Dear SWATeam members,  We are so happy to welcome you to the FY20 SWATeams, including Energy, Land and Water, Zero Waste, Transportation, Education, and the new Resilience Working Advisory Team (RWAT).  SWATeams are an important part of our overall Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) efforts, and we truly appreciate your assistance and support! 

In 2014, iSEE worked with the Office of the Chancellor to develop the formal sustainability procedures to support the Carbon Commitment.  These procedures established the SWATeams, the iCAP Working Group (iWG), and the Sustainability Council.  In 2018 Chancellor Jones and the Mayors of Urbana and Champaign signed a Resilience Proclamation, so RWAT is the newest part of our SWATeam process.  We are currently working on an update to the iCAP procedures document. We’re also updating the 2015 iCAP plan to the new 2020 iCAP, and FY20 SWATeams will contribute to such an important milestone of iCAP!

For both returning and new SWATeam members, here are a few things to expect in the coming weeks:

• iSEE Director Evan DeLucia will be sending a formal charge letter for each team.
• iSEE Sustainable Programs Coordinator Meredith Moore is training the new SWATeam clerks and graduate assistant, Regina Cassidy.  Then the SWATeam clerks will contact you to schedule three full team meetings this semester, one in September, October, and November.
• The SWATeam pages on iSEE have been updated, and we will be updating the iCAP Portal pages.
• We will send you a schedule for the 2020 iCAP development, with specific timelines for the SWATeams to draft specific, measurable objectives for the 2020 iCAP.
• You will receive an invitation to the SWATeam kick-off event, hosted by iSEE in September.

As mentioned above, this year will be highly focused on drafting the 2020 Illinois Climate Action Plan iCAP.  Each of the SWATeams will be asked to recommend specific, measurable objectives for the 2020 iCAP.  To help facilitate this effort, the two of us, as co-chairs of iWG, will both be attending each full SWATeam meeting in September, October, and November.  The actual iCAP chapters will be written by members of the iWG and iSEE staff, based on the input received from SWATeams and campus, for review by the iWG.  In Spring 2020, there will be campus and community review of the draft chapters, and the SWATeams will be included as key stakeholders in that review process. Ultimately, the 2020 iCAP with a chapter for each SWATeam, and additional related chapters will be formally submitted to the Sustainability Council for campus approval.

The University is committed to being carbon neutral as soon as possible, and no later than 2050, and to bolstering our community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change. SWATeams play a key role to achieve those goals. We thank you for your willingness to assist in the efforts that will make us a model of sustainability for the nation. Thank you for your time, your enthusiasm and your continuous efforts!

Sincerely,

Ximing Cai and Morgan White

iCAP Working Group, co-chairs

Dr. Mohamed Attalla, Executive Director at F&S, responded to Dr. Ximing Cai, iWG Chair, on August 22, 2019 stating, "We will prepare the report as requested."

See the transmittal of PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement Recommendation.

See SWATeam Recommendation PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement here. 

Dean Kidwell responded to the iWG transmittal:

Ximing,

Thank you for sending this information to us. We are exploring the details surrounding these recommendations and will respond after our inquiry phase has been completed. 

I appreciate your efforts. 

Thank you,

Kim

See iWG transmittal: ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry - Transmitted.

See original SWATeam Recommendation ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry.

Following the completion of iWG assessment for PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement, the recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Evan Delucia, Director of the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment.

See iWG assessment of PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement attached.

See SWATeam Recommendation PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement here.

Following the completion of iWG assessment for Water007 SeeClickFix, the recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Mohamed Attalla, Director of Facilities & Services.

See iWG assessment of Water007 SeeClickFix attached.

See SWATeam Recommendation Water007 SeeClickFix here.

Following the completion of iWG assessment for ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry, the recommendation was transmitted to Dean Kimberlee Kidwell of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences.

See iWG assessment of ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry attached, saying, "Work with the university landscape architect, Brent Lewis, to develop a plan for adding trees along the Embarras, including costs and requirements, and supporting implementation."

See SWATeam Recommendation ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry here.

These are notes from 6/7/2019 iWG meeting. They have been submitted in an informal style.

Attached are the minutes from the iWG meeting on February 7, 2019.

Dr. Mohamed Attalla, Executive Director of Facilities & Services, responded via email to iSEE Associate Director of Sustainability Ximing Cai affirming the intent of F&S to hire a full-time Zero Waste Coordinator:

"We have reviewed the PWR013 Zero Waste Coordinator SWATeam Recommendation and iCAP Working Group Assessment, and we will proceed with hiring a full-time Zero Waste Coordinator. 

The key responsibilities for this position will be to “educate the campus on recycling, and to push for systemic changes to improve campus recycling” as suggested by the iWG. This position will report to Pete Varney and work closely with Morgan White.  Additionally, once the position is filled, that person will serve as the F&S staff person on the Purchasing, Waste, and Recycling SWATeam."

For future updates on this project, please visit Zero Waste.

See iWG Assessment of PWR013 Zero Waste Coordinator here.

See SWATeam Recommendation PWR013 Zero Waste Coordinator here.