The first closing banquet of the ELP organized by the Institue for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) took place at the Illini Union on March 17, 2022.

The banquet agenda is attached below.

After piloting two successful workshops in Spring 2021, iSEE is launching its new Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) this fall. Designed to prepare Illinois undergraduates for leadership roles in the sustainability field, the ELP focuses on developing students’ communications skills around environmental problems, mobilizing social resources, and implementing plans for sustainable change.

In the Spring 2022 program, participants will learn about the policy-building process at the local and state levels, develop real-world environmental policies linked to the current legislative session, engage with local and state government officials, and present policy proposals to legislative staff and decision-makers in Springfield and Urbana-Champaign.

Applications opened Oct. 4 and closed Oct. 31. Participation is free, including travel expenses for the trip to Springfield during spring break — thanks to a generous gift from the Baum Family Fund. iSEE has encouraged interested students from all backgrounds, class standings, and majors to apply.

See the attached file for the iQ Fall 2021 to read this article in its original form.

The iCAP 2020 objective 6.3 is to "Launch an undergraduate Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) that includes two week-long residential intensives, pre-professional workshops, visiting speakers, and field trips to Springfield and Washington, D.C." The responsible campus unit for championing this objective is iSEE.

iSEE is developing an Undergraduate Environmental Leadership Program.  

• Professional skills
• Nexus between research, policy, advocacy, and government
• Networking opportunities with leaders in the environmental field
• Pilot workshops in Spring 2021

Be interactive and engaging for participants; Have a balance between the pre-professional component of the program (practical career skills and networking), as well as its environmental leadership/knowledge component

The main objectives of the Environmental Policy Workshop are to help participants communicate better environmental issues that they care about and to increase their awareness of ways to advocate for such issues. As such, this workshop would include sessions that would target environmental communication and policy advocacy skills.

See https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/28281545.html 

Every year, the university’s vice chancellors have the opportunity to update the Senate Executive Committee on our units. When I spoke with them last week, I focused on OVCRI alignment with the four overarching pillars of the campus strategic plan. In addition to our significant role in explicitly research-related goals, I was particularly pleased to note the many ways that OVCRI units contribute to "Transformative Learning Experiences."  

We work closely with the academic colleges to extend opportunities for students. While I don't have space to list every activity and program, I will note a few highlights. Nearly 1,000 grads and undergrads alike enjoy interdisciplinary research experiences at IGB or Beckman, while hundreds learn firsthand in the field, working on projects at PRI. Programs such as CCIL's Cancer Scholars, iSEE's Sustainability minor (and new Environmental Leadership Program), HRI's Mellon Fellowships and Internships, as well as NCSA's SPIN program offer transformative learning opportunities in emerging areas with societal impact. Students learn to use cutting-edge instrumentation at the Biotech Center, participate in community-focused and clinical projects with support from CSBS and IHSI, and even have real-world learning opportunities through internships with Research Park companies (800+ students each year!). Students can choose excellent degree programs at hundreds of universities across the country. But the way the vibrant research enterprise contributes to student education is a true point of differentiation for our university.

Sincerely, 

Susan

We are pleased to inform you that Prof. Evan DeLucia will become the first director of the Center for a Sustainable Environment, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Prof. DeLucia brings a record of exceptional scholarship and a wealth of administrative experience to the new center. The G. William Arends Professor of Biology and the director of the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Prof. DeLucia joined the faculty at Illinois in 1986. He was the founding director of the program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and has served as the head of the department of Plant Biology.

Illinois is uniquely poised to address the issue of environmental sustainability - and the Center for a Sustainable Environment will enhance our institutional capacity to do so. Prof. DeLucia will work with the many individuals, teams, and campus organizations involved in sustainability work on our campus to create the institutional structure to increase our impact and raise our profile as a leader in this area. These efforts will build on the campus strengths in sustainability, energy, and the environment that were so clearly identified in the Visioning Future Excellence process.

Prof. DeLucia's research interests strongly align with the vision for the Center. He studies the responses of forest and agro-ecosystems to elevated carbon dioxide and other elements of global change. He uses ecological, physiological and genomic approaches to understand how global change affects the carbon cycle and the trophic dynamics between plants and insects. His work has been well-funded by both government and industry.

Prof. DeLucia is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a member of multiple other professional societies. He received a B.A. from Bennington College, an M.F.S. in forest ecology from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in plant ecology and physiology from Duke University.

Please join us in welcoming Prof. Delucia to this new role.

Housing & Dining

The Dining Services Division of University Housing has made great strides in sustainable practices.  They purchase local foods, have implemented trayless dining, and donate 100% of its waste vegetable oil to the biodiesel project. In addition, they have recently been recognized for sustainable cleaning practices. Their newest facility, the Student Dining and Residential Programs building, is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification.

Recycling

The Waste Transfer Station recycles or diverts from land fill nearly 50% of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign waste.  In fiscal year 2009, the Waste Transfer Station recycled 1852 tons of paper and cardboard, 38 tons of aluminum cans, 899 tons of scrap metal, 38 tons of plastic, 1300 tons of landscape waste and 325 tons of pallets.  In addition to the Waste Transfer Station's efforts, the Campus Garage and Carpool recapped 25 tires rather than replacing them. Over the years, the University has recycled approximately 2,500 semi loads of materials.  This effort kept 53,000 tons out of the landfill and generated 3.5 million in cash.  The University also recycles equipment, both electronic and non-electronic.  In fiscal year 2009, we recycled over 118 tons of electronic equipment and nearly 300 tons of non-electronic equipment. 

University Construction Services demolished a Dining Facility and captured 77% of the material for recycling.  Material included copper, aluminum, glass, baling material and structural steel.  This project was completed on time and well within budget.  By utilizing recycling of this demolition, the University kept more than 3 million pounds of material out of the landfill.  This is the model for future demolition projects.

Facilities and Services initiated the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation program in October 2005.  This is a free cell phone and rechargeable battery recycling program that is easy to use and environmentally friendly.  RBRC supplies the collection boxes and shipping labels.  If rechargeable batteries are not recycled on campus, they are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed of according to EPA regulations.  To date, the University has recycled 49 boxes resulting in a saving of over $3,000.

The Labor Electrician's shop has operated a fluorescent bulb recycling program since 2000.  They properly recycle 99.9% of all University light bulbs.  The Maintenance Electrical Repair shop has also been successful at recycling ballasts and removing copper wiring.

Recycling

• University of Illinois Waste Transfer Station

• Champaign Recycling

• Urbana Recycling

• Habitat For Humanity ReStore

• PACA Architectural Salvage Warehouse

• University YMCA Dump and Run

• Wheels for Wishes

• Household Hazardous Waste  (HHW) Disposal Options in East Central Illinois  

• Champaign County Reduce Reuse Recycle

Landscapes

THE ILLINOIS PATH:
A natural landscape promoting sustainable connections across campus communities (PDF)

Citing campus sustainability and enhancement, Illinois Chancellor asked a graduate class to provide a strategic assessment and implementation plan for a managed natural landscape on the Military Axis, a site located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in a manner consistent with the University's mission and Master Plan.

To view the comments on The Illinois Path report, click here.

There are many ways to make our landscapes more sustainable. Using native plants is one way. Reducing the amounts of fertilizers and pesticides used on plantings, and mowing less often are others. You can see these sustainable methods in practice on campus—the No-Mow Zones are one example. And there are several places around campus that you can visit to enjoy the beauty of native plantings, such as the Pollinatarium, the prairie plantings at the Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building, the Red Oak Rain Garden, and the plantings at BIF. And don't forget to check out Allerton Park.