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Project Updates for Zero Waste iCAP Team

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  1. Varsity Room Sustainability Initiatives

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Sports Alliance (GSA)
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) Climate Action Plan

    Team Clerk Claire Keating met with Zero Waste Team Clerk Nikki Palella and Justin Holding, a member of the engagement team.

    The meeting content included brainstorming zero-waste food containers for athletes who participate in meals provided by DIA and Hendrick House.

    Meeting also covered updates on Green Sports Alliance recommendation and future contacts.

     

  2. Urban Biodiversity Master Plan Student Support

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urban Biodiversity Master Plan
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team

    Biodiversity Plan intern Gabriel Harper-Hagen is looking for students and student groups to help him develop two iNaturalist surveys for the project. Here is the detailed explanation from Gabe:

    The survey will act as a pilot for future surveying around campus and the broader community. We will have two surveys: one focused on animals and one focused on plants. This is because of the different methods of surveying each. The surveys will benefit from as many students that would be interested in this for either one (Or both). The survey will attempt to efficiently gather data about the diversity of plant and animal species found on campus to create a baseline for what is present and to help identify gaps on the campus where diversity may be lacking. If successful, I hope to expand the model to other parts of the community including the park districts to have larger community based BioBlitz seasonally to keep track of the diversity in the area and measure success of the biodiversity plan. 

     

    As far as students can help, we need enough people to survey the area efficiently in a reasonable amount of time. The student groups and individual students would be helping in an initial survey that focuses only on the campus. My thought is that a date will be set for each of the two surveys where the participants can join to go over brief instructions on identifying plants with iNaturalist, adding them to the project, and explaining the purpose of surveying. iNaturalist allows for specific project data to be collected within a region which is then peer reviewed. Ideally, there will be some experts (students or professors if appropriate) that join for each survey to help with logistics and identification. I hope this will not only be a useful database for our campus to utilize, but also a fun learning experience. 

     

    All iCAP students and environmental student groups are encouraged to participate. If interested, please email Gabe (harperh2@illinois.edu) and Resilience iCAP Team clerk Asli Topuzlu (aslit2@illinois.edu). 

  6. iCAP Team Priority Areas 2022-2023

    Associated Project(s): 
    Topical iCAP Teams
    Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team

    The following email was sent to the iCAP Teams:

    Hello iCAP Teams,

    Thank you again for serving on these important campus sustainability committees, and for your commitment to helping the university achieve the objectives in the Illinois Climate Action Plan.  As promised in the charge letters you received, we are attaching the Key Priorities Document here.  The attached document includes a section for each iCAP Team, with two parts in each section: Priority areas and in progress iCAP Portal projects.

    1. Priority Areas

    In order to help our campus move from STARS Gold to STARS Platinum, we have identified priority areas where our university can potentially improve. iSEE’s summer intern Tyler evaluated the latest UIUC STARS report and identified example case studies from STARS Platinum schools.  Tyler’s report is online at “Report on Improving UIUC STARS Score.” The priority areas also include topics for potential recommendations that have been brought up in previous discussions with the campus sustainability teams.  One example of this is the current efforts to reduce plastic waste on campus.

    Many prior iCAP team members have expressed a desire for guidance on appropriate topics for recommendations, so we are providing this guidance to assist your team with focus areas for development of recommendations.  We encourage you to investigate these ideas with gusto; reach out to people at other schools to learn more about the ideas and contact people on our campus who would have a stake in the project (“stakeholders”) to understand how it could fit into our campus. You should also review the recommendation template to see the information that needs to be completed when you submit a recommendation to the iCAP Working Group. 

    1. In progress iCAP Portal projects

    The iCAP Portal has over 900 projects and contains information about our campus sustainability efforts, going back as far as 2003. The information is primarily entered by members of the iCAP Teams, the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC), and a few volunteers.  We are requesting your assistance to get updates on some of the projects that are listed as “In Progress.”  For each of the projects listed in the attached file, please answer the following questions:

    • Who is the current contact person? The project records on the iCAP Portal may provide past contacts, and your team members may have relevant information.
    • Is the project completed? If not, what is the current status of the effort?
    • What changes are needed on the iCAP Portal project page content? Pictures would be particularly nice to be able to share on the Portal.

