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Illinois joins EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership
Associated Project(s):The University of Illinois recently became the first academic institution to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership. "As the first-ever academic institution to register in SmartWay, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign leads the way for universities and other institutions to work as shippers in SmartWay and engage with their carriers and suppliers to improve freight efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions from goods movement while also helping enhance our nation's energy security,” said Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
Y-Cycles a Program of the University YMCA
Associated Project(s):A new link has been added, http://ycycles.wordpress.com.
Graduate Research Assistant Hired to Aid in Bicycle Sharing
Associated Project(s):Facilities & Services has hired Grace Kyung, a Masters of Urban Planning student to work on bicycle sharing for campus during the ‘13-’14 school year. This will be a 25% assistantship, focusing primarily on departmental bike sharing first, and then on bike rentals and a campus-wide bike share program for the general public. Funding for this GRA position is being provided by Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS).
Position Description:
The Bicycle Sharing Graduate Research Assistant will work with the Campus Bicycle Coordinator under Facilities & Services to research and facilitate new bicycle sharing opportunities for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The RA will research bicycle sharing best practices at peer institutions and communities around the United States, and will make recommendations based on this research to follow the existing recommendations of the 2012 Bicycle Sharing Feasibility Study. The RA will be the primary point of contact for departments interested in launching their own departmental bicycle sharing programs for university employees, including a small number of departments who have agreed to pilot such programs in the coming year. The RA will also develop and maintain a Bicycle Sharing Manual and Toolkit to help assist additional interested departments in the future. The RA will conduct research to determine the best solution for bike sharing or rentals for students and visitors on campus, by partnering with a variety of campus units and community agencies.
Behavior Change research
Associated Project(s):-----Original Message-----
From: Johnston, Morgan B
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:56 AM
To: Shin, Faith Donga
Cc: Preston, Jesse L; Dempsey, John Garrett
Subject: RE: [Public Engagement Portal] Psychology and SustainabilityHello Faith,
I am very sorry for the month-long delay in this response! It is amazing how quickly time slips away from me at the beginning of the semester.
As I understand it, the interaction of Psychology and environmental initiatives is primarily linked to what I call "behavior change" as it related to sustainability. We have a lot of control over the built environment on campus, but we do not have direct control over the behavior of the campus users (students, faculty, staff, and visitors).
There are many projects on campus that could benefit from behavior change and your input. Essentially, any sustainability initiative where we are encouraging people to behave "better" could use your help. Would you be interested in focusing on transportation, waste management, energy, clean water, etc, or would you prefer to work with us on the overall campus behavior and attitudes about sustainability?
It would be great to meet with you and Professor Preston. I would also like to include Jack Dempsey, with the Center for a Sustainable Environment. Please let me know if you are more interested in a single focus area or the broad sustainability movement for campus. Then I will help us arrange a meeting.
Thanks a bunch, and I look forward to meeting with you.
Sincerely,
Morgan
-----Original Message-----
From: Faith Shin [mailto:fdshin2@illinois.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 2:37 PM
To: Johnston, Morgan B
Subject: [Public Engagement Portal] Psychology and Sustainability
Hello Morgan,
My name is Faith Shin, and I am a graduate student within the Psychology department. We met today during the sustainability coffee discussion, and I would just like to reach out to you in regards to our research. Jesse Preston, my advisor, and some of her graduate students, myself included, are interested in researching how psychology and environmental initiatives can be combined and studied. Since you are the sustainability coordinator on campus, I was wondering if you know of any ways that our lab and your department can work together. Thank you!
Best,
Faith Shin
-----
This message sent using the Public Engagement Portal Contact Page http://engage.illinois.edu/
SECS newsletter
Associated Project(s):Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
As school's beginning to pick up and midterms are right around the corner, so is SECS! We've got a ton of upcoming events this week so check out all the info below and join us tomorrow for our weekly meeting! Be sure to check out the new "Articles of the Week" section on the right side bar. Also be on the lookout for another big social event in October... more info soon!
General Meeting Tomorrow!
