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Projects Updates for theme: Resilience

  1. Geothermal Urbana-Champaign readies for year two, RFP is out for proposals

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal Urbana-Champaign

    The City of Urbana has issued a request for proposals for the second year of its Geothermal U-C program, the geothermal group buy program being led by the city. The group buy will make geothermal available to any residents of Champaign, Piatt and Vermillion counties. The GAOI will assist the city with the program this year, providing mainly education programs for interested consumers, as it did for the first year program.

    The RFP can be found at the city's website at https://www.urbanaillinois.us/node/9623. The deadline for submissions from installing contractors is noon on January 21. For information, contact Scott Tess at the city at 217-384-2381 or stess@urbanaillinois.us.

  2. Big 10 & Friends Waste Affinity Group

    Associated Project(s): 
    Big Ten & Friends Sustainability

    From: Anya Dale <anyadale@umich.edu>

    To: Leciejewski, Mary <leciejewski.8@osu.edu>
    Cc: Moore, Meredith Kaye <mkm0078 at illinois.edu>; White, Morgan <mbwhite at illinois.edu>; Kokini, Eugenie Jenny <jkokini at illinois.edu>
     

    Hi all,

     

    If interested, please fill out this short survey on your property reuse programs/initiatives. (FYI: Purdue, Penn State, U of Texas - Austin, and U of Minnesota have already submitted a survey response.)  If you plan to participate in the survey, it would be wonderful if it were done by the end of the business day Wednesday so I can update the data for sharing at the Thursday meeting (see below).  I will also send the updated information along with the notes from the discussion to this email group by the end of the week.

     

    As mentioned, the survey really only gathers high-level data.  We are hoping to get more into the interesting and in-depth discussion in our follow-up meeting this Thursday from 9-10:30 am EST.  Please email me if you'd like to be invited!  The more the merrier for this conversation.

     

    Anya Dale, MUP (she/her/hers)

    Manager, Waste Reduction and Engagement

    Office of Campus Sustainability

    University of Michigan Facilities & Operations

    734-936-5238

  3. Article Accepted in Groundwater

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Geothermal Coalition

    From: cs-author@wiley.com <cs-author@wiley.com>
    Sent: Monday, December 27, 2021 6:15 PM
    To: Lin, Yu-Feng <yflin at illinois.edu>
    Subject: In Production: Your article accepted in Groundwater

     

    Dear YU-FENG F. LIN,

    Article ID: GWAT13159
    Article DOI: 10.1111/gwat.13159
    Internal Article ID: 17279842
    Article: Coupling a borehole thermal model and MT3DMS to simulate dynamic ground source heat pump efficiency
    Journal: Groundwater

    Congratulations on the acceptance of your article for publication in Groundwater.

    Your article has been received and the production process is now underway. We look forward to working with you and publishing your article. Using Wiley Author Services, you can track your article’s progress.


    Please click below to login - if you are using a different email address than this one, you will need to manually assign this article to your Dashboard (see How do I assign a missing article to My Dashboard?):

    Link to Author Services: https://authorservices.wiley.com/index.html#article/17279842?campaign=email_invitation-new

    If applicable, a list of available actions will appear below – check out your Author Services Dashboard for all actions related to your articles.

    Track your article's progress to publication
    Access your published article


    If you need any assistance, please click here to view our Help section.

    Sincerely,
    Wiley Author Services

  6. UPD Climate Change Event Planning - Aug 2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana Park District (UPD) Climate Action, Resilience, Education and Sustainability (CARES) Plan

    Hello, friends!

    I am planning a large climate-change-focused community event for August 22-29, 2022, to take place at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana. We are seeking community partners to get involved in planning (especially partners who reflect the wide diversity of our community). I am reaching out here just as a feeler to start…

    ·Would you or someone from your workplace like to be invited to a planning meeting in the coming month?

    ·Is there anyone you recommend I reach out to?

    ·Do any of you know who used to plan the Green Fair-type events that were at Research Park several years ago?

     

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have for me!

     

    A very rough draft of a schedule and activities is included below, so you can get an idea about what we’re thinking. This is all subject to change, of course!

     

    Sat, Aug 20

    Candlelight Symphony Boat Event (Janet)

    Climate Fresk workshop(s) for youth and/or adults (Savannah) (David?)

    Mon, Aug 22

    Talk: Climate Change in Champaign County (Savannah; Climate Reality)

     

    Tues, Aug 23

    Talk: IL State Climatologist Trent Ford (or Jim Angel?)

     

    Wed, Aug 24

    Program: sustainable cooking / food

     

    Th, Aug 25

    Talk: IL Clinicians for Climate Action

     

    Fri, Aug 26

    Movie Screening (w/ free food?)

    C4 Green Drinks

    ·Involve Riggs / “uncorked” / craft beer

    Sat, Aug 27

    Main Event:

    ·Green Vehicles “Touch a Truck”

    ·Live Music

    ·Tree planting / care (Ryan Pankau?)

    ·Community Bike Rodeo / other biking component (Open Road @ CLP)

    ·Public Input opportunities

    ·Create community art piece (something to leave behind after the event)

    ·End with nighttime luminaire “reflection” event on the lake

     

    Sun, Aug 28

    Rain Date: Main Event

     

     

    To add to draft schedule??:

    • “Run for the Sun” fun run?
    • KRT bike ride?
    • Recycling component/collection
    • Community art display
    • TickTock contest?

     

     

    Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!

    Savannah

     

    UPD Logo 2020

    Savannah Donovan (she/her)
    Environmental Program Manager

    President-Elect, Environmental Education Assoc. of IL

    p: 217-384-4062 ext. 359 | f: 217-384-1052
    Anita Purves Nature Center | Urbana Park District

    1505 N. Broadway Ave. Urbana, IL 61801

    Read our Strategic Plan

    Read our COVID-19 Facility Guidelines

    www.urbanaparks.org

    You belong

  8. CTAC fall 2021: Charge Letter, Presentation file, Meeting recording

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC)
    Vision Zero
    Walkability Study

    Please see attached the presentation for the CTAC meeting in Fall 2021. This meeting was held on December 3, 2021. Here is the link to see the recording of this meeting: https://uofi.box.com/s/ezoxpyo8xp2bysocygvj4hnh7cnm9xi3

    Attached Files: 

  9. Sustainability and Green Job Certifications

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Green Jobs
    Resilience iCAP Team

    Sustainability & Green Job Certification examples have now been included on the Institute for Energy, Sustainability, and the Environment (iSEE) Education Portal website.  Scroll down on the page to find and review Professional Certification Programs.  This list can be used to inspire and provide insight into green careers. Green Job Certification Topics include: 

    Buildings & Energy

    Environmentalism & Advocacy

    Climate Change and Sustainability Professionals, Business, Reporting

    Water

    Outdoors, Gardening, Wildlife, Natural Resources

    A downloadable Excel file titled "Job Certifications" provides additional detail about these certifications and these careers.

  10. Local Carbon Offset Programs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Develop Local Carbon Offset Program [ARCHIVED]

    From: Ricci, Marcus <mericci@urbanaillinois.us>
    Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 1:32 PM
    To: icap-resilience at lists.illinois.edu
    Subject: RE: [icap-resilience] Revolving Loan Fund example for evaluation

     

    *** Email From An External Source ***

    Today’s Lunchtime Stroll Through the Internet: “Local Carbon Offset Programs.”

     

    I hit on “The Offset Project” which started off in 2010 as a not-for-profit program in Monterey Bay, to fund sustainability programs that reduce carbon emissions: https://theoffsetproject.org/programs-and-services/local-offset-projects/top-local-offset-projects/.

     

    They eventually morphed into a for-profit group that helps/services others to do the same: http://www.bluestrikeenvironmental.com/. One of their clients was UC Santa Cruz and the City of Watsonville, the latter of which instituted a Carbon Fund Ordinance which “establishes a Carbon Fee to be charged to all development projects except single family residential alterations, temporary buildings, and/or building area that is not used as conditioned space. The goal of the Carbon Fund Ordinance is to encourage the implementation of renewable energy in development projects. The money collected from the Carbon Fund Fee are placed in a separate account to be used for citywide greenhouse gas reduction projects.” https://www.cityofwatsonville.org/1765/Carbon-Fund-Ordinance

     

    So, if we (someone) wanted to pick their brains (for free) Kristin from Blue Strike Environmental would be willing to chat with us, and provide the Power Point presentations they used at City of Watsonville.

     

    The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund sounds similar to UIUC’s sustainability funds, so it could be used, in general, to pay for offsetting carbon: https://sustainability.ucsc.edu/engage/funding/carbon-fund/about/index.html.

     

    By the way, I *really* dislike the use of the word “offset.” I feel that an offset is when you are paying for emitting something, when what we are trying to do (I think?) is actually *reduce* carbon emissions.

                    Merriam-Webster: : to cancel or reduce the effect of (something) : to create an equal balance between two things

     

    Are we trying to reduce the emissions themselves? Or allowing all of the emissions and just fixing their effects?

     

    Be safe, stay healthy,

    Marcus

     

    Marcus Ricci, AICP
    Planner II

    Community Services Department | City of Urbana
    400 S Vine St | Urbana, Illinois 61801
    217.328.8283

    cid:image001.jpg@01D799AC.BF71CD50

     

    Scott Tess shared these resources for local projects: 

     

    https://www.green-e.org/certified-resources/carbon-offsets

     

    https://www.climateactionreserve.org/how/voluntary-offset-program/

     

  11. Career Services Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Green Jobs
    Resilience iCAP Team

    Stacy Gloss and Meredith Moore met with Amanda Cox and Samantha Potempa from University Career Services to discuss how to connect students to Green Jobs and Green Job Certifications.  Career Services staff described the services provided for students. Career Services across campus are distributed between the Colleges and students can meet with the central Career Services group or academic & career advisors in the College of their major. Career Services can provide presentations to both classrooms and RSO student groups. Trained peer career advisors can give presentations on interviewing, resume writing, Linked-in profiles and personal statements. A Career Services Council meets on a quarterly basis to discuss current issues and affairs. iSEE can have a representative join the Career Services Council. 

    Additional resources for students include:

  12. Resilience Work Meeting 11/18/21

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Develop Local Carbon Offset Program [ARCHIVED]
    Green Jobs
    Resilience iCAP Team

    Stacy Gloss, Meredith Moore, Morgan White, and Scott Tess met to discuss Resilience Team work. 

    We discussed:

    • NGICP presentation scheduled for December 10 with presentations by Heidi Leuzler and Eliana Brown
    • NGICP SSC Step II Application to be submitted 11/19/21
    • Carbon Offset Program development. Discussed that "local" for this objective means within boundaries of Champaign County.  Next questions to answer are: Why, What, How for developing a local carbon offset program.

  13. Meeting to discuss Carbon Offsets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Develop Local Carbon Offset Program [ARCHIVED]

    11/17/2021

    Present: Morgan White, Meredith More, Eric Green, Tony Mancuso, Stacy Gloss

    Gloss provided an overview of the local carbon offset objective as described in the iCAP. There was discussion that there are two sides to the issue. 1. The funding mechanism. 2. What projects are funded by off-setting faculty & staff travel impacts?

    The team was asked to review the carbon offset programs by the University of California System and Duke University as two different models. The first is a campus-system internal model where funds are used to develop projects on campuses throughout the system. A university-system advisory board receives applications for projects and approves the projects that meet program requirements.  The Duke carbon offset initiative involves a portfolio of offsets including a methane capture waste-to-energy at an industrial farm,  urban tree planting program, avoided conversion, wetland restoration, and a pilot program for residential energy efficiency piloted in 2012 --- these programs happen off-campus.

    We agreed that there is an economies-of-scale issue with local off-sets to overcome. For local-community-based projects, the cost per off-set is going to be higher than aggregating funds into one industrial scale project or program. An carbon-off-set company, for example, might contact a city and offer $1.00 per tree for off-sets, but it costs over $400 to install and maintain a tree.  (A program like this appears to generate a very small added value to the paid organization.)

    U of I campus renewable energy & energy efficiency projects can be tracked by the campus energy office. For community off-sets, an agency (university or otherwise) would need to set up a mechanism to collect and distribute funds for community-based projects, perhaps through a non-for-profit interface. Projects can include urban tree-planting, renewable energy, energy efficiency, prairie restoration etc. 3rd party verification is needed.

    As a next step, this team and others must define "local" in "local offset program" in order to meet this objective in the iCAP. Is the program going to be internal to campus, or include the local community as recipients of funds community projects?

    This team must also interpret what the iCAP is saying to off-set. 

    • Annual business air-travel by faculty & staff? 
    • Vehicle miles driven by faculty & staff on University business?
    • All electricity & heat generated by carbon sources for the University of Illinois?

    These questions are fundamental to designing and implementing a local-carbon-offset program.  

  14. Green Certifications Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Green Jobs

    11/17/2021

    Present: Tony Mancuso, Meredith Moore, Eric Green, & Stacy Gloss

    A meeting was held to discuss student engagement, green jobs, and career planning.

    Agenda items included: 

    1) Possible potential for interviewing iSEE Fellows Minor Grads about their current careers - involving the communications department.

    2) Possible idea for introducing a mentoring program. The idea is to have iSEE fellows grads who are settled into careers serve as mentors for undergraduate fellows in the minor. A program like this would need to have more intentional development and administrative support.

    3) Getting green jobs certifications information onto the iSEE website under the Education Portal https://sustainability.illinois.edu/education/student-resources/.

    Stacy & Tony will work on this.

  15. Key Steps Supporting Vision Zero in 2021-2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Vision Zero

    During the falls semester Stacy Gloss met with campus and community stakeholders to discuss Vision Zero in our community. The attached report provides recommendations for campus to update and modify Transportation policies, support and advocate for community traffic safety efforts, provide leadership and support to local transportation departments, expand and create new student engagement and project opportunities, and develop a relationship with the Vision Zero network.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Illinois EPA and UIUC @ "Introduce Online Curriculum Focusing on Energy"

    Associated Project(s): 
    Educate Future Leaders
    Support Regional Sustainability

    Attached is the link to the UIUC's participation and the Illinois e-News Release. 

    https://pathways.mste.illinois.edu/curriculum/energy

     

    Illinois e-News Release

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 9, 2021                                Contact: Kim Biggs
                                                                  217-558-1536
                                                                  Kim.Biggs@illinois.gov

    Illinois EPA and University of Illinois at Introduce Online Curriculum Focusing on Energy

    Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest to Follow Unit

    SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (MSTE) have again partnered to create a new online science curriculum unit for fifth and sixth grade educators: How does a bulb light? The unit helps students explore energy, electricity use, and power sources and how they relate to climate change. The Illinois EPA’s Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest theme “Get Energized About Slowing Down Climate Change!” will follow the new curriculum.

    Educators, parents, and caregivers are asked to introduce these topics using the newly developed free, online curriculum. The unit is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Following the unit, students are asked to create posters or written works for the Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest related to the theme’s focus. Entries must be submitted to the Illinois EPA by February 1, 2022. Additional information on the Contest can be found at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/education/contest/Pages/default.aspx.

    “Educators and students have faced numerous challenges as they have adapted to hybrid, remote, and in-classroom learning. It is our hope these virtual opportunities allow students to continue to grow their knowledge of the environment and the importance of protecting it,” said Illinois EPA Director John Kim. “This year’s unit is especially relevant to current events related to climate change, and we are excited to see it translated to pieces of art and written work for the upcoming Contest.”

    How does a bulb light? will help students investigate the everyday phenomenon of an electric light turning on. Students will observe two strings of LED lights turn on, one being powered by battery and the other by plugging into a wall outlet. Students will record their observations and “wonderings,” which will drive the flow of the unit as students plan and carry out their own investigations to answer their questions. This will include investigating electricity production and delivery, when and how to conserve, and recent and future changes in the energy system, including changes in transportation energy demands. The curriculum is available online to teachers and parents at https://pathways.mste.illinois.edu/curriculum/energy. 

    Illinois EPA is proud to again partner with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education to expand the Environmental Pathways curriculum. Earlier units developed through this partnership include “Where does my food go?” and “Why is the pond green?,” which can be found at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/education/Pages/pathways.aspx.

    Information about all of Illinois EPA’s environmental education programs can be found at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/education/Pages/default.aspx, or by contacting Kristi Morris, Environmental Education Coordinator for the Illinois EPA by email at Kristi.Morris@illinois.gov.

    Attachments

     

  17. Illini Union Green Team Fall Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Participate in Regional Green Teams

    Notes from Illini Union Green Team fall meeting include:

    - Raneeta Mack, specialist in social media from Illini Union's marketing team, has joined the Illini Union Green Team. 

    - Planning/outreach plan for Earth Week has been dropped into "Earth Week Planning" Teams file folder.

    - Izabel Carmen will attend next Student Sustainability Committee Board meeting on 11/19/21, 1PM to speak to the Earth Week programming and coordination. 

    Attached Files: 

  20. Climate Rally 11/12 at ISU Campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    Support Regional Sustainability
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)

    The following information was received from Haley Cepek, the secretary for the Student Environmental Action Coalition at Illinois State University:

    We are currently planning a climate rally in response to the recent COP26 conference. It would take place this Friday, 11/12/21, starting at 1pm at Uptown Circle right outside ISU campus. I want to spread the word over to the University of Illinois so that more people would have the opportunity to use their voice for change. It is an important event and I would love for University of Illinois to have representation. I would greatly appreciate if you could help me in spreading the word over to your campus. We are hoping to make as big of an impact as we can with this rally, and we would truly benefit from combining our communities together to support one cause.

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