    We are very excited about this coming year, and we want to support you in any way necessary.  Please reach out to any of us at any time.

    Thank you,

    Morgan, Jen, and Meredith

    Attached Files: 

  8. iCAP Team Charge Letters 2022-2023

    Associated Project(s): 
    Topical iCAP Teams
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team
    Resilience iCAP Team

    iSEE Director, Madhu Khanna, sent out the seven iCAP Team charge letters for the 2022-2023 academic year (attached). 

    "Thank you once again for your service in helping to make the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign a more sustainable campus. Attached is your charge letter for the 2022-2023 academic year with an outline of your campus sustainability duties as part of the iCAP Team. We look forward to your positive and impactful contributions."

    Attached Files: 

  9. Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) Supporting Member

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Increase Recycling Rates

    In Spring of 2022, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign became a Supporting Member for the Northeast Recycling Council’s (NERC).

    As an Advisory Member, we are invited to:

     

    • Submit articles for the Email Bulletin.  
    • Submit blogs – which will be advertised on social media.
    • Participate in four substantive committees:
      • glass markets
      • regional recycling markets
      • bottle bills
      • diversity, equity and inclusion
    • Participate in Projects or Initiatives:
    Attached Files: 

  10. iCAP Team Kickoff 2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Climate Leadership Commitments
    Energy iCAP Team
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team

    The iCAP Teams and iCAP Working Group gathered for the annual kickoff event on 8-24-22. Current members attended to learn about the iCAP 2020, the role of the teams and members, and meet sustainability staff and fellow team members. The presentation is attached and the recording can be found here. 

    Attached Files: 

  11. iWG Meeting Minutes 5-23-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Clean Energy Plan
    Zero Waste iCAP Team

    The iWG met on 5-23-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached.

    1. Revisit ZW008
    2. ABE469 – student group worked on developing a scope for the Clean Energy Plan - https://uofi.box.com/s/p8rov2a176ow0nbwy5n3dh3b1ym2u36m
    3. Continue discussion on what to include in the scope of Comprehensive Energy Planning Document
    4. Thanks for all of your hard work this year!
    Attached Files: 

  12. iWG Meeting Minutes 4-19-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Earth Month

    The iCAP Working Group met on 4-19-22 and discussed the following agenda: 

    1. ZW007 Composting Committee (Alexa Smith and Sydney Trimble)
    2. ZW008 Adopt a Highway/Drain (Alexa Smith and Sydney Trimble)
    3. Res003 Collecting Info about Environmental Justice Needs (Stacy Gloss)
    4. Updates
      1. Earth Month – Meredith
      2. SSC
      3. SSLC
      4. ISG

    The meeting minutes are attached. 

    Attached Files: 

  16. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Establish a Net Zero Waste Plan and Policy
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Thursday, March 31 to de-brief the Plastics Reduction Strategy discussion, review committee member research on the Adopt-a-Highway/Adopt-a-Drain and Composting Committee Recommendations, and begin discussion on amending the Campus Administrative Manual's Paper Policy. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  17. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Establish a Net Zero Waste Plan and Policy
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Large-Scale Food Waste Composting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Thursday, March 31 to de-brief the Plastics Reduction Strategy discussion, review committee member research on the Adopt-a-Highway/Adopt-a-Drain and Composting Committee Recommendations, and begin discussion on amending the Campus Administrative Manual's Paper Policy. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  18. iWG Meeting Minutes 3-29-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Energy iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Sustainability Council

    The iWG met on 3-29-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached. 

    1. Review from last meeting
      1. Energy008 – will be returned pending completion of planning doc
      2. Energy009 – update from Qu?
    2. New recommendations
      1. ZW005 Water Bottle Survey
      2. ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking
    3. Overview of Sub-Council Agenda
    4. Round the table - updates
    Attached Files: 

  19. iWG Meeting Minutes 2-25-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Energy iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Achieve Zero Waste

    The iWG met on 2-25-22 and discussed the Energy008 and Energy009 recommendations, Trans014, and plastic reduction initiatives. Andy Stumpf and Bill Rose, the Energy iCAP Team chairs, joined the meeting to discuss the two Energy recommendations. The meeting minutes are attached. 

    Attached Files: 

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