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  1. Chicago's Renewable Energy Resolution

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Clean Power

    BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this thirteenth day of March 2019, commit to transition to 100% clean renewable energy community-wide beginning with 100% renewable electricity in buildings by 2035 and complete electrification of CTA's bus fleet by 2040;

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit to ensuring that community-wide power will come from the generation and storage of clean, renewable energy from solar, wind, and geothermal sources with an emphasis on new and local resources; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City of Chicago will develop a transition plan by December 2020, which will outline key strategies, set progression milestones, develop a timeline for reaching an equitable clean energy transition, and further opportunities to create a 100% clean, renewable energy future community-wide, as well as addressing issues including but not limited to...

    (see file)

    Attached Files: 

  2. iSEE offers a Carbon Offset Purchasing Guide

    Associated Project(s): 
    Carbon Offsets for Major Users [ARCHIVED]

    https://sustainability.illinois.edu/campus-sustainability/positive-steps-to-offsetting-your-carbon-footprint/

    A Positive Step: Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to becoming carbon neutral no later than 2050. To achieve this, the campus and community must take ownership of that commitment — and faculty, students, and staff can do their part as individuals. One way is to purchase carbon offsets for travel or other actions that have measurable emissions.

    Offsetting your carbon footprint is becoming easier to do — and at less than $10 for a 2,000-mile flight, it is a cost-effective way for you to personally pay for your emissions impact even if your grant or government fund won’t cover offsets (many do not).

    This page offers a four-step guide to 1) determining the amount of carbon to offset, and 2) purchasing high-standard offsets.

    How Can I Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions?

    One of the most sustainable options is to avoid air travel, and instead teleconference or choose a lower-carbon alternative such as a bus or train. If flying is required, it is possible to make sustainable choices to reduce the amount of carbon pollution generated as a result. Takeoff and landing require the most fuel during a flight, so eliminating connections by choosing direct flights can help reduce carbon emissions. An additional way to reduce GHG pollution is to pack lightly — Heavier airplanes require greater fuel consumption. For more information on sustainable and alternative transportation options to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, visit our sustainable and alternative transportation page.

    Despite Best Efforts, I Have to Travel for Work at Times. How Do I Offset the Related Emissions?

    Step 1: When considering a flight, the first step is to check to see if the airline offers the option to pay a surcharge based on the miles to be traveled. For example:

    Step 2: It is important to understand the impact of your travel and lifestyle choices by measuring your carbon footprint. Since not all airlines provide the opportunity to purchase a carbon offset, you can use the following calculator to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere based on the mileage of your journey: https://sustainabletravel.org/our-work/carbon-offsets/calculate-footprint/.

    Step 3: Visit one of the following links to purchase offsets. These provide options to fund various projects either domestically or internationally (e.g., methane capture, organic waste digestion, forest regeneration, clean water access, solar or wind projects, secure and sustainable agricultural practices, etc.). Optimize your offsets by funding more than your journey and choosing projects that support sustainable development in addition to carbon capture or reduction. For example, projects that create local jobs, improve public health and education, and benefit local communities. We recommend the following two sites to search for a certified carbon offset project based on their stringent standards, measuring requirements, and processes:

    Step 4: Fill out our short survey (on this page, or via the link below) to tell us about your offset purchase (reason for purchase, amount, what type of offset, why you did it, and why it is important!). We will want to feature you in our communications efforts to help encourage others to make sustainable choices. The survey >>>

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  3. The Day After Tomorrow: Following Advancements of the New U of I Solar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Press releases about specific projects
    Climate Justice Forum - 2020 [ARCHIVED]
    Resilience Commitment
    Bee Campus USA

    CUYSS Team|8/5/2020

    The Youth Climate Justice Forum presents this podcast series in which we will be trying to find ways for all of us to continue to work for climate justice during and after the coronavirus crisis. This week, Caroline and Grace interview Morgan White, Director of Sustainability at University of Illinois Facilities and Services. They are currently working to construct the University’s newest solar farm, building upon what they learned from their last solar project.

    https://youthclimateforum.wixsite.com/summit/podcast/episode/f942d20f/the-day-after-tomorrow-following-advancements-of-the-new-u-of-i-solar-farm

  6. Reduce Nitrates from Agricultural Stormwater

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Nitrates from Agricultural Stormwater

    Hello Illinois NLRS Partners, 

     

    The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy was released on this date five years ago.

     

    Thank you to all of the nutrient stakeholder partners who continue to give their time and resources to implement the strategy. While we still have a lot of work to do to reach our goals, we invite you to celebrate the anniversary by enjoying this “NLRS By the Numbers” video. 

     

    You can view the video on the Illinois NLRS Facebook page here. Feel free to share it on social media as well. 

     

    Thank you,
    Illinois NLRS Steering Committee

  8. Archive - Description and Background of the Bicycle Registration project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Registration

    Description:

    Bicycle registration is primarily a method to assist with returning stolen or lost bikes when they are recovered by Public Safety or Facilities & Services.  Bicycle registration is offered for free to faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois, and can conveniently be completed online at http://go.illinois.edu/mybike.

    In September 2013, the University will be adopting new stickers for bicycle registration, and all registered bike owners will be contacted with instructions on how to receive their new sticker. 

    To register your bicycle, visit http://go.illinois.edu/mybike

    Background:

    The benefits of registering your bicycle include:

    • It deters theft
    • It helps the UIPD reconnect bicycle owners with their lost or stolen bikes
    • You can be contacted if your bicycle is impounded or mistaken for abandoned
    • It helps the University to better plan for bicycles and bicycle infrastructure
    • It allows the University to communicate with bicyclists for important bicycle-related announcements

  10. Email to Resilience SWATeam re: Edu002 recommendation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Education iCAP Team
    Resilience iCAP Team
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan

    Hello Resilience SWATeam!

     

    I hope this message finds you well. In the spring, one Education SWATeam (Edu002) recommendation to the iCAP Working Group suggested developing a sustainable communities paid internship program for students, in partnership with local businesses, non-profits, local government agencies, and local community-based organizations. As the recommendation states, the program would be designed to provide student opportunities in the sustainability field to advance resiliency efforts in our region and help tackle challenges related to climate change.

     

    The iWG recommended including the Resilience SWATeam in discussions on how best to move this forward since it directly involves and relates to the community. We recognized that cities are interested in working with students though funding may be a potential barrier. Your input on this recommendation will be very helpful. What are your initial thoughts on this recommendation? Does this seem like a feasible project, and what would be needed to implement such a program? Meredith may schedule a meeting in the fall between the two SWATeams to discuss further, though in the meantime, please respond with your feedback.

     

    Thank you!
    Ximing Cai

    August 2, 2020

     

  14. Collaborating with ISU to develop Virtual Tours

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Solar Farm 1.0
    ISEIF grants

    Matt Hagamann from Illinois State University (ISU) is leading a team to develop a Virtual Tour of the University of Illinois Solar Farms. In a July 2020 email, he explained:

    "Our project is funded through the Illinois Science & Energy Innovation Foundation, whose goal is to "address the human and community sides of energy and the electric grid," in our case through energy literacy programs.  Our current programs reach up to 25,000 students each year, but we're working on some digital resources which we hope will expand our impact.

     

    The digital project I would like to collaborate with your office on is a virtual reality project, where we expose students to technology, sustainability, and careers through an immersive experience.  We're targeting both a full VR experience as well as a more limited experience designed for smartphones.

     

    Our goal is to help students explore someplace they wouldn't normally have access to, in this case a solar farm.  After recording some footage using a 360-degree camera, we can let students explore that environment, read some virtual signage, then "tap" some workers on the shoulder in order to learn more about their job."

     

     

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