When: Wednesday, September 25th
Time: 6:30 pm
Where: University YMCA (1001 S. Wright Street)
This week we're announcing the top choices for our lecture/panel educational series from last week's discussion and doodle! We'll also be splitting up and working in our project groups so be sure to come out and join your group for some more awesome training, planning, and updates! Not sure what group you wanna commit to yet? No problem! Join us tomorrow and see which initiatives interest you the most! If you can't make the meeting, be sure to check out all the announcements and upcoming events in this newsletter listed below!
Beyond Coal Event TODAY!
WHEN: TODAY! Tuesday, September 24
TIME: 11am
WHERE: Business Instructional Facility (BIF)
The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is targeting Bank of America to agree to divest from all mountaintop removal coal mining operations. In order to do this, RAN is calling on campuses nationwide to disrupt the bank's college recruitment efforts to make it tougher for them to do business and generally increase visibility and pressure.Today, we will be disrupting first round interviews for Bank of America taking place in the business career center at the BIF. We will enter the building wearing business casual clothing carrying signs provided by the Rainforest Action Network, walk into the interview room, say a few words detailing who we are to the recruiter conducting the interview, give him/her a letter to give to their supervisor, and leave saying a single chant.
Meet up with us TODAY at 11am in the courtyard area of the BIF! Remember to bring your orange squares-- we'll have a few if you forget yours or don't have one! Hope to see you guys there!
"Right to the Common"
When: Wednesday, September 25
Time: 8-10pm
Where: Levis Faculty Center, 3rd Floor
Who: Michael Hardt
This is an awesome lecture being given by Michael Hardt, chair of the Literature Department at Duke University. This lecture aims to define what is "common" and distinguish it from what is private vs. public. It will then explore different social movements (like the Occupy movement) and how they relate to "the common".
LEED Study Sessions!
WHEN: every Wednesday, starting 10/2
TIME: 7:00-8:30pm
WHERE: 1311 Newmark
Are you interested in LEED certification? Want to be come a LEED Green Associate? Good news, there are study sessions available for you to prepare for the exam! Check out the class sign ups here or email Savannah Goodman with any questions! Classes are every Wednesday, starting next week 10/2!
Planting for Wildlife
WHEN: Saturday, September 28
TIME: 1-3pm
WHERE: Perkins Road Wet Prairie
The Urbana Park District and Sierra Club have been awarded grant funding from the Illinois American Water Company to restore a portion of the wooded stream corridor at the Perkins Road Wet Prairie. Please join us on National Public Lands Day to plant native trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers at this site. (Tools, instruction, and snacks will be provided. Participants will receive a NPLD Certificate. Long pants, long sleeves, and sneakers or hiking boots recommended.)If you're interested in volunteering, call (217) 384-4062 by September 27 to RSVP! We'll be meeting at the Urbana Dog Park parking lot on Perkins Road, east of Cunningham Avenue. See you there!
What is SECS?
Students for Environmental ConcernS (SECS) is UIUC's oldest and largest environmental group. We work with all things green on campus and around the community. Check us out at our weekly meetings every Wednesday @ 6:30 at the University YMCA.
In This Newsletter
WEEKLY ARTICLES
Check out the articles below relating to topics about the environment!
Have any interesting news to share? Share them with SECS by emailing Linda!
LOCAL NEWS
NATIONAL NEWS
Contact Information
Linda Qiu
Secretary of SECS
SECS T-Shirts!
SECS t-shirts will be on sale at every weekly meeting for only $8!
Holla Back
Have some content you wanna share on our newsletter, website or facebook? Please feel free to send me updates, events, pictures, comics--anything! Contributions and feedback are always welcome. Thanks!
Unsubscribe?
If you don't want to receive newsletters and updates from SECS, just scroll down and click the "SafeUnsubscribe" link. If you ever want to be put back on, just sign up on our website linked above!
"Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance." -Theodore Roosevelt
Linda Qiu, Secretary
SECS is a program of the University YMCA
Fact sheet about propoerty accounting rules
Associated Project(s):See attached file.
Attached Files:Composting at Espresso
Associated Project(s):From: Johnston, Morgan B
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:22 AM
To: Fee, Casey A
Cc: Mueller-Soppart, Marlon Anthony; Jones, Maria
Subject: RE: Expresso Green TeamHi Casey and Marlon,
How is this going? Are you having some success? I added Maria Jones to this email list, since she is the SSC Food and Waste Working Group chair. The SSC could not allocate funds to Espresso, but there may be other opportunities for collaboration. Of course, Marlon could bring that up as well.
