The Engagement SWATeam members met on November 20 with Eric Green (Education SWATeam) to discuss first-year sustainability education recommendations. Topics discussed included working recommendations for a sustainability module in college 100-level courses, a mandatory sustainability training, and a sustainability general education requirement, all of which are currently being investigated by the Education SWATeam. Additionally, discussion of successful sustainability engagement principles led to a forming of two sub-teams to work towards recommendations within our committee:

1) Led by co-chair Ann Witmer: Creating a roadmap of current sustainability-focused projects that are going on and connections we can utilize to make future recommendations more effective 

2) Led by co-chair Robert McKim: Creating a sustainability 100 for individual colleges or one-size fits all model 

Meeting minutes are also attached below.

CEOS Mini-Talks on the Economics of Sustainability

Please join the Center for the Economics of Sustainability (CEOS) for its 2nd Mini-Talks webinar! Talks will focus on organic famland, conservation tillage, food waste, and consumer preferences with regards to local brewing and local hops. Register by November 30: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/122-mini-talks-on-the-economics-of-sustainability-tickets-129242601099. We hope to see you there!

December 2, 12–1 pm

Caroline Helton • Center for the Economics of Sustainability

Meeting minutes from the 11/4/2020 Education SWATeam meeting. The team was joined by Gretchen Forman of the Grainger College of Engineering Office of First Year Experience and Creen Ahmad from Illinois Student Government. Discussions focused on enriching the first-year student experience through sustainability education. Strategies to acheive this goal include sustainability education in orientation and 100-level courses. 

On November 17th, the Energy iCAP Team met to discuss student, staff, and chair priorities for forming new recommendations. The team decided on starting to develop three different recommendations in the future:

(1) Requiring campus buildings to comply with state Energy Code Compliance;

(2) Encouraging labs on campus to save energy;

(3) Educating students in residence halls about reducing energy consumption.

Agenda, meeting minutes, and chat log are attached.

Ryan Day submitted a proposal to the SSC for $70k in support of adding solar over the parking at Willard Airport. See attached files. 

Sinead Soltis (F&S intern) presented an overview of the SmartWay Program to Travis Molitor of F&S Stores and Receiving. Collaboration on the topic will hopefully include affiliate recognition on their new website, along with physical signage outside of PPSB Stores & Receiving. In addition to this recognition, Travis plans to discuss with his staff about our status in this program. 

See the attached pdf for presentation slides.

Also, Travis recommends reaching out to Housing Storekeepers and Chem. Sciences contacts.

The following email was sent on November 16, 2020 to the RLF Selection Committee:

Revolving Loan Fund Selection Committee,

I want to thank everybody again for your participation in the previous selection process. With the completion of that vote, the RLF fund source still has approximately $300,000+ available and a time sensitive submission from DIA has been received recently. The project being submitted is for a Retro-Commissioning (RCx) effort at the State Farm Center. RCx efforts see great results under normal operating conditions, but with the pandemic, significant savings could be realized now that many events are being cancelled and the facility is not being utilized at its full capacity. The request is for $250K and could see a payback of less than 2 years. Please see the attached document for more information.

We don’t necessarily need to score this project, all we need is a majority decision (yes or no) to approve.

I ask that you please reply with your individual yes (in support of funding) or no (decline funding approval) votes before November 26, 2020 (10 days away).

... Thank you again for your continued support of the RLF program.

See the attached file to read details about the Retro-Commissioning (RCx) for the State Farm Center.

The DOE has awarded $25M to a three-year project, led by Kevin O'Brien at the Prairie Research Institute, for the design of a next-generation power plant that "combines multiple techniques to both reduce emissions and capture and re-use carbon dioxide." -- from: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/1950450895.html 

OBrien and co-principal investigator Mohamed Attalla, director of U of I Facilities & Services, and ISTC project manager Les Gioja lead the project, providing combined expertise in power generation technologies, clean-energy generation, and large-scale construction. -- from: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/7447/1913312422

Map the System 2021 Social Innovation Challenge

Call for individuals and teams to participate in Map the System 2021, a competition that challenges students to explore a social or environmental issue using systems thinking and to identify new levers for change. Gain insight for social ventures and pitch ideas for cash prizes and a chance to compete in Global Final. Sign up to receive updates about info sessions, workshops, and key deadlines.

Valeri Werpetinski • Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Gies Business

 This opportunity is available online.

Single-Use Face Covering Recycling

Ready to throw away your used disposable face coverings? Approximately 50 collection boxes are on campus to help you recycle these face coverings. The program is free thanks to the Student Sustainability Committee. See this list of participating facilities and locations: https://go.fs.illinois.edu/singleusemask. Questions and requests, contact recycling@illinois.edu. 

Morgan White • Facilities & Services

Past Project Based Learning students reached out to Tim Bannon at Willard Airport to propose adding solar carports over the parking lot.

The Engagement SWATeam met on Friday, November 6 to formulate and condense potential recommendations in addressing Chapter 7 Objectives. Below are a list of current proposed objectives and the associated meeting minutes:

• New ways to support student environmental organizations
• Using Sustainability Training (https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/1_poty17ok) as a way to get feedback from students, staff, and faculty about their views on sustainability on our campus and to promote engagement
• Creating sustainability-focused GivePulse channel
• Routine and regular (quarterly) Massmail by campus leaders at all levels in support of sustainability initiatives
• Ensure all professionally focused degree programs provide students with an understanding of the consequences of climate change and the goal of living sustainably, as these matters pertain to the profession in question
• Sustainability book of the month