On 4/10/2023, the Engagement005 DIA and Green Sports Alliance recommendation was transmitted to Josh Whitman and Timothy Knox, at the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA), with the following email. The iWG assessment is attached. 

Dear Mr. Whitman and Tim,

The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) Working Group (iWG) recently approved recommendation Engagement005 from the Engagement iCAP Team for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics to formally join the Green Sports Alliance. The expectation is that doing so would increase the visibility of campus sustainability efforts and put UIUC on par with fellow Big10 institutions that are integrating sustainability into athletics. Additional details are provided in the attached recommendation.

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 5, 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 Engagement005 DIA and Green Sports Alliance recommendation here.

On 4/9/2023, the Res005 Sustainability Economic Analysis recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Madhu Khanna, Director of iSEE, with the following email. The iWG assessment is attached. 

Hello Dr. Khanna,

The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) Working Group (iWG) recently reviewed recommendation Res005 from the Resilience iCAP Team to support student-led Sustainability Economic Analyses for the local community. The iWG discussed this and recommends that iSEE support this recommendation as described.  Please see the details included in the attached Resilience iCAP Team recommendation.  

The Formal iCAP Procedures includes a section on campus unit responsibilities upon receipt of a recommendation, and we respectfully request your response to this recommendation by May 3, if possible.  If you have any questions regarding this recommendation, we are happy to arrange a zoom call. 

Sincerely,

Morgan

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

MORGAN B. WHITE and

Dr. JENNIFER FRATERRIGO
Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP)

iCAP Working Group co-chairs

See the RES005 Sustainability Economic Analysis recommendation here.

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 Resilience iCAP Team submitted the attached Res005 Sustainability Economic Analysis recommendation to the iWG on 2/20/2023. The recommendation states:

Provide undergraduate research support for reporting on sustainability concepts including cost-benefit analysis, lifecycle costs, and finance considerations for Sustainability-related projects of interest to the local urbanized areas of Urbana, Champaign, and Savoy.

Topic examples include Green Infrastructure or Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy projects that municipalities are interested in undertaking. This research should help identify useful case studies and provide reporting on the economics of “green” capital projects of interest. Information showing that Green Infrastructure projects and/or Renewable Energy projects are fiscally sound, financially viable, and can demonstrate a return on investment have a greater chance for adoption over the easier “status quo” or lowest-bidder projects.

iSEE will provide some oversight and work to identify potential resources to partner with communities to answer sustainability questions with regard to “green” and “sustainable” community investments – where cost-benefit analysis and life cycle analysis reporting would be beneficial.  ISEE recommended that Eric Green’s ENVS 492 undergraduate course is an appropriate class to partner with.

This recommendation also seeks assistance from iSEE to help identify future funding for the development, implementation, and outreach of this plan.

Additionally, the Education iCAP Team will assist in identifying online and on-campus degree programs with capstone courses that may align with the project scope. The Resilience iCAP Team leaders will continue to work with community partners to identify areas of prioritized need to be shared with a growing network of faculty and programs who in turn, are interested in providing real-world research-based opportunities to their students.

Through ENVS 492 and potential online and on-campus capstone programs, students will work with communities to conduct research and outreach, and to disseminate applicable reports and findings.

Suggested unit/department to address implementation: ISEE

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

Madhu Khanna, Director of iSEE, responded to the Engagement iCAP Team on 12/12/22: 

Dear Engagement Team,

Thank you for submitting the Engagement002 Take Action Weblink recommendation. We agree that clarifying the Campus Sustainability page on the iSEE website to prioritize “taking action” is an important initiative.

While we fully support increasing visibility of sustainability best practices and involvement opportunities, we ask that the Engagement team provides an outlined vision of your suggestions on how to consolidate information on the Campus Sustainability Page. Additionally, please provide examples of what type of actions you would like to see by clicking a “take action” link.

Thank you again for your hard work and we look forward to reviewing your website suggestions!

Sincerely,

Madhu Khanna

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

See transmittal and iWG assessment of Engagement002 Take Action Weblink here.
See original submittal of Engagement002 Take Action Weblink recommendation here.  

The Engagement iCAP Team submitted the attached Engagement005 DIA and Green Sports Alliance recommendation to the iWG on 12/8/22. The recommendation states as follows:

The 2020 Illinois Climate Action Plan calls for the university to increase the visibility of campus sustainability efforts by joining the Green Sports Alliance through the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics by summer 2021. While the DIA has not formally joined the Green Sports Alliance, Facilities & Services became a member of the GSA in June 2021, and GSA presented at the October 2021 Illinois Green Infrastructure & Erosion Control Conference. Other Big Ten Institutions involved in the GSA are Indiana University, Michigan State University, Pennsylvania State University, The Ohio State University, The University of Iowa, The University of Michigan, and The University of Minnesota(Swanson 2022).

University of Illinois Athletics is a role model for college sports. Formally enrolling in the Green Sports Alliance will bridge the gap between organizations/colleges on campus, as well as leading sustainable efforts along with other Big 10 Schools.

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.