Per the request of Morgan on 12/2/22, Daphne Hulse began the task of requesting inventories from auxiliary facilities: Illini Union, Campus Recreation, McKinley, Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, and University Housing.
Below is an email exchange between Morgan White, Jennifer Fratterigo, and Daphne Hulse:
Hi Daphne,
Per the discussion this morning in the Sustainability Sub-council, please work with Aaron Finder to identify the UIUC concession revenue related to bottled water sales for Housing, the Union, and DIA.
We would like to have this information in advance of the Sustainability Council meeting on 12/13, if possible.
Thanks,
Morgan
-----------------------------
Hi Daphne,
In addition to determining the revenue for bottled water sales, we also discussed collecting information about tipping fees for Housing, the Union, and DIA. These fees could be an offset for potentially lost revenue if water bottle sales were reduced. It would be great if you would send information about tipping fees before the Sustainability Council meeting.
Thanks,
Jen
--------------------------------
Hi Jen,
I have reached out to Aaron to remind him about this request J
For the tipping fees, could you detail more what this would look like? I remember it mentioned during the meeting, but I don’t think I’m fully understanding what a tipping fee is. Is this similar to a tax of some kind?
Thank you,
Daphne
-----------------------------------
Hi Daphne,
Thanks for contacting Aaron to refresh the request!
Tipping fees are the fees paid to send trash to the landfill. I assume DWS charges a fixed rate per pound of trash. The units are responsible for paying these fees for the amount of trash they produce. Shawn should have this information, but I don’t know to what extent the fees are broken down by unit. I would like the finest resolution available, as I can always aggregate it to the level that is most useful.
The thinking is that, if revenue declines because we reduce demand for beverages in plastic bottles, then waste generated may also decline (assumes most bottles are being thrown in the trash rather than recycled). This in turn would reduce the tipping fees a unit pays. However, I have not yet figured out how to estimate the change in weight and thus fees if fewer bottles are sold. We would probably need to make some assumptions about how many are thrown in the trash. Or maybe we can estimate based on waste audit data. Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas on how to estimate the potential change in fees.
Thanks!
Jen
-------------------------------------
Hi Jen,
Thank you for the explanation! In principle, a fixed rate per pound of trash is exactly how we want to operate. It creates tangible incentive for campus buildings to recycle (a service we do not charge them for).
Our current operations only charge buildings by the size of their outdoor landfill receptacle. It wouldn’t matter if the receptacle had a single piece of paper in it, or if it was filled to the brim with concrete. We would charge the building the same price. This is because there is no difference in the fixed cost of paying for drivers or trucks to visit the site. The problem is apparent when once all the trash has been collected for the day and we haul it off to the landfill, the landfill charges us (F&S) per ton of trash. There’s a discrepancy between F&S charging buildings by size, and the landfill charging F&S by weight.
This will be a longer process to reconcile, but it’s something on our radar. And something recognized as important to address. One of our receptacles (“front-load”) already has the technological capability to weigh the material within it, we just need to restart this program (got derailed by many things, especially COVID). The other process is updating our waste rates to become weight-based, which involves lots of entities on campus who would need to review and approve.
I hope this has shed some more light on how waste operations work. I’m always happy to discuss in more detail with you, too.
Thank you,
Daphne
On 11/3/22, F&S FIR produced a map of the inventory for state-supported facilities. Attached is the map.
This survey is the result of a recommendation by the Zero Waste iCAP Team and is intended to gain a better understanding of drinking water behavior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The survey is broken into eight sections. Section one asks demographic questions, sections two through seven ask you to respond to statements on a 1-5 scale, and the last section asks open ended questions. Please answer as truthfully as possible. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes.
Participants will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Illini Bookstore gift card!
To get involved or share your ideas, please contact sustainability@illinois.edu.
Meredith Moore presented the attached Drinking Water Survey draft to the iSEE Management Meeting on August 9, 2022. The survey will likely be distributed through a MassMail during October - Campus Sustainability Month.
Per the request of Morgan White on 6/28/22, Building Service Workers under F&S Transportation and Building Services completed an inventory of water bottle filling stations in state-supported facilities on 8/11/22. Attached is the data. This was based on a recommendation from the iCAP Zero Waste Team to better understand the infrastructure of water bottle filling stations on campus. If iSEE/F&S can identify where stations are lacking, more stations could be added. The purpose of the inventory is to decrease single-use plastic water bottle use on campus.
In the Illini Union event marketing, they provide information about water bottle refilling stations that are near the event. This is apart of their messaging campaign to reduce single use plastic in campus events. Illini Union does not have a policy against providing single use water bottles, but encourages event attendees to bring their own reusable water bottles.
Dr. Ehab Kamarah, interim Executive Director of F&S, responded to Dr. Jennifer Fraterrigo, iSEE Associate Director of Campus Sustainability on 5/8/22:
"Our staff will gather the information F&S has available and share it with the Zero Waste iCAP Team. This will include the water filters that are regularly maintained on campus in state supported buildings. We do not have a lot of information about the bottle fillers without filters, so we will provide what we have. We will also have the Building Services team initiate an inventory of water fountains and filling stations throughout campus."
See transmittal and iWG assessment of ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking here.
See submittal of ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking recommendation here.
The Zero Waste iCAP Team submitted recommendation ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking on 3/2/22. The recommendation is attached, and states in summary:
"The Zero Waste Team recommends that the number and status of all EZH20 bottle filling stations on campus are tracked by number, location, amount of water bottles saved, and their filtration status (I.e. green, yellow, red/date of filter replacement)."
