All, Surprisingly busy start to the semester! On Friday afternoon we even had a wait on stand time, which is unheard of for January. Unfortunately, that was partially due to allowing First Visit Free repairs, which left a couple due-paying members waiting. They didn’t mind but still. For how busy we’ve been I’m already wondering if we should be open 5 days a week. However, it has been a mild winter thus far; the real test will be how many folks show up after the projected snow on Wednesday. We also had one person select and start a B-a-B.

This week I’ll schedule our staff meeting, some interviews, as well as receive a “vanload” of bikes from Champaign Cycle. They generally give us good quality stuff that we can put to use quickly, so fingers crossed. Additionally, we still have 100+ bikes to move out of the warehouse.

The numbers:

Visitors: 37
Sales: $961
Bikes (refurb): 3 for $565
Memberships: 7 or $210
Tires/tubes: 7 for $39

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

By mutual consent, the capstone project was terminated with Aparna Padmakumar for her help with the Bicycle Friendly University application. 

Hi Bumsoo, I had a call with Marc yesterday, and he mentioned that the MUP program can work on this project in the fall and spring semesters as a group project. I am still trying to figure out all that needs to be done for this project, and I think getting the help from your student might be beneficial.

How many hours can your student set aside for this project? In this semester, your student could help identify the stakeholders to reach out for the Campus Bike Plan update. He can help with determining a timeline and the planning process for next academic year. (If time permits) I will also ask the student to present some preliminary suggestions for the 2024 Bike Plan update at the end of this semester.

The first thing for your student would be to read the current 2014 Campus Bicycle Master Plan (https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/37/2014%20Campus%20Bicycle%20Plan.pdf). I have published two progress reports in the past few years. I am currently working on our progress report from the past year, which should be published in the next few weeks. Here is the 2022 report: Campus Bike Plan progress report FY22. Here is the 2019 report: 2019 Report for 2014 Campus Bicycle Plan

I would like to have weekly meetings with student. In the next 2-3 weeks, I would schedule a meeting with Morgan and Stacey to present what we think we should accomplish at the end of this semester. At the end of the semester, he will present the findings to F&S, SPO, Transportation iCAP Team, and possibly to the Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC).

Please let me know if this sounds good to you. I would be very happy to meet your student and get started on this project. Thank you,
Sarthak

The Commuter Program page is live on the TDM website: https://fs.illinois.edu/services/more-services/tdm/commuter-program-bus-bike-and-hike. We will start with an e-update to recruit people from F&S, and then reach out to e-week and other newsletter for this pilot (cut-off at 15 participants). The recruitment will end on Feb 10, and the program will launch Feb 15.

Register here: go.fs.illinois.edu/CommuterProgram

On January 20, Nikki Palella, Justin Holding, Shawn Patterson, and Dominika Szal, and Daphne Hulse met to discuss the following:

What will be recycled?

• UIUC currently recycles plastics #1&2, metal, aluminum, paper, and cardboard

• Products that can be found at tailgates: paper and plastic products, aluminum, glass

• UIUC does not recycle glass:

  • Would we potentially be able to haul glass to the vendor that UIUC Dining uses? (Midwest Fiber)

    • Check cost with Midwest Fiber.

    • If there is a cost, consider DIA supporting this cost.

      • Selling point: anything recyclable will be free of charge to remove.

  • We would need to provide a separated bin for glass products at each tailgate section

• Aluminum and plastic bottles can be collected, plastic and paper might be accepted depending on its use (plastic cups might be accepted, but any paper/plastic product used for food is most likely going to have to go into landfill)

  • Future idea: use diversion rates from the tailgating and stand pick up collection as segue into DIA concessionaire conversations (because we will eventually hit a wall for our diversion rate if we can’t collect food waste, food-soiled containers, non-recyclable materials)

What will need to be prepared

• Signage regarding what is recyclable, what isn’t (this was successful at the basketball game).

  • Located at all the major parking lots: E14, E32.

    • Contact DIA to understand the SFC parking lot use for tailgating.

  • Could be a signboard located in key points throughout the tailgate areas.

  • In combination: have informational papers (pamphlets) attached to the bags that are handed out that explain what is/isn’t recyclable.

• Centralized bins to collect recyclables and trash:

  • Swingpans, rolloffs, iSEE in a central location.

• Volunteers would be needed (iSEE interns)

  • Roles:

    • Some could walk around carrying bags to give to tailgaters.

    • Some could walk around collecting recyclables specifically and provide information.

    • Some could stand by the bins to ensure that items are placed in the proper location.

    • Have it be shift-based. We learned at the basketball game that that would be most successful. During rush time (1 hour before the game starts, have the most volunteers on board).

• Incentive via raffle:

  • Tailgaters incentivized to recycle, entered into a raffle if they do. Sustainable swag as a giveaway.

Other considerations

• How many tailgating areas are there?

  • How many stands would be needed to cover each tailgating area? How many volunteers per area/in charge of a stand.

  • Grange Grove is popular spot.

  • Initially, we will only target E14 and E32 as this is where the majority of tailgaters will be, then we can expand as initiative develops over time.

• Would we like to try to implement any “zero waste” games to go along with the tailgate recycling as well?

  • Idea: instead of having a zero waste game like we do for basketball, focus efforts on before games (tailgating) and after games (pickup in the stands).

    • We would need ~100-150 volunteers for stand pick up after games, assuming a 45min-1hour pickup session

      • Incentivize with free football game tickets.

      • Pro: having volunteers pick up would assist the DIA staff who would otherwise have to pick up the items from the stand (and put them in the landfill).

      • Con: less interaction/engagement with attendees.

• Shawn’s idea: Gamification. Have service fraternities/sororities assist with the tailgate recycling and compete with each other to see who can collect the most?

  • Could implement this within the pickup in the stands, too.

• See how our partnership with Coca-Cola could play into this tailgate plan - could they assist with volunteer t-shirts, costs etc?

• How many games would we want to implement this program?

  • In 2022 UIUC held 7 home games between the end of August and the start of November (the final 4 of these games were Big Ten; bigger crowds). 6 took place on Saturdays. 1 occurred on a Thursday.

  • Start small, learn the dynamic of the space. Start pre-season, if possible. Work up to a Big Ten game.

    • Once we get a hang of how everything works, we can aim big.

• Seek recommendations from peer schools (OSU).

  • Results from the Big 10 survey could really help.

F&S’ role

• Collecting recyclables and trash after the event.

• Providing the blue recycling bags.

• Providing containers (free) for the tailgating spaces.

  • Reduces the overhead cost for DIA.

• Daphne (ZW team - Shreya + Dominika) + Shawn.

Timeline

• January - May: Planning, strategizing with iCAP ZW team, F&S, DIA, iSEE, Coca-Cola as needed.

• June-July: Buffer for any remaining planning. Prepare and execute publicity ahead of the fall semester.

• Early-Mid August: Heavier publicity, recruit volunteers.

• Late August: Launch the program.

• Early November: Close the program

Immediate next steps

• Dominika: Reach out to Midwest Fiber to determine the cost of glass recycling.
• Shreya: Reach out to DIA (Tim Knox) about how the State Farm Center parking lots are used during tailgates.
• Team: Look into peer schools' programs for best practices.
• Daphne: Schedule a Memorial Stadium Tour (for the stand recycling initiative).
• Team: Create a more refined vision/roadmap, meet with the group for follow up.

Congratulations to the newest recipients of our Greener Campus Programs as we head into a new semester!

Green Office: Visit Champaign County, Gold, Recertified January 2023

Green Chapter: Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc., Delta Chapter, Silver, Certified January 2023

Green Event:

-SSC Sustainability Career Panel, Certified January 2023

-University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Everyday Environment Webinar Series, Certified January 2023

-Office of the Chancellor for Special Events and Commencement Illinois vs. Nebraska Men's Basketball, Certified January 2023

-University of Illinois-Special Events-Chancellor's Office HOPE Chicago Luncheon, Certified January 2023

Keep up the great work!

January 11, 2023

A University team consisting of Brodie Dunn and Lisa Merrifield (Extension), Linda Derhak (DURP student), and Stacy Gloss met with Lacey Rains Lowe and Jeff Marino from the City of Champaign to talk about working together to coordinate rainwater management efforts. Champaign sees a gap in resources for commercial developers related to innovative stormwater management applications. The team identified stormwater utility fee incentives as a possible leverage point for developers, but current incentives do not seem to be sufficient. Linda will begin to inventory cities with stormwater utility fees for innovative practices for engaging commercial developers. Brodie will propose revisions to the approved plant and tree list for Champaign to encourage use of native and more beneficial non-native plant species. Lisa will reach out to planners from Urbana and Savoy and will schedule a meeting for mid-February to discuss progress and identify next steps.

Sarthak Prasad met with Marc Doussard, the Master of Urban Planning (MUP) Director, to talk about MUP capstone and how their students can assist with this project. Marc said they can bring this project to the class int he fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters and assist in the update.

Bumsoo Lee also mentioned that he has an undergraduate student who is very interested in helping out with this project in the spring 2023 semester.

On January 17, Coca-Cola sent over their highlight reel from the 11/14 men's basketball game.

All, Last two weeks we’ve been closed so no sales/visit numbers. TBP members and I moved bikes from the warehouse, and I’ve been checking over the 30 or so new bikes for damage. Sarthak and I tabled at the Law School’s orientation last Thursday.

This week we reopen. We’ll be open M/W/F 2 – 6p for the winter months and bump back to 5 days a week after spring break when the weather warms up.

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

Sarthak Prasad met with Nathaniel Nevins, high school senior, on Tuesday January 17, 2023. Nathaniel is going to help with the Campus Bike Plan update. He is going to read the 2014 Campus Bike Plan by February 15, 2023, and read both the progress reports for Campus Bike Plan by February 28, 2023. He is also going to suggest ideas for the update. Nathaniel will be volunteering over the spring semester. Following information was shared with him:

Here is the link to the iCAP Portal: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/

Here is the 2014 Campus Bike Plan: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/37/2014%20Campus%20Bicycle