Thanks!
Morgan
From: Casey Fee [mailto:fee2@illinois.edu]
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 8:15 PM
To: Johnston, Morgan B
Subject: Re: Expresso Green TeamHi Morgan,
Thanks for contacting us, we're currently figuring out logistics and we will be communicating with the haulers you suggested. We just had a meeting with an Expresso Royale employee and we are going to get measurements about how much compost they produce a day, which we want before contacting the haulers. After that, we will definitely be contacting you again.
Thanks again,
Marlon and Casey
On Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 7:08 PM, Johnston, Morgan B <mbjohnst@illinois.edu> wrote:
Hi Casey and Marlon,
This is the Espresso at Goodwin and Oregon, right? They have no direct connection to the UI, so it would make sense to give the compost to a local group rather than a campus group. (Also, the SSC recently funded vermicomposting at the Sustainable Student Farm, so they shouldn't need additional compost.)
I think that a community garden could benefit from the compost. They may even be able to host the "compost pile." Here are a few I know of in the community:
http://urbanaillinois.us/posts/2012/08/lierman-neighborhood-community-garden
http://www.urbanaparks.org/facilities/34.html
http://cufitfamilies.blogspot.com/2010/04/n-first-street-prosperity-garden-cared.html?m=1
http://randolphcommunitygarden.com/
I grabbed these from a quick web search, and I found more than I expected. Perhaps you could reach out to all of them. If you have trouble hearing back from anyone, let me know and I can make a couple calls.
Thanks, and best wishes!
Morgan
Sent from my mobile device
On Sep 2, 2013, at 3:44 PM, "Casey Fee" <fee2@illinois.edu> wrote:Hi Morgan,
During the Friday meet and greet we, Marlon and I, discussed the prospects of getting Expresso to compost. We were wondering if you could put us in contact with people who might be interested in picking up and using the compost.
Thanks,
Casey and Marlon
--
Casey Fee
University of Illinois | Class of 2015
Chemical Engineering
Illini 4000 Portrait's Director
RSO interested in reducing their food waste
Associated Project(s):From: Johnston, Morgan B
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:18 AM
To: Bressler, Jonathan Louis; Pickert, Diane A
Cc: Jones, Maria
Subject: RE: Food Reduction RecommendationsHi Diane and Jonathan,
Were you able to meet and find a solution for the food waste from Tikkun Chambana? The Student Sustainability Committee has a new working group chair for Food and Waste. Her name is Maria Jones, and she is copied here.
Thanks,
Morgan
From: Aubrey, Dawn
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 1:35 PM
To: Johnston, Morgan B; Bressler, Jonathan Louis
Cc: Webb, Olivia Ashley; Pickert, Diane A
Subject: RE: Food Reduction RecommendationsGood Afternoon, Jonathan:
Please contact Diane Pickert at 244-5800 to schedule a time to discuss food waste reductions. I will not be available until later next week.
Thank you,
Dawn
Dawn Aubrey, Ph.D., MBA, FMP, CEC, CCA
Associate Director of Housing for Dining Services
University of Illinois
407 Clark Hall
1203 South Fourth Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Office Direct: 217-244-2997From: Johnston, Morgan B
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 12:08 PM
To: Bressler, Jonathan Louis
Cc: Webb, Olivia Ashley; Aubrey, Dawn
Subject: Re: Food Reduction RecommendationsHello Jonathan,
Thanks for reaching out. This looks like an important initiative.
There is a team working on vermicomposting at the Sustainable Student Farm this fall, with funding from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC). I've copied the SSC contact from last year for that project, Olivia Webb, here.
I believe she can help you in your efforts. I'd love to be kept informed about what you are doing, so please include me in any meetings you have. We can also reach out to Housing to talk with you about possible strategies. I have copied Dawn Aubrey so she can tell us who to meet with from her team.
Thanks,Morgan
Sent from my mobile device
On Aug 27, 2013, at 11:47 AM, "Jonathan Bressler" <bressle1@illinois.edu> wrote:Dear Morgan Johnston,
Hello, my name is Jonathan Bressler, and I am the president of Tikkun Chambana, a Jewish environmental RSO.
We are trying to reduce food waste, as we have many larger scale food events, and was wondering if you could give us some recommedations on what we could do or if we could somehow piggyback onto what Facilities and Management are doing. I have looked into a few things of the university and found out about the EnviroPure Food Waste Disposal Systems, but these seem very expensive and well beyond our funding capacity,
Thank you,
--
Jonathan BresslerNatural Resources and Environmental Sciences 2014
College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois
interview from the Green Observer
Associated Project(s):Olivia Harris with the Green Observer interviewed Morgan Johnston about the Zero Waste plans for campus. She had spoken already with Marcus Ricci and Seth Rients. She was doing a class article, then revising it for the Green Observer.
New Courier Bike System
Associated Project(s):The University has recently hired a student and purchased a bicylce from the Campus Bicycle Shop to start a courier bike system. This is to replace vehicle deliveries on campus.
LINC Class
Associated Project(s):This semester there are 7 students registered for the LINC UI Bikes Section and 2 project managers. Their main project involves thinking of innovative and creative ideas for increasing the number of registered bikes on campus. Their goal consists of registering 3,000 bikes by the end of the semester!
Bike@Illinois.edu E-mail Created
Associated Project(s):The Bike Program has a new e-mail address to recieve feedback and any bicycle related questions or comments; bike@illinois.edu.
Amelia Neptune, Campus Bicycle Coordinator, currently recieves these e-mails.
Meeting with F&S representatives
Associated Project(s):Warren Lavey met with John Prince and Morgan Johnston to discuss the intentions for this course. We reviewed the summer conversations with Jordan Williams and Claire Grogan about the Business Instructional Facility and the Occupancy Sensors. There are a lot of projects that could be identified for this class to consider, and F&S would prefer to suggest projects with existing information and contact people. Morgan agreed to provide a list by October 21 of potential projects for the class to review.
Possible collaboration with ARI
Associated Project(s):Rachna Bhatia reached out to the Campus Bicycle Shop Manager, James Roedl to discussion potential collaboration between The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign and the Action Researcy Illinois. She noted that their second outreach is the first weekend of November, they have started formulating projects, and she thought this could be a good addition.
meeting agenda
Associated Project(s):see file
Attached Files:note about getting students involved
Associated Project(s):-Involving the individual colleges for spreading the word to gain student leaders and volunteers, ex: College of Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, ACES etc… ?
After gaining their support, I would send a mass e-mail to the admins office and they could forward to students
RLF project suggestions now being accepted
Associated Project(s):The FY14 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) selection process has recently begun. The RLF can fund medium payback utility conservation projects, involving energy, water, or chilled water on campus (Examples of RLF projects are the campus lighting retrofit and the installation of occupancy sensors). Launched in 2011 as a part of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), the RLF fully funds projects and is paid back over time from the associated cost avoidance. Details about the RLF can be found on the iCAP Portal and in the attached fact sheet. Project suggestions will be accepted through October 7. See http://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/revolving-loan-fund.
Please direct any questions to Morgan Johnston 217-333-2668 mbjohnst@illinois.edu.
Attached Files:Allen Hall cardboard box recycling drive
Associated Project(s):My name is Max Colon, and I am a Resident Advisor in Allen Hall that works with a sustainability group to try and keep Allen green. Every year, we hold a recycling box drive where our organization hands out cardboard recycling boxes that have been given to us by Housing. I have a attached a photo of one of these boxes for identification purposes. I am wondering if it is possible for you to help me figure out who in Housing should be contacted in order to continue this tradition. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated! - Max
We had the boxes over 10 years and we have depleted all supplies last year. Sorry- Vonne Ortiz
Amy Liu is interested in talking with fraternities and sororities
Associated Project(s):Amy Liu spoke with Morgan Johnston at the SSC working group kickoff meeting about reaching out to sororities and fraternities about reducing waste by using reusable water bottles. Morgan provided Amy with contact info for Michelle Hart in the Student Services Building. Amy also suggested the catchy phrase "Tap that" to associate their efforts with tap water. Morgan noted that she is still setting up the water fountain tour with the plumbing shop, hopefully for next week.