56 buildings on campus have at least one of the new 3-bins
Associated Project(s):
On March 3, 2022, it was recorded that 56 buildings across campus have at least one of the new 3-bins.
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Projects Updates for place: National Soybean Research Center
iSEE Newsletter 03/01/2022
Associated Project(s):
March 1, 2022 
Magazine Features U of I Basalt Project
A University of Illinois team researching the use of basalt rock for "enhanced weathering" of farm fields was recently featured in Anthropocene magazine. Spreading rock dust could boost crop yields and lock up vast amounts of carbon. Researchers Carl Bernacchi, USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Physiologist; Evan DeLucia, Arends Professor Emeritus of Plant Biology; Ilsa Kantola, soil ecologist and iSEE Visiting Research Scientist; and Stephen Long, Professor of Crop Sciences and Plant Biology, discussed their work with the magazine's Dan Ferber. The Illinois work is part of the Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation (LC3M) and was funded in 2021 for five more years of studies in the now nearly $3 million project.
ELP Updates: Projects and Visitors
iSEE's Spring 2022 Environmental Leadership Program is rapidly nearing its conclusion. The students and instructors have been meeting since January to hear from governmental and advocacy representatives as well as academic experts — and pursuing their own projects as they prepare to make presentations to local and state government officials. For the latest on the ELP, please check out the blog by iSEE Communications Intern Kratika Tandon, a member of the 2022 cohort!
Plant Model Expert to Highlight Crops in silico Symposium
Registration is open for the 6th Crops in silico (Cis) Symposium and Hackathon on May 11-13, to be held virtually through the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). The keynote will be delivered by Leah Band of the School of Biosciences and School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Nottingham, who creates models to gain understanding of plant growth and development. Trained as a mathemetician, Band has collaborated closely with experimental biologists in her work. Stay tuned for more details about the keynote and other presentations by visiting this website, and register here! >>>
Upcoming Events & Opportunities Engineering a Greener Future Mural. Calling all student artists! Help create a mural showcasing sustainability initiatives and green technology research on campus. “Engineering a Greener Future” will be featured in the main gallery of the Siebel Center for Design (SCD) during the Fall 2022 semester. Sponsored by the Student Sustainability Committee and hosted by SCD, the project is designed to put a spotlight on sustainability initiatives like Solar Farm 2.0 and inspire students to participate in sustainable actions! Applications are due Friday March 4! >>>
Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC). Registration is open for ECEC22, co-hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant! Keynote speakers are Scott Coffin, a Research Scientist with the California State Water Resources Control Board; and Abby Hendershott of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Out of an abundance of caution, the conference has moved from a hybrid format to fully virtual. Undergraduate scholarships covering registration fees are available.
Saturday-Sunday | April 27-28, 2022 | RegisterNomination Deadline March 4 for Social Justice Awards. The Diversity and Social Justice Education Program’s Annual Social Justice Awards honor unsung members of the U of I campus and community who have sought to address marginalization, oppression, and/or privilege in their communities. Nominations for outstanding undergraduates, graduate students, staff/faculty members, alumni, and registered student organizations will remain open through Friday, March 4. You can nominate yourself or someone else by visiting this website >>>
Breaking the Plastic Wave: Solving the Plastic Pollution Problem. Plastic has become ubiquitous in our lives, from disposable bottles to microbeads in body washes, and plastic waste is piling up in our terrestrial and aquatic systems. Jim Palardy, Project Director of the Conservation Science Program at The Pew Charitable Trusts, will give an overview of the current trajectory for plastic pollution and highlight a better solution for the environment, the economy, and communities. This Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) webinar is an iSEE-certified green event!
Noon-1 p.m. | Thursday, March 10 | RegisterWatch the Sustainability Training Video! Help our campus reach "herd sustainability" by watching our video and filling out a short survey. You'll learn about everyday actions you can take to get your semester off to a sustainable start and build an environmentally responsible campus! Visit our website to watch now>>>
Green Your Lab With Our New Toolkit! Facilities & Services and iSEE have developed a Greener Labs Inventory Toolkit to help facility liaisons and principal investigators track energy usage in their labs and identify more sustainable practices, such as leaving items unplugged or upgrading equipment. For questions, email mbwhite@illinois.edu.
C4 Social Media Internship Available! The Champaign County Climate Coalition (C4) is looking for several social media/marketing interns to share information, resources, and opportunities with the county-wide community. Applicants must have enthusiasm for climate action and experience with marketing and social media; graphic design experience appreciated. This is an unpaid internship. To apply, email your resume and/or a letter of interest describing your qualifications to Savannah Donovan at sydonovan@urbanaparks.org.
Check out iSEE’s Illinois Sustainability Calendar for a full list of events!
Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
Suite 350 National Soybean Research Center MC 635
1101 W. Peabody | Urbana, IL 61801
Contact: sustainability@illinois.edu
Time-sensitive Petition to raise SSC fees by $3.94
Associated Project(s):Note: Deadline was extended to March 1
"Hey guys! The SSC needs your help! We are currently circulating a time-sensitive petition to raise SSC fees by $3.94. We need over 2,000 signatures by February 22! https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/529864641?referrer=https://shibboleth.illinois.edu/
Right now, the SSC collects $14 from each student via the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee and the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee, which together is called the Illinois Green Fund. This money goes into a pot, and the SSC allocates that pot of money toward student- and faculty-led sustainability projects. This fee hasn't increased in years, despite increases in tuition and national inflation. To continue to adequately support sustainability projects, we need more funding!
If we don't hit our mark, the SSC won't be considered for more funding :( Please please please sign this, promote it on your social media, and send it to your general members." Maria Maring (2-16-2022)
SSC Semesterly Report: Bike Registration Signs
Associated Project(s):SSC received semester report for Fall 2021 for Bike Registration Signs project on January 6, 2022. Please see attached.
Attached Files:SSC Semesterly Report: CornCrete
Associated Project(s):SSC received semesterly report for Fall 2021 for CornCrete project on 02/01/2022. Please see attached.
Attached Files:SSC Semesterly Report: Illini EV Concept
Associated Project(s):SSC received semesterly report for Fall 2021 for Illini EV Concept project on 01/31/22. Please see attached.
Attached Files:SSC Semesterly Report
Associated Project(s):SSC received semesterly report for Fall 2021 for Geothermal Exchange for greenhouses at UIUC Energy Farm on 01/29/22. Please see attached.
SSC Semesterly Report: Geothermal Exchange for Greenhouses at UIUC Energy Farm
Associated Project(s):SSC received semesterly report for Fall 2021 for Geothermal Exchange for greenhouses at UIUC Energy Farm on 01/29/22. Please see attached.
SSC Semesterly Report: Campus Instructional Facility Geothermal (Part 2)
Associated Project(s):SSC received semester report for Fall 2021 for Campus Instructional Facility Geothermal (Part 2) on 1/19/2022. Please see attached.
SSC Semesterly Report: Identifying the Campus Benefits of a Large-Scale Prairie Experiment
Associated Project(s):SSC received semester report for Fall 2021 for Identifying the Campus Benefits of a Large-Scale Prairie Experiment project on 1/23/2022. Please see attached.
SSC Semesterly Report: Bike and Ped Counters
Associated Project(s):SSC received semester report for Fall 2021 for Bike and Ped Counters project on 1/18/2022. Please see attached.
Attached Files:SSC Final Report: Energy Farm LED
Associated Project(s):SSC received the final report on Spring 2022 for Energy Farm LED project on 1/15/22.
Attached Files:New Greener Campus Programs Certifications
Associated Project(s):Congratulations to the newest recipients of our Green Office and Green Event Certifications!
Green Office Gold Certification:
Visit Champaign County-Certified January 2022 (with notably 38 sustainable actions pursued!)
Green Event Certifications:
University Housing Gender Inclusivity Training-Certified January 2022
Campus Recreation/Instructional Kitchen Winter Virtual Canned Food Drive-Certified January 2022
CU at Home One Winter Night-Certified January 2022
Thank you to each of our participants, keep up the great work!
Balance Out SSC Bike and Ped Counter Account
Associated Project(s):Sarthak Prasad asked Mike Alsip to balance out the “SSC BIKE AND PED COUNTER 1-304479-701014-701066” account. This account was about $667 in the deficit, and the TDM account (NN814-TDM; 1-303719-814010-814031)was used to balance it out. Mike Alsip replied saying, "The following JV (J3016342) was made to balance this account."
Spring 2022 Semester Goals
Associated Project(s):Co-presidents Owen Jennings, Maiah Caise, Jack Reicherts, and Maria Maring are excited to embark upon their second semester as SSLC leadership together. The primary goals of the semester include:
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Bolster collaboration between environmental RSOs on UIUC campus. The SSLC hopes to work with Student Affairs to incentivize participation with the SSLC, using the University of California Berkely’s Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) as a template. Weekly board meetings and monthly full meetings will continue per usual.
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Bolster collaboration between other Illinois schools like University of Illinois Chicago, University of Illinois Springfield, and Illinois State University. Both SECS and ISG may play significant roles in this relationship-building. The SSLC has already been in contact with Illinois State.
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Host Earth Month events. The SSLC already began communication with the Illini Union Green Team last semester to begin planning events like Green Quad Day and a movie night on the Quad. Organizations like SECS, Red Bison, and iSEE that have been historically active in Earth Month events will be essential in these processes.
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Write SSLC bylaws. The Council has not previously had bylaws, and they are absolutely essential to moving forward in an organized and successful fashion.
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Continue to monitor the fight for divestment from fossil fuels. This iCAP Objective has caused copious political strife between students and administrators. Because divestment continues to be a hot topic, the SSLC will continue to listen to student concerns.
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Fall 2021 Semester Summary
Associated Project(s):The SSLC underwent many changes under the new leadership of co-presidents Owen Jennings, Maiah Caise, Jack Reicherts, and Maria Maring. The board experimented with the mission and niche of the SSLC, ultimately establishing that the organization shall act as a medium of communication between student groups and the administration. The organization will also be the primary host of the annual Student Sustainability Summit in October, touting – among other interdisciplinary events – Green Quad Day, Sustainable Student Research Symposium, and Tuesday Talks at Bevier Cafe.
This Summit was the Council’s most noteworthy accomplishment this semester. The SSLC collaborated with: Red Bison, Outdoor Adventure Club, the Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, the Sustainable Student Farm, the Pilot Processing Plant, Grand Prairie Friends, the F&S Solar House, Stop Line 3 CU, Students for Environmental Concerns, Prairie Rivers Network, and the Student Sustainability Committee. This myriad of events had varying levels of attendance. The SSLC leadership learned two primary lessons from the inaugural Student Sustainability Summit: first, quality over quantity in terms of events; and second, planning well ahead of time is absolutely essential in order to adequately advertise each event. If you attended or co-hosted any Summit event, and you would like to let the SSLC board know your feedback, please fill out this form. The current SSLC leadership looks forward to how future leadership will expand upon the Summit.
Another noteworthy accomplishment of the SSLC this semester was action following the publication of the Campus Admin Manual’s Expressive Activity Policy draft. Students were largely emotional about the policy’s stringent punishment for demonstrations on campus, so the SSLC – in conjunction with SECs and the SSC – wrote a letter to Chancellor Jones demanding that the policy more closely align with the student body’s needs. As of January 2022, the SSLC has received no reply from the Office of the Chancellor.
Co-presidents Maria Maring and Owen Jennings spoke at the Campus Sustainability Celebration and Sustainability Council meeting, respectively, on the topic of divestment. Though SSLC leadership was merely prompted to give basic updates at these meetings, they utilized the face-to-face opportunity with campus administrators to voice student concerns about completing iCAP Objective 9.1: Fully divest from fossil fuel companies by FY25.
In a first, the SSLC and general members participated in the Homecoming Parade. Roughly a dozen students marched with divestment-related signs. The SSLC hopes to expand Homecoming attendance next year.
The SSLC revived its dormant Facebook account (@sslcuiuc) and newly established an Instagram account (@uiuc_sslc). On the latter, the SSLC made 40 posts and gained 227 followers. The Facebook account has 93 followers; engagement on this platform is much less. The SSLC also made a linktree and a Google calendar to which other RSOs can sync. That way, all events from all different orgs are all conveniently on one calendar. This joint calendar is still undergoing troubleshooting, and it is not yet available for public viewing.
Amidst these new endeavors, the SSLC held full membership meetings roughly once a month, as did the previous leadership. One recurring issue was lack of attendance and engagement. Leadership held many conversations with both general members and staff advisors about how to increase the efficacy of the Council, but no good solution was found. The SSLC will continue to hold these monthly meetings and brainstorm about how to increase engagement throughout the upcoming spring semester.
The SSLC board met weekly. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact the Council at sslc-chair@mx-illinois.edu.
SSC Final Report
Associated Project(s):Attached is John Zhao's final report of the SSC Project:
Attached Files:SSC Semesterly Report: Diversion of Non-Recycable Plastics Using Pyrolysis Process Fuels for Campus
Associated Project(s):SSC received semesterly report for Fall 2021 for Diversion of Non-Recycable Plastics Using Pyrolysis Process Fuels for Campus on 12/29/21. Please see attached.
SSC Semesterly Report: vermiCUlture
Associated Project(s):SSC received a semesterly report for Fall 2021 for the vermiCUlture project on 12/12/2021. Please see attached.
Attached Files:SSC Semesterly Report: Eco Illini Supermileage
Associated Project(s):SSC received a semesterly report for Fall 2021 for the Eco Illini Supermileage project on 12/16/2021. Please see attached.
Attached Files:
