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Projects Updates for place: Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall

  2. Free Native Bee Homes from The Bee Conservancy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    The Bee Conservancy, an environmental NPO, is handing out hundreds of free native bee homes across the U.S. and Canada in hopes of boosting native bee populations.

    As part of its Sponsor-A-Hive program, the group is offering 500 native bee homes to community-focused organizations that support food growth, education, or ecological conservation. (Two hundred were awarded in fall and 300 are being awarded this spring.) Eligible groups include community gardens, nature centers, schools, tribal organizations, parks, and zoos. According to Guillermo Fernandez, founder and executive director of The Bee Conservancy, "We’re looking for organizations that share our passion to nurture local bee populations, create habitat for them, and support their communities and local food systems."

    Applications are open until the end of April 2021!

     

    Read more about The Bee Conservancy native bee home giveaway in the TreeHugger article.

  3. 3/26 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Increase Recycling through the WTS
    Reusable Containers
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 3/26. The agenda is as follows:

    • ZW002 NERC Recommendation (+comments)
    • ZW003 GreenerOffice Delivery Program
    • ZW004 Reusable Dining Options (+comments)
    • Roundtable Discussion (if necessary)
    Attached Files: 

  4. large sign frame arrived

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    The large sign frame for the Bee Campus signage was delivered to campus today.

    CUSTOM DOUBLE CANTILEVER DISPLAY (45 DEG)

    Vendor: @03979410 DRM INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

    Workorder: 10845244-001

  5. New compost tumbler at NSRC!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Compost at National Soybean Research Center (NSRC)
    Food Waste Reduction

    Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In an effort to be more “green” today and every day, we now have a compost tumbler on the west side of the National Soybean Research Center, thanks to SSC funding. This is the first publicly-accessible compost drop-off on campus!

    Please feel free to take advantage of this opportunity to sustainably dispose of your fruit/vegetable scraps (without stickers), tea bags, coffee grounds/filters, eggshells, shredded paper etc. While this 60-gallon compost tumbler is housed at the NSRC building, this drop-off opportunity is available to all. Simply unscrew either end of the tumbler and drop your items inside. Attached are several photos of the location and setup, as well as a list of the acceptable/unacceptable items. 

    The end-product will ultimately be used to fertilize a pollinator garden at NSRC. More details to come. 

    Attached Files: 

  6. 3/12 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Reusable Containers
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting

    Meeting minutes for the Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting on 3/12 are attached. The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

    • M. Liberman: NERC Recommendation
      • Is it ready?
      • Do you need support?
    • T. Etchison: Reusable Dining Options Pilot
      • Update?
      • Do you need support?
    • C. Steel: Adopt-A-Highway
      • Update?
      • Do you need support?
      • Are there any alternatives?
      • Can we make a recommendation that iSEE host their own event, which we help facilitate?
    • C. Steel: Composting Program/Urban Canopy
      • Update?
      • Do you need support?
      • Are there alternatives?
      • Can we go a different direction with this local, closed-loop composting program idea?
    • Roundtable Discussion
      • Removal of virgin paper from F&S stores/catalogues
      • Elimination of thermal paper receipts
      • Assessment of third party vendors footprint (single-use plastics, recyclable materials, etc) in the Union.
      • Student Waste Management Educational initiative.
      • Single-use plastics in vending machines.
      • Reuse of Surplus Goods
      • Battery Recycling
    Attached Files: 

  7. Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting: 26 February 2021

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Reusable Containers
    Recycled-Content Paper Policy in CAM
    Food Literacy Project
    Sustainable Procurement
    Sustainable Procurement Reports

    The meeting which took place on 26 February at 4PM (CDT) discussed the following:

    • Reusable dining options (Follow-up to Feb 12 guest presentation)
    • Reusable dining options (Recommendation)
    • Elimination of virgin paper at F&S Stores
    • Food Literacy Project
    Attached Files: 

  9. Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dimensions of Biodiversity

           Try out citizen science in your own backyard! Melody Arnold, President of the Macon Co. chapter of the Audubon Society, will describe the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, happening February 12-15 this year.  She will talk about a few of the birds that we are most likely to see in this area and how we can participate. This program is brought to you by East Central Illinois Master Naturalists. 

    February 1, 12 PM

    Amanda Christenson • Cooperative Extension Service

     

     

     

  10. Scope Change for Pollinator Awareness Sign

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Bee Campus USA

    The following scope change was submitted to SSC for the Pollinator Awareness Sign:

    Originally, there were no signs at all on campus showing how pollinator friendly the campus is. Now there are four; and the University is now considered part of Bee Campus USA. Now we want to add a bigger sign outlining the bee campus student organization, progress the campus has made, and changes the university implemented to be more pollinator friendly. This sign will include an acknowledgment of the SSC funding for the signs and for several of the pollinator friendly plantings around campus.

    The funding does not need to be increased, but we are requesting a schedule extension of one year.  The design of the sign is anticipated to take at least one month, so that students can assist with the content development, then the sign will be ordered, and since it may be winter –time when the sign is ready for installation, we may not be able to install it until the spring thaw. Please approve an extension to May 2021.

     

    Read the Scope Change in its entirety in the attached files below.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Article: Rapid Decline of News Coverage for Pollinators

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas
    Bee Campus USA

    Craig Chamberlain, a Social Sciences Editor for Illinois News Bureau, released an article highlighting the lack of coverage dedicated to bees in mainstream news. Supporting his article with a study from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, it was found that the amount of attention dedicated to "pollinator population topics" has significantly declined over several decades.

    Read Chamberlain's article through Illinois News Bureau or the PDF in the attached files!

    Attached Files: 

  12. 12/18 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Food Waste Reduction
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Increase Recycling through the WTS
    Reuse Surplus Goods and Valuable "Waste"
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies
    Sustainable Procurement Reports
    Sustainable Procurement Reports
    Grind2Energy

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the Zero Waste SWATeam on 12/18/2020. The following agenda items were discussed:

    • Grind2Energy Additional Scope.
    • NERC membership.
    • Mask Terracycle Program.
    • Organics Master Plan.
    • Vending Machine Single-Use Plastics Replacement.
    • Mitigating single-serve options in third-party vendors in Union.
    • Reusable dining operations during COVID.
    • Reuse of Surplus Goods.
    • Battery Recycling Options.
    • Purchasing Order Fufillment: Sustainable Options.
    • Purchasing Sustainability Digital Booklet.
    • Food Waste Reduction Webinar Engagement Opportunity.
    • Sustainability Integrations within punch-out catalogues/iBUY.
    Attached Files: 

  13. 11/13 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Vermicompost
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Food Literacy Project
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies
    Grind2Energy

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/13.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    • Update: Adopt-a-highway/Clean-up Program
    • Composting Partnership: Alex Poltorak of Urban Canopy
    • Student Project: Vermiculture Composting
    • Grind2Energy Additional Scope
    • Food Literacy Project
    • Update: Clean Plate Program
    • Purchasing Sustainability Update

  14. 11/13 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Food Literacy Project
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies
    Grind2Energy

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/13.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    • Update: Adopt-a-highway/Clean-up Program
    • Composting Partnership
    • Student Project: Vermicompost
    • Novel Scope Addition: Grind2Energy
    • Update: Food Literacy Project
    • Update: Clean Plate Program
    • Update: Sustainability within Purchasing (Website & Protocols)
    Attached Files: 

  15. 10/16 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting
    Food Waste Reduction
    Enviropures

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 10/16.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    Reducing Food Waste

    • Post-consumer food waste prevention
    • Post-consumer food waste recovery

    Vending Machine Alternatives to Single-use plastics

    Plastic Recovery

    Single Use Plastics

    Illini Union Shadowbox attachment

    Food Literacy Project

     

    Attached Files: 

  16. Illinois Student Government initiates discussion with F&S about recycling plastic bags

    Associated Project(s): 
    Plastic Bag Recycling

    Greetings Director Attalla,

     

    The Environmental Sustainability Committee of Illinois Student Government is working on developing a solution to the increased plastic bag waste that has been generated on campus this semester. We would like to start an initiative to bring plastic bag collection locations on campus with the purpose of recycling plastic bags at an off-campus location. Myself, the committee chair Creen Ahmad, and our committee vice-chair Ari Kelo would like to organize a meeting with you and any other relevant members of the F&S team to determine how we can implement this plan.

     

    Plastic bag use has increased greatly on campus this semester, being used in all dining halls, retail locations, and off-campus restaurants. Since these products are not easily recyclable, we feel it is important to ensure they do not begin to pollute the campus community or contaminate the current recycling chain on campus.

     

    We hope to meet with you soon, and we look forward to hearing about your availability!

    Sincerely,

    Tyler Swanson

     

  19. The Day After Tomorrow: Following Advancements of the New U of I Solar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Press releases about specific projects
    Climate Justice Forum - 2020
    Resilience Commitment
    Bee Campus USA

    CUYSS Team|8/5/2020

    The Youth Climate Justice Forum presents this podcast series in which we will be trying to find ways for all of us to continue to work for climate justice during and after the coronavirus crisis. This week, Caroline and Grace interview Morgan White, Director of Sustainability at University of Illinois Facilities and Services. They are currently working to construct the University’s newest solar farm, building upon what they learned from their last solar project.

    https://youthclimateforum.wixsite.com/summit/podcast/episode/f942d20f/the-day-after-tomorrow-following-advancements-of-the-new-u-of-i-solar-farm

  20. Curtis Road landscaping

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Bee Campus USA
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Tom's Mailbag in the News-Gazette included information about the Solar Farm 2.0 landscape buffer: https://www.news-gazette.com/toms-mailbag/toms-mailbag-june-19-2020/article_ddf7f640-1c32-5024-98b0-74d8f4ecaa7e.html

    Curtis Road landscaping

    "Curtis Road from Neil Street and First Street in Savoy,  why are they planting several rows of tree and bushes?

    The work underway in that location is for a landscaped buffer between the University of Illinois' Solar Farm 2.0 site and the village of Savoy, said Morgan White, associate director for sustainability at the University of Illinois.

    "Since the start of the project, the university has incorporated the feedback of nearby residents and businesses in planning aspects to ensure that area is aesthetically pleasing and limits the future visibility of the array directly from Curtis Road," she said. "The buffer was designed by the University Landscape Architect at Facilities & Services, Brent Lewis, and it consists of native trees, shrubs and perennials specifically selected for their aesthetics and pollinator benefits.

    "The trees were funded by the Student Sustainability Committee, and the remaining costs were provided by Facilities & Services and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment.

    "This extensive buffer planting, along with the 54 acres of native perennials and grasses under the solar panels, will help to establish a diverse pollinator habitat and strengthen ecosystems for local and migratory birds and insects, including butterflies and bees. This effort supports the university's commitment as a 'Bee Campus USA,' proving progress in awareness, native plant landscapes, and safe pest management.

    "When completed, the site will also serve as a demonstration for pollinator-friendly solar arrays, following the requirements of the Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act, of which the university has taken the lead in creating."

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