ZW008 Adopt a Highway/Drain was returned to the Zero Waste iCAP Team by the iWG. See the following message:

Hello Zero Waste iCAP Team,

Last spring, the Zero Waste iCAP Team submitted a recommendation regarding the adopt a highway/drain programs (https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project-update/zw008-adopt-highwaydrain-submitted).  The iCAP Working Group discussed this a couple times and there were a few concerns raised by the iWG and by F&S, such as how we can ensure safety of a student group working on a street drain. You can see the related meeting notes attached here.  

We are returning this recommendation to your team for review.  If you believe this recommendation is a priority, please discuss it with the Land and Water iCAP Team and the Resilience iCAP Team to refine it before resubmitting. 

Thank you,

Morgan and Jen

=====================================

MORGAN B. WHITE and

Dr. JENNIFER FRATERRIGO
Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP)

iCAP Working Group co-chairs

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
sustainability@illinois.edu 
https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/

See the ZW008 Adopt a Highway/Drain recommendation here.

On 4/19/2023, the ZW010 Tailgate Recycling recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Ehab Kamarah, the Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of F&S, Josh Whitman and Timothy Knox, at the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA), with the following email. The iWG assessment is attached.

Dear Dr. Kamarah, Mr. Whitman and Tim,

The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) Working Group (iWG) recently approved recommendation ZW010 from the Zero Waste iCAP Team. The team recommends that Facilities and Services and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics work with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and the Environment to implement a recycling program at tailgate events during the 2023 football season and beyond. The expectation is that doing so would increase the visibility of campus sustainability efforts and put UIUC on par with fellow Big Ten institutions that are integrating sustainability into athletics. Additional details are provided in the attached recommendation and assessment.

The Formal iCAP Procedures include a section on campus unit responsibilities upon receipt of a recommendation, and we respectfully request your response to this recommendation by May 12, if possible. If you have any questions regarding this recommendation, we are happy to jump on a call with you to discuss it.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Fraterrigo

**************************************************

Dr. JENNIFER FRATERRIGO AND

MORGAN B. WHITE
Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP)

iCAP Working Group co-chairs

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
sustainability@illinois.edu  
https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/

See the ZW010 Tailgate Recycling recommendation here.

The Land and Water iCAP Team submitted the attached LW006 Paver Maintenance recommendation to the iWG on 4/10/2023. The recommendation states:

The Land & Water iCAP team recommends that the permeable asphalt in parking lot C9 be vacuumed. An industrial vacuum truck will be required to power wash and vacuum the clogged particulate matter that has accumulated over time.

Suggested unit/department to address implementation: Parking.

Morgan White, the Associate Director of F&S of Sustainability and Interim Director of Capital Programs at UIUC, responded to the LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed with the following message:

Dear Land and Water iCAP Team and iWG,

Thank you for your continued support and advocacy for the Illinois Climate Action Plan.  Last semester, we received the recommendation below for adding more milkweed around campus to support the monarch butterfly population, and we are happy to take action. 

F&S has the personnel and expertise to coordinate this effort successfully. The Grounds team will plant milkweed at the low mow zone and prairie areas, prioritizing the locations shown on your map.  Additionally, once our Grounds Workers do the seeding, they will be more likely to know where it is growing in the future and be able to avoid accidental mowings. 

To assist campus sustainability, F&S is amenable to doing the work without additional compensation.  We will also request $2,500 from the Illinois Green Fund for the purchase of enough seeds for roughly 64,000 SF of space, which can then be divided up into the multiple locations.  Some of the smaller locations suggested may not be planted, depending on future campus building plans.  For the low mow zones, plantings will be prioritized along road corridors where passers-by will be able to see the plants growing and ascertain the success rate. 

Please let Brent Lewis (copied) know if you have any questions.  We look forward to assisting our pollinator population with this project.

Thanks,

Morgan

For future updates related to the Monarchs Need Milkweed, see the Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas project here. 

See the iWG assessment LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed and transmittal update here.

See the original LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed recommendation here. 

The Zero Waste iCAP Team submitted the attached ZW010 Tailgate Recycling recommendation to the iWG on 3/24/2023. The recommendation states:

The Zero Waste Team recommends that Facilities & Services (F&S) and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) work with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) to implement a recycling program at tailgate events during the 2023 football season and beyond.

The following would require F&S to provide blue bags, which Athletics will distribute to tailgate participants when they are checking in by car. These bags will contain paper instructions stapled onto each blue bag. The attached paper will convey what recyclable materials can be placed in the blue bag, and will include a map with locations of “collection hubs” (location at which a F&S recycling pan is placed) – at Lot 31 and Lot 32 – so tailgaters know where to bring their filled blue bags. In addition, F&S and iSEE will work together to solicit volunteer support for the tailgate events. Volunteers will be spread across the tailgating lots to distribute more blue bags as needed and offer educational support to fans as questions about trash and recycling arise.

Following the end of the tailgating event, volunteers will assist with clean up (recyclables collection) from the Grange Grove field. The volunteers will work with DIA to ensure that F&S receives the recyclables from this clean-up session, prior to DIA’s sweep.

Additionally, the Zero Waste Team requests 1-2 iSEE tents to establish a visible presence at each “collection hub.” It is recommended that 2 volunteers will be manning each tent, where they will be collecting filled blue bags from fans, handing out more blue bags, and incentivizing/rewarding participants with free merchandise (as available).

F&S, iSEE, and DIA will communicate with Illini Union/the Bookstore regarding opportunities for partnership. Additionally, the F&S Zero Waste Coordinator (ZWC) will communicate with campus’ Coca-Cola Representative, Jake Slager, about allocating the mutual sustainability funds for tailgating merchandise. The ZWC will also work with the DIA marketing team to ensure that fans attending the game (season ticket and single ticket holders) are aware of the tailgate recycling activities happening, through their communications strategy.

Following the football event, the Zero Waste Team recommends that DIA facilitate a survey opportunity for fans, with input regarding what questions are asked from F&S and iSEE. During the November 14th, 2022 inaugural Fighting Illini, Fighting Waste basketball event, DIA surveyed fans with the following questions:

1. “Did you notice that this [basketball] game was a recycling-focused event?” YES / NO
2. “Did you recycle your bottles and/or cans at the [basketball] game?” YES / NO
3. “Do you support having more emphasis on recycling in future [basketball] games?” YES / NO

It is recommended that a similar approach is taken for tailgate recycling. Allowing fans to voice their feedback is crucial for DIA, iSEE, and F&S to improve on fan experience for future events.

After the football game, volunteers will work with DIA to sweep the stadium for leftover recyclables.

Suggested unit/department to address implementation: Facilities & Services, the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics

The iWG met on 12-12-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached. 

1. Brief introductions
2. LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed
   1. Jen to transmit to F&S
3. Education008 Sustainability in Study Abroad
4. Engagement003 Sustainability Ambassador Program  
5. Engagement004 ADV498 Sustainability Campaign Partnership
6. Engagement005 DIA and Green Sports Alliance

Next meeting:

1. ZW009 Project4Less Expansion (Jamie to talk with Alma)
2. Res004 Student Support for Coordinated Rainwater Management Plan
3. Energy010 Establishment of a Clean Energy Plan Conference Committee
4. Energy011 Priority Technologies and Practices for a Clean Energy Plan

The Land and Water iCAP Team submitted the attached LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed recommendation to the iWG on 12/7/22. The team also submitted a supplemental map (attached) of proposed milkweed locations. The recommendation states as follows:

The Land and Water iCAP Team recommends the plantings of milkweed (Asclepias syriaca, A. incarnata, A. tuberosa), across the UIUC campus in order to support migratory Monarch Butterfly populations. Plantings could be introduced into existing landscape beds and/or smaller milkweed specific planting beds, as well as in designated low mow zones and prairies.

The PWR010 Ethics Video recommendation is supplanted by PWR014 Sustainability Ethics Training. 

See the submittal of PWR010 Ethics Video.
See the transmittal and iWG assessment of PWR010 Ethics Video. 

For future updates, see Sustainability Training Best Practices Video.