On January 9, UIUC sustainability representatives met and discussed the following:

Attendance: Marty Kaufmann, Thurman Etchison, Dominika Szal, Jen Fraterrigo, Pete Varney, Shawn Patterson, Tony Mancuso, Steve Breitwieser, Travis Tate, Bryan Johnson, Julie Wurth, Daphne Hulse

Agenda:

1. Meeting Cadence

   1. Reduced to every other week, based on a conversation Daphne Hulse and Jen Fraterrigo had. They would like to hold strategic meetings for initiatives that extend beyond recycling (focus on waste reduction).

2. External Meeting with Coca-Cola (Jake Slager)

   1. First of the semester: Wednesday, January 25 (1-1:30pm).

   2. Once per month.

   3. Agenda: discuss upcoming basketball game, Don’t Waste Wednesdays campaign, Coca-Cola video from the 11/14 men’s basketball game.

3. DIA Sustainability Initiatives

   1. Zero Waste Big Ten Men’s Basketball Game

      1. F&S Zero Waste leading the effort, with support from iSEE, DIA, Coca-Cola.

      2. Tentatively Thursday, March 2 6pm (versus University of Michigan).

      3. More operational than forward-facing.

      4. 75-100 volunteers working in shifts. Emphasis on after-game stand pick up.

         1. Tom Divan - contact to confirm the logistics of the after-game stand pick up.

         2. Next steps:

            1. Logistics

               1. Address tunnel situation under the State Farm Center (include Shawn Patterson in this discussion).

            2. Volunteers

               1. Use iSEE’s volunteer network.

               2. Provide Marty with the names of student volunteers.

               3. Volunteers can still check-in at main west entrance, though we cannot use the Orange Krush area again.

            3. Messaging - bringing reusable bottles?

               1. Seek a sponsorship for this initiative.

               2. Giveaway versus selling?

               3. Consider DIA messaging a topic for a smaller, strategic meeting.

      5. Measuring the efficacy of the recycling effort

         1. Marty reached out to concessionaire - will follow up. Data from the concessionaire helps us understand how many items actually end up recycled.

         2. F&S measures these weights separate from the rest of campus waste.

   2. State Farm Center permanent recycling bins

      1. F&S Zero Waste working with the facility to perform an audit, create a cost breakdown, and justification for recycling infrastructure.

      2. Submit an iCAP recommendation by the end of the semester.

   3. Fall 2023 Tailgate Recycling

      1. F&S Zero Waste + iCAP Zero Waste working with Tim Knox on developing a plan for comprehensive tailgate recycling.

      2. Document is in progress…

      3. Loop in Coca-Cola when plan is more formalized.

   4. Student Involvement

      1. Students from the iCAP Zero Waste team are interfacing with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience) to determine how best students can approach sustainability initiatives within Athletics.

      2. Combine our top-down staff/faculty approaches with a bottom-up student approach.

4. Don’t Waste Wednesdays Campaign

   1. First post: iSEE on Wednesday, January 25.

   2. iSEE working on social media backgrounds.

Hi Bumsoo, I had a call with Marc yesterday, and he mentioned that the MUP program can work on this project in the fall and spring semesters as a group project. I am still trying to figure out all that needs to be done for this project, and I think getting the help from your student might be beneficial.

How many hours can your student set aside for this project? In this semester, your student could help identify the stakeholders to reach out for the Campus Bike Plan update. He can help with determining a timeline and the planning process for next academic year. (If time permits) I will also ask the student to present some preliminary suggestions for the 2024 Bike Plan update at the end of this semester.

The first thing for your student would be to read the current 2014 Campus Bicycle Master Plan (https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/37/2014%20Campus%20Bicycle%20Plan.pdf). I have published two progress reports in the past few years. I am currently working on our progress report from the past year, which should be published in the next few weeks. Here is the 2022 report: Campus Bike Plan progress report FY22. Here is the 2019 report: 2019 Report for 2014 Campus Bicycle Plan

I would like to have weekly meetings with student. In the next 2-3 weeks, I would schedule a meeting with Morgan and Stacey to present what we think we should accomplish at the end of this semester. At the end of the semester, he will present the findings to F&S, SPO, Transportation iCAP Team, and possibly to the Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC).

Please let me know if this sounds good to you. I would be very happy to meet your student and get started on this project. Thank you,
Sarthak

On January 20, Nikki Palella, Justin Holding, Shawn Patterson, and Dominika Szal, and Daphne Hulse met to discuss the following:

What will be recycled?

• UIUC currently recycles plastics #1&2, metal, aluminum, paper, and cardboard

• Products that can be found at tailgates: paper and plastic products, aluminum, glass

• UIUC does not recycle glass:

  • Would we potentially be able to haul glass to the vendor that UIUC Dining uses? (Midwest Fiber)

    • Check cost with Midwest Fiber.

    • If there is a cost, consider DIA supporting this cost.

      • Selling point: anything recyclable will be free of charge to remove.

  • We would need to provide a separated bin for glass products at each tailgate section

• Aluminum and plastic bottles can be collected, plastic and paper might be accepted depending on its use (plastic cups might be accepted, but any paper/plastic product used for food is most likely going to have to go into landfill)

  • Future idea: use diversion rates from the tailgating and stand pick up collection as segue into DIA concessionaire conversations (because we will eventually hit a wall for our diversion rate if we can’t collect food waste, food-soiled containers, non-recyclable materials)

What will need to be prepared

• Signage regarding what is recyclable, what isn’t (this was successful at the basketball game).

  • Located at all the major parking lots: E14, E32.

    • Contact DIA to understand the SFC parking lot use for tailgating.

  • Could be a signboard located in key points throughout the tailgate areas.

  • In combination: have informational papers (pamphlets) attached to the bags that are handed out that explain what is/isn’t recyclable.

• Centralized bins to collect recyclables and trash:

  • Swingpans, rolloffs, iSEE in a central location.

• Volunteers would be needed (iSEE interns)

  • Roles:

    • Some could walk around carrying bags to give to tailgaters.

    • Some could walk around collecting recyclables specifically and provide information.

    • Some could stand by the bins to ensure that items are placed in the proper location.

    • Have it be shift-based. We learned at the basketball game that that would be most successful. During rush time (1 hour before the game starts, have the most volunteers on board).

• Incentive via raffle:

  • Tailgaters incentivized to recycle, entered into a raffle if they do. Sustainable swag as a giveaway.

Other considerations

• How many tailgating areas are there?

  • How many stands would be needed to cover each tailgating area? How many volunteers per area/in charge of a stand.

  • Grange Grove is popular spot.

  • Initially, we will only target E14 and E32 as this is where the majority of tailgaters will be, then we can expand as initiative develops over time.

• Would we like to try to implement any “zero waste” games to go along with the tailgate recycling as well?

  • Idea: instead of having a zero waste game like we do for basketball, focus efforts on before games (tailgating) and after games (pickup in the stands).

    • We would need ~100-150 volunteers for stand pick up after games, assuming a 45min-1hour pickup session

      • Incentivize with free football game tickets.

      • Pro: having volunteers pick up would assist the DIA staff who would otherwise have to pick up the items from the stand (and put them in the landfill).

      • Con: less interaction/engagement with attendees.

• Shawn’s idea: Gamification. Have service fraternities/sororities assist with the tailgate recycling and compete with each other to see who can collect the most?

  • Could implement this within the pickup in the stands, too.

• See how our partnership with Coca-Cola could play into this tailgate plan - could they assist with volunteer t-shirts, costs etc?

• How many games would we want to implement this program?

  • In 2022 UIUC held 7 home games between the end of August and the start of November (the final 4 of these games were Big Ten; bigger crowds). 6 took place on Saturdays. 1 occurred on a Thursday.

  • Start small, learn the dynamic of the space. Start pre-season, if possible. Work up to a Big Ten game.

    • Once we get a hang of how everything works, we can aim big.

• Seek recommendations from peer schools (OSU).

  • Results from the Big 10 survey could really help.

F&S’ role

• Collecting recyclables and trash after the event.

• Providing the blue recycling bags.

• Providing containers (free) for the tailgating spaces.

  • Reduces the overhead cost for DIA.

• Daphne (ZW team - Shreya + Dominika) + Shawn.

Timeline

• January - May: Planning, strategizing with iCAP ZW team, F&S, DIA, iSEE, Coca-Cola as needed.

• June-July: Buffer for any remaining planning. Prepare and execute publicity ahead of the fall semester.

• Early-Mid August: Heavier publicity, recruit volunteers.

• Late August: Launch the program.

• Early November: Close the program

Immediate next steps

• Dominika: Reach out to Midwest Fiber to determine the cost of glass recycling.
• Shreya: Reach out to DIA (Tim Knox) about how the State Farm Center parking lots are used during tailgates.
• Team: Look into peer schools' programs for best practices.
• Daphne: Schedule a Memorial Stadium Tour (for the stand recycling initiative).
• Team: Create a more refined vision/roadmap, meet with the group for follow up.

January 11, 2023

A University team consisting of Brodie Dunn and Lisa Merrifield (Extension), Linda Derhak (DURP student), and Stacy Gloss met with Lacey Rains Lowe and Jeff Marino from the City of Champaign to talk about working together to coordinate rainwater management efforts. Champaign sees a gap in resources for commercial developers related to innovative stormwater management applications. The team identified stormwater utility fee incentives as a possible leverage point for developers, but current incentives do not seem to be sufficient. Linda will begin to inventory cities with stormwater utility fees for innovative practices for engaging commercial developers. Brodie will propose revisions to the approved plant and tree list for Champaign to encourage use of native and more beneficial non-native plant species. Lisa will reach out to planners from Urbana and Savoy and will schedule a meeting for mid-February to discuss progress and identify next steps.

On January 17, Coca-Cola sent over their highlight reel from the 11/14 men's basketball game.