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Projects Updates for place: National Soybean Research Center

  1. SSC Seeks Faculty Advisors

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    SSC seeks new Faculty Member-Advisors for the 2018-2019 academic year. Advisors can expect to commit one-hour per week to SSC, including:

    Attending a biweekly one-hour meeting.
    Attending two three-hour voting meetings per semester.
    Providing students with insight & expertise from your professional & research experience.

    If interested, please contact Cathy Liebowitz, the SSC Coordinator at cwl1517@illinois.edu or 217-300-6429

  2. iWG meeting minutes April 9th, 2018

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Sustainability Council
    Green Lab Program
    Bike Sharing
    iSEE Campus as a Living Lab (CALL) Projects
    EPA SmartWay Affiliate
    Geothermal on Campus
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Topical iCAP Teams

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the iWG meeting that was held on April 9th, 2018.

  5. End of semester update - Enrollment by major

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Minor

    On April 3, 2018, Evan Delucia thanked the Steering Committee for the Sustainability Minor for their guidance and support. He gave them the end of semester update and shared the demographics for the Sustainability minor (see the attached pie chart).

    As shown in the graph, currently there are 85 students enrolled in the program. The first cohort finished their capstone research projects this past semester.

  6. Daily Illini article: Future of sustainability on campus appears positive

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Topical iCAP Teams
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    Daily Illini published an article: Future of sustainability on campus appears positive, on April 3rd, 2018.

    Attached is the article as a .pdf file. Here is a link to the article: https://dailyillini.com/features/2018/04/03/future-of-sustainability-on-...

     

  7. Freezer Challenge reminder email

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello everyone, The International Freezer Challenge is in full swing thru April 30th. Help the University of Illinois compete while receiving recognition, and a certificate of leadership in Environmental Stewardship.
    Registering to participate in the Freezer Challenge is a fun way to stay up-to-date with the latest in sample management, receive recognition for your efforts, and have fun while helping the University of Illinois maintain our world-class standing.
    Take 20 sec's Register today!
    All lab practices since May 2017 are eligible for points and can be added to your score card.

    Benefits Webinars, Best Practices and Resources

    • Reducing energy consumption, costs, and environmental impact of the lab
    • Learning and applying proper cold storage maintenance techniques to help avoid future failures
    • Removing unneeded or unviable samples from cold storage units, allowing space to be consolidated or eliminated.
    • Reducing costs associated with maintaining extraneous cold storage units.
    • Improving researcher access to and security for viable samples.
    • Developing ongoing cold storage management practices that support efficiency and maximize lab space utility.
    • Awards & National recognition at the I2SL conference for the winning labs in each category

    Increasing grant eligibility is another benefit according to How going green can raise cash for your lab a Nature International Journal of Science article, this quote shares an interesting perspective; Ramirez-Aguilar argues that implementing energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable lab practices can be a smart way for researchers to make their grants stand out. It might seem a small detail, but having such procedures in place could make all the difference to the success of your application. “If it makes your proposal look better,” she says, “you’re more likely to get funding.”

    For more information contact Paul Foote @ gfoote2@illinois.edu F&S Energy Services

  8. SSC Funding Agreement - Hives for Beekeeping Club

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

    As a new student organization on campus, the Beekeeping Club will install and maintain two new bee hives located at the Sustainable Student Farm (SSF). Any honey produced will get sold at the SSF weekly stand on campus. Students will learn beekeeping skills as well as an appreciation for honey production. In addition, having the bees located at SSF will increase crop output, bettering local food production. The allocated funding will go towards the bee hive installation as well as the bees.

    This proposal directly funds:

    1. Fencing
    2. Bees
    3. Beekeeping personal safety equipment
    4. Beekeeping supplies

  9. SSC Funding Agreement - Pollinator Signage

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

    This student-led project provides awareness about pollinators around the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. Students will design and install signage inside and outside of campus buildings, giving facts about native plants and pollinators. This signage will be approved by the University Board as well as Facilities & Services. This project contributes to the campus goal of becoming Bee Campus USA certified and meets Illinois Climate Action Plan objectives. Students will learn more about pollinators and pollinator efforts on campus. The allocated funding will go towards the signage costs.

    This proposal directly funds:

    1. Signage

  10. SSC Funding Agreement - Off Grid Solar Kiln

    Associated Project(s): 
    Root to Roof Program
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This student-driven project provides an alternative drying source for slabbed and dimensional lumber as opposed to industrial kiln drying. The goal is to recycle an air and water tight shipping container to create a de-humidifying kiln powered by passive solar energy. In a joint venture between the School of Architecture and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, students will develop a knowledge of drying characteristics of various wood species. Students will learn about the moisture peaks in the drying process as well as how wood may become compromised structurally under pressure. The allocated funding will purchase the retired shipping container, solar panels, as well as other kiln materials.

    This proposal directly funds:

    1. Shipping container
    2. Solar panels
    3. Kiln materials

  16. SSC Announces Micro Grant

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC is excited to announce that we have a brand new funding option available! We know that getting funding for a project within the same semester, especially for students, has been a challenge – so we will now offer Micro Grants as a solution to this issue. These grants are for student-led projects costing up to $500, and after approval the funding will be available within a month.

    Applications for Micro Grants can be submitted at any time – they do not adhere to our typical funding cycle schedule. Furthermore, Micro Grant projects will not require the students applying to have a faculty or staff advisor, which will also make it easier for student groups to acquire funding from the SSC. Otherwise, the rules and restrictions for Micro Grants projects are just about the same as those for normal SSC projects. For a full list of these rules and restrictions, more information can be found here.

    We are thrilled to be able to increase opportunities for students to take advantage of the sustainability fees they pay, and for sustainability around campus to increase in turn. Micro Grants will also allow the SSC to expand our outreach and remain as one of the top green fund practices in higher education. Be sure to help us spread the word, and if you have an idea for a Micro Grant project, don’t hesitate to apply.

  17. SSC and F&S to host Free to Ride film screening

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Reduce Driving on Campus

    Free To Ride, a documentary produced by The Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute, highlights the relentless spirit of community leaders from across Dayton, Ohio who overcame a suburban contingent fearfully opposed to the expansion of public transit along a commercial corridor, and the system of checks and balances that allowed justice and reason to prevail.

    Trailer: https://vimeo.com/95444875

    This event is free and open to the public. Join us on March 7th at 4pm in room 112 at the Transportation Building.

    Event Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1554444197965701/

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