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Projects Updates for Earth Month

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  1. Earth Month Campus Trash Pickup

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month

    During Earth Month, iSEE hosted its biannual trash pickup. More than 75 participants picked up 160 pounds of trash and recycling over the hour and a half long event. Participants also tallied the trash they picked up on a waste characterization sheet in order for UIUC to characterize its waste stream and determine what kind of outreach is needed in order to decrease waste and litter on campus. Highlights include more than 300 soft food wrappers, 180 beverage cans, 40 plastic bags, and more cigarette butts than participants could count collected during the pickup.

  2. Earth Month Energy Conservation Challenge

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month

    During Earth Month, iSEE hosted their biannual campus wide sustainability challenge. The Energy Conservation Challenge had more than 70 participants who carefully tracked their energy conservation over the entire month. Overall, the group increased their average weekly point total by 65% over the course of the month. This means the group took on 65% more energy conservation techniques such as hang drying clothes, unplugging appliances, installing more efficient light bulbs, writing to the University to encourage them to follow the Illinois Sustainable Investment Act, attending Illini Lights Out, using public transportation, and more. See iSEE's Contests and Challenges page for more details.

  3. Earth Month - Kindness Rocks

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month

    During Earth Month, iSEE hosted their annual Kindness Rocks event, where campus is invited is paint kind messages on rocks and place them around campus to spread positivity. More than 40 people came out to this event. See the attached file for a picture from the event.

    Attached Files: 

  4. 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: 

  5. Sustainability Grammys 2022!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The first-ever Sustainability Grammys, hosted by iSEE, SSLC, SSC, and the Illini Union Board was a tremendous success! Congratulations to Red Bison, Project4Less, and Grow2Give on earning awards in the Impact, Engagement, and Initiative categories respectively. 

    Attached Files: 

  7. Spring 2022 Semester Goals

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Earth Month
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Fossil Fuels Divestment
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    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. 

     

  8. Article: An Earth Month to Remember

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education
    Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet)
    TED Talk: Eco Edition Series
    Certified Greener Campus Programs
    Earth Month
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Solar Farm 2.0

    The Spring 2021 iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ) highlighted a diverse array of campus initiatives that made this year's Earth Month one to remember. Ranging from hosted events to sustainable energy, the article discusses the launch of the "TED Talk: Eco Edition" series, Solar Farm 2.0, community trash pickup, and more!

    Read the article in the attached files below. 

    Attached Files: 

  9. Spring 2021: iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW)
    Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)
    iSEE Congress
    iSEE Scholars
    Earth Month
    Certified Greener Campus Programs
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Solar Farm 1.0

    The Spring 2021 iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ) was released with the following message from Madhu Khanna, the Interim Director of iSEE:

     

    Dear Colleagues,

    Attached, please find the Spring 2021 “iQ” – the quarterly update from the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).

    It has remained a busy time here on our campus, as we bolstered our outstanding Congress and Critical Conversation events with the addition of two experts — activist Catherine Coleman Flowers and nuclear expert Denia Djokić — who are serving as Levenick iSEE virtual resident scholars.

    Thanks to the support of experts Eban Goodstein, Tami Craig Schilling, and Harriet Hentges, our new Environmental Leadership Program workshops for undergraduates were a rousing success.

    And we were so pleased to have a mix of virtual and in-person Earth Month events to engage students, faculty, and staff from across our campus!

    Please take a quick look at those updates and more in this six-page “iQ.” For more regular news, please sign up for our E-newsletter at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5031776.

    Best wishes for the summer,

    Madhu

    Attached Files: 

  10. Sustainability Message from Illinois Leadership!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach

    To wrap up Earth Week, President Killeen, Chancellor Jones, and leadership teams sent out the following message:

    "The University of Illinois System welcomes President Biden’s publicly announced commitment to action on climate change, a serious and essential statement of the country’s resolve to lead in building a better, more sustainable future.

    President Biden’s new plan to, among other things, cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030 also represents a call to the country’s centers of research and innovation for the bold ideas needed to make these goals reality.

    The University of Illinois System and its three universities stand ready to help."

    Go Illini!

    https://massmail.illinois.edu/massmailArchive 

  11. Trash Cleanup 4/7/21

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month
    Boneyard Creek Management

    The trash pickup on 4/7/21 was a great success, and a lot of fun too! Thirty people showed up and picked up 80 lbs of trash/recycling that would have otherwise likely made its way into Boneyard Creek! Most groups helped track and characterize the waste. The categories and data are attached.

    Check out our recap video here!

    We made it on the Earth Day Network map: https://cleanup.earthday.org/pages/find-a-cleanup

    Attached Files: 

  12. iWG/iCAP Team Social Hour - 4/5/21

    Associated Project(s): 
    Topical iCAP Teams
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Earth Month

    Hello iCAP Teams and happy spring! We are excited to invite you to the next iCAP Team/iWG social hour on Monday, April 5 from 4 – 5pm. The format will look a little different this time. We will be meeting on a cool platform called “Topia”, which will be more conducive for small group discussions.  

    Here is the link for our “iCAP 2020” platform: https://topia.io/icap-world

     Topia will not work on a tablet or phone, and it needs to be on a Chrome browser. Please take a few minutes and click the link above before the event, and let us know if you have any issues. The hour will consist of:

    4:00-4:10 – Welcome and learn about the Topia website

    4:10-4:35 – Breakout groups, visiting the different topical areas based on your interest (not specifically based on your team assignment)

    4:35-4:45 – Come back to the center (central park) and a representative from each group will provide a brief update on what the group talked about  4:45-4:50 – Highlight one of the iCAP projects

    4:50-5:00pm – Q&A, Conclusion

    Let us know if you have any questions. We are so excited to try this out with you in a few weeks. See you then!

    Meredith, Morgan, and Ximing

  13. Earth Month is Here!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month
    Earth Week
    TED Talk: Eco Edition Series
    iSEE Congress
    Boneyard Creek Management
    Sustainability at Career Fairs
    Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet)
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Solar Farm 1.0

    Earth Month is here! Can you believe it? I would like to first draw your attention to the iSEE Sustainability Calendar as a reference point for the many virtual and in-person events (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions) held this month and beyond. If you notice a missing event on the calendar, there is a link to submit an event yourself.

    Here are a few highlights:

    • TED Talk: Eco-Edition series - iSEE’s second TED Talk: Eco-Edition event, will be held from 7 – 8 PM CST, March 30. To complement our recent Plastic Free Challenge, this gathering will focus on plastic waste. Participants will view a prerecorded TED Talk, presented in September 2019 by Andrew Forrest: "A Radical Plan to End Plastic Waste." Afterward, all are invited to participate in a guided discussion and roundtable, hosted by Maddy Liberman (NRES/F&S Intern) and Shantanu Pai (ISTC/F&S). Registration is required; sign up here.
    • iSEE Congress – “The Future of Water”, April 6, 14, 20, 23 at noon. Over a series of Zoom webinars, iSEE Congress – Spring 2021 brings together a diverse group of researchers, educators, journalists, and activists to dive deeper into the topic. Our modified “teach-in” will introduce the Illinois campus and community to cutting-edge thinking from highly influential scholars on topics ranging from drought to the global politics of water to pollution, public health, and biodiversity.
    • Trash pickup event at Boneyard Creek, sponsored by iSEE and F&S, April 7, 3-5 PM. We will meet at 3 PM behind Engineering Hall and disperse from there (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions). Drop in and stay as long as you are able. Bags and supplies will be provided. More details here.
    • Sustainability Rocks on the Main Quad, April 8, 11 AM – 5 PM. Come paint a rock outside the Union with a sustainability/environmental theme (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions). Bring your own rock, or use one of ours! After you finish creating your rock, place it somewhere around campus for others to find! More details here.
    • Careers in Sustainability Panel Discussion (virtual), April 9, 12 – PM. Interested in careers in sustainability? Join us to hear a panel discussion from industry professionals and learn how the field is changing and how to pursue a career in sustainability. Registration is required; sign up here.  
    • Facilities & Services hosts a Virtual Open House of UIUC Solar Sites on Earth Day, April 22, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. April 22 on Topia (must use a computer, not a smart phone), Click this link to attend the Open House
    • TED Talk: Eco-Edition series – Earth Month, April 29, 7 – 8 PM. In celebration of Earth Month, this month’s topic will focus on environmental activism and action with a discussion hosted by iSEE Communications Intern and Earth, Society, & Environmental Sustainability student, Maria Maring. Registration is required; sign up here.
    • UIUC Arbor Day Celebration at CCNet, April 30, at Noon, on Zoom, Click this link at noon on Arbor Day to join the CCNet Zoom call

     

    We invite you to participate in any of the above opportunities (or celebrate in your own way!) to get “Caught Green-Handed!” this Earth Month! Get featured . . . Click here to let us know how you’re celebrating the Earth. Please reach out if you have any questions. Be sure to sign up for the iSEE newsletter to stay up-to-date on more sustainability opportunities. Have a great Earth Month (and don’t forget to continue the momentum beyond April)!

    Check it out: 

  14. Earth Week Event: Annual Keeling Lecture by Katharine Hayhoe

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Week
    Earth Month

    Join the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and iSEE for the annual Charles David Keeling Lecture. This year we feature noted atmospheric scientist and U of I alumna Katharine Hayhoe discussing “Climate Science in a Fact-Free World.” This "zero carbon" event is vailable on Zoom (Meeting ID: 722 887 599; Password: Keeling).

    April 20, 4–5 PM • Zoom Tony Mancuso • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    Earth Week Event: Annual Keeling Lecture by Katharine Hayhoe

    https://www.facebook.com/events/216025282792996/ 

     

  15. Celebrate Earth Month!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Month

    Untitled-design-2.pngHelp Us Celebrate Earth Month — Wherever You Are!

    It's officially Earth Month, and the countdown is on to Earth Day 2020 on April 22!

    On this 50th Earth Day, the theme nationally is climate action, and we have several virtual events scheduled — both informative and fun!

    On April 20, climate scientist and U of I graduate Katharine Hayhoe will deliver the annual Charles David Keeling Lecture online, via Zoom, "Climate Science in a Fact-Free World." Hayhoe — Director of the Climate Center and Associate in the Public Health Program of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Texas Tech University — writes that the best predictor of whether someone agrees that humans are responsible for climate change isn't their level of education or scientific literacy, but where they fall on the political spectrum. 

    On April 23, we will celebrate the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) with a Facebook Live event. Join us for a livestream discussion as we showcase a draft of iCAP 2020 and the hard work of the many people who contributed their time and effort this past year.

    You can find details below on how to participate in both events.

    And there's more! Starting next week, take our Earth Week Countdown Quiz on Instagram (@sustainillinois). And during Earth Week, chart your sustainable activities by playing Earth Week Blackout BINGO. Stay tuned for details!

  16. Illini Lights Out goes home

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out
    Earth Month

    You can start this weekend by participating in two virtual events. On Friday we're debuting "Illini Lights Out Goes Home" to encourage people to shut off their own lights at home to save energy. And we ask you to join the national Earth Hour celebration on Saturday by going dark for one hour from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Learn more about both events below.

     

    In accordance with campus safety guidelines, iSEE had to suspend all in-person events this semester, including the Spring 2020 Illini Lights Out series and activities related to Earth Month in April. A March 26 symposium on polar exploration, print culture and climate change, co-sponsored by iSEE and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, is among hundreds of campus events also postponed.

    But we are transitioning some of our Earth Month activities to an online format, and in the meantime our calendar has other ways for you to celebrate sustainability from the comforts of home!

    We will keep the Illinois Sustainability Calendar as up-to-date as possible, so please check back regularly there and in our upcoming newsletters for details! In ILO-goes-home.pngthe meantime, we want to extend thanks for your patience during these challenging times. We will continue to promote sustainability and the environment wherever we can!

     

    Check It Out: iSEE Sustainability Events Going Virtual!

  17. Earth Hour

    Associated Project(s): 
    Earth Week
    Earth Month

    On Saturday, March 28, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. CDT, individuals, businesses, and organizations from around the world will switch off their lights for just one hour to conserve energy and show support for the planet. This excellent social distancing activity can be done in your own home while joining the global movement launched in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund. To participate in our campus-wide effort of solidarity for the earth, RSVP to ILLINOIS Earth Hour on Facebook or learn more at https://www.earthhour.org.