contain the coronavirus. 

    https://la.streetsblog.org/2020/03/13/bicycling-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

     

    https://www.bicycling.com/news/a31469228/cycling-during-coronavirus/

     


    We have time to look at the fall and think about how to schedule and balance our programs and energies.  So no need to do a lot of that at the moment.

     

     

    So, let’s ponder this decision to cancel the organized parts of CU Bike Month 2020 overnight and touch base again tomorrow in the early afternoon to finalize our decision, or consider an alternative.  Check with your colleagues, read the news, look at your calendars, and either Gabe or I will start a group email after lunch.

     

    Jeff

  20. 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

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