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: 

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. 

• Write SSLC bylaws. The Council has not previously had bylaws, and they are absolutely essential to moving forward in an organized and successful fashion. 

• 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. 

The following email was sent as a Massmail to U of I students:

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Hello students,

The Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) is a student-led organization that funds student, staff, and faculty project proposals via two student fees—the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee and the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee—which together make up the Illinois Green Fund. Projects selected for funding are those which provide the greatest benefit to sustainability on campus, while providing engaging, educational opportunities for students to learn more about sustainability. The SSC is accepting project applications now! 

Additionally, the SSC is introducing a new program to guide students from a broad interest in sustainability to a fully-fledged project application. By supporting applicants step-by-step through our process, we hope to engage students on a larger scale, ultimately resulting in the strongest applications possible. This new Project Funding Workshop Series will span five sessions, which can be found on the SSC calendar. Our first meeting will be held this Wednesday, September 29th, from 4-5 pm CT, in Lincoln Hall, Room 1065. We will discuss issues related to sustainability on campus that could be addressed with an SSC-funded project. In subsequent sessions, we will develop solutions to these challenges, create project proposals, and help participants write funding applications.

For anyone who is passionate about sustainability and the environment, this is a great opportunity to turn your passion into a tangible, positive change for the campus community! Presently, we are not offering this event online. If you are unable to attend in-person, but still would like to get involved with the SSC, you can stay up-to-date by signing up for our mailing list. If you are interested in becoming a General Member, or other aspects of the committee, please visit our website. Every student at the University pays approximately $14 a semester to the Illinois Green Fund, so please join us to help allocate these student dollars!

October is Campus Sustainability Month! We encourage you to attend UIUC’s inaugural Student Sustainability Summit this October, co-hosted with the Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC). This month-long program includes University- and community-led sustainability efforts through events such as Green Quad Day, a Sustainability Research Symposium, teach-ins, tours of campus facilities, a movie night, and much more! To learn about the full breadth of the summit and stay updated on other sustainability-related RSOs, add the SSLC’s calendar. You can also connect with our social media accounts @ssc_uiuc and @uiuc_sslc on both Twitter and Instagram! Finally, for more information on campus sustainability efforts and events, check out the iCAP (Illinois Climate Action Plan) Portal and iSEE (Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) Calendar.

We hope to see you at the Project Funding Workshop Series, Student Sustainability Summit, and more events throughout Campus Sustainability Month and beyond!

Best,

Jack Reicherts

SSC Chair

Campus Sustainability Month is right around the corner and we are very excited to invite you to a series of events throughout the entire month of October! Starting this week, Wednesday, September 29 at 6:00 PM, Dr. Ann Perry-Witmer is hosting the next TED Talk: Eco-Edition series over Zoom. She will present a pre-recorded TED Talk and lead a discussion on sustainable decision-making in everyday life - you won’t want to miss out. Register HERE. 

Next, back by popular demand, the second Waste Reduction Challenge begins on Monday, October 4. Participants track items they throw away from October 4 – October 31 to learn about and reduce individual waste generation as the month progresses. It is a fun and results-driven challenge with a supportive community. Throughout the month, we send helpful tips and tricks to make it as easy and informative as possible. Sign up HERE.

Other events in October include:

• Green Quad Day – October 7 from 10 – 4 PM
• Virtual Solar Open House – Topia online platform – October 15 from 1 – 2:30 PM
• Campus trash cleanup – Engineering Quad - October 15 from 3:30 – 5 PM
• TED Talk: Eco-Edition – Sustainable Economy with Alexa Smith – October 19 from 6 – 7 PM. Register for the Zoom event HERE.
• Campus Sustainability Celebration – NCSA (1205 W Clark St, Urbana) – October 20 from 1 – 4 PM
• Illini Lights Out – Foreign Language Building – October 22 from 5:30 – 7 PM. Sign up HERE.  
• Student Sustainability Summit: Research Symposium – Campus Instructional Facility 4029 - October 26 from 5 – 8 PM 

Check out more information and other Campus Sustainability Month events on iSEE’s Sustainability Calendar HERE. If you are aware of a sustainability event that is not listed on the calendar, let us know!  

Start filling your calendars – there are many opportunities to get involved, make a difference, and meet new people. Remember, while we have sustainability events all year long, Campus Sustainability Month is a month-long opportunity to highlight our environmental pride, connect with others, and increase participation in sustainability-related events by the U of I community and beyond. Get involved and come show your support! As always, we are here to answer any questions and guide you in the right direction.

Have a great week and happy Campus Sustainability Month!

The iCAP Working Group met on 5-14-21. The agenda was as follows: 

• Welcome, introductions
• Thank you graduating seniors: Joey, Jonah, and Creen!
• SSLC – Maria and Joey
• ZW003 GreenerOffice Delivery Service Enrollment 
• ZW002 Join NERC Government Recycling Demand Champions 
  • What does this give to us?
  • What would we be required to do?
  • Who would actually “join” the program? Purchasing, or a campus entity?
  • Need to finalize assessment language

• ZW004 Reusable Dining Containers Program
• LW003 Certified Green Building Certification 
  • Return? Instead, suggest developing an awards program

• Transportation iCAP Team presentation
• Engagement iCAP Team presentation (presentation attached) 
• Celebration of success ~ thank you!

The Zoom recording is found here. (must download in order to view)

A re-launch event ("Meet and Greet") of SSLC was held on 2-8-21. See the recording here.

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Hello! 

We are writing to invite you, on behalf of your environmental group, to attend a virtual “Meet and Greet” event on Monday, February 8, from 4-5 p.m. The purpose is to come together to discuss the function, structure, and purpose of the Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC) and relaunch the group. This organization is designed to provide an opportunity for sharing, collaboration, and centralized communication to streamline campus sustainability outreach and programs between student environmental groups and iSEE (Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment). SSLC can also function as a way for RSOs to receive help and support for projects and outreach.

Key topics that will be discussed: 

• What is the purpose of the SSLC? 
• How can the SSLC benefit student groups and what is the benefit of participation?
• Who should be a member of the SSLC?
• How should the SSLC be structured and led?

Your input and participation are essential to the success of this group and anyone is welcome to attend. We hope to see you at this discussion on February 8. Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or feedback in the meantime. See you soon!