Water Bottle Refill Stations project submitted to SSC.
Currently, the Illini Union has a variety of water fountains in the facility, totaling 16 units. Select fountains were retrofitted in 2009 with “goose-neck” style bottle filler fixtures, however these are susceptible to damage and not filtered. Ten units in public areas are funded for replacement in this project with Elkay fountains that have built in bottle refill stations. These water fountains will make it much easier to fill water bottles than the current water fountains and provide filtered, cool water to students and guests. These fill stations will also track the number of bottles saved from the land fill and will provide this information on an LED screen at the top of the refill station. The LED screens on each water fountain can be used as an educational resource for all users. These new Elkay water fountains will encourage everyone to refill their water bottles because each unit provides a real time digital display of the number of bottles saved from the landfill.
Award Letter - Union Water Fountains Dual Unit Information Model LVRCGNTL8WSK.pdf Energy Efficiency Comparison Chart.pdf Model LVRCGRN8WSK.pdf Model VRCGRN8WSK.pdf W - SSC Phase 1 - Union Fountains Supporting Docs.pdf
W - SSC Phase 1 - Union Fountains.xlsx W - SSC Step 2 - Illini Fountains - Fountain location Map.pdf W - SSC Step 2 - Illini Fountains.xls Water Foundation Replacement Project Supporting Documentation.pdf Water Quality Report 2013.pdfThe attached file is the final report for the Water Bottle filler retrofit program.
From: Johnston, Morgan B
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:54 AM
To: 'Amy Liu'
Cc: Burris, Marques Javyn; Bartels, Bart A; Kinley, Kathryn R
Subject: RE: Tap That Signage
Hi Amy,
I think you should ask Marques or Katie for the current account balance for this project (water fountain retrofit). The CFOP is 1-303692-815100-815184-815RET. Then, you need to get a vote from the SSC committee to approve the change in scope to reflect the # of glass fillers installed, and give you permission to spend the remaining money on signs.
Once you have SSC permission, then we will talk to the individual facility managers for the buildings, to get their approval of any signage. At the libraries, for instance, you may be able to put a flyer on their bulletin boards, but not at the actual fountains.
Thanks!
Morgan
Morgan,
I was telling Nishant about plans to return $5,000.00 to the SSC. He said wait, you should consider putting signs by the fountains reading something to the effect of "this bottle filler was funded by the student sustainability committee". I know this is something David really wanted before. What do you think about that? Would it fit into the budget, comply with codes for putting up signs, etc.
Amy Liu
Met with Amy because she was interested in moving some of the funding from retrofits to education. I told Amy about some of the education projects I have worked on in the past including a taste testing table. Amy seemed interested in having a table in the student union starting early next semester. After the meeting I stopped and talked to Stephanie about groups that might want to join in the effort. The information was passed on to Amy. Amy said she would make contact and try to get enough volunteers to run the table for 20 hours per week. She was also going to try to change the scope of the funding so she could make marketing material.
On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 4:25 PM, Bartels, Bart A <bbartel@illinois.edu> wrote: I am happy to help. Love the educational aspect. Taste testing tables can be very successful along with a cost comparison highlighting how much a student can spend on bottled water that doesn't meet the quality standards of tap water. Count me in. From: Amy Liu [liuaimiwork@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 4:11 PM To: Johnston, Morgan B Cc: David Mischiu; Bartels, Bart A Subject: Re: glass fillers Thanks Morgan! Bart, I'm entertaining the idea of collaborative educational events and promotions for Tap That. What is your opinion at this point? And would you be interested in meeting on a day after Thanksgiving break to discuss this? Any insight is appreciated. Cheers, Amy Liu
Morgan talked with Amy and David today about this project. They approve moving forward with the other buildings. They just want us to use good common sense when selecting water fountains worthy of the retrofits. That is, if you think the fountain should be replaced at some time in the next few years, then don't put a glass filler on it. We also discussed the issue of potentially changing the project scope to fund some Tap That marketing needs. Also discussed doing additional fountains in the buildings around the main quad.
Morgan, We are done with the following- Aces Library Main Library Undergraduate Library Grainger Library Loomis I have the parts for the following off the original list and would like to start them with your ok. Armory Natural Resources Buillding I would also like to try and install one on the fountain at Wholers and Sibel to see if we can make them work in those buildings. Thanks, Mark Warner Plumbing Foreman
Matt Emmert, Jeff Schrader, Morgan Johnston, Amy Liu, and David Mischiu met to discuss the water fountain glass fillers project. Mark Warner from the F&S plumbing shop was unable to make it due to a scheduling change.
1) Undergrad library. Put them on the west upper level by elevator, lower level by elevator, espresso royale area, and the upper level east side (inside the library, on carpeted area). F&S should also replace the one noted fountain, outside of the project funding.
2) Grainger library. The ones on the first floor are consistently having problems... Just do one per floor, except third floor. F&S should also fix the buttons on the first floor fountains, outside of the project funding.
3) ACES library. First to fourth floor on south side.
4) Main Library. Put one on both in basement, east and west. First floor center east. Third floor north side. Put one on the fourth floor south side, after replacing the fountain.
Could talk with Sherri Miller at classroom reservations to get high use buildings. Lincoln Hall. What happens if the spout gets popped off? Does water shoot out?
Wohlers, leave off. Leave Natural Resources Building off.
David, Amy, and Morgan will meet with facility contacts for the other buildings. Loomis, Siebel, Armory.
Only order the spouts for one building at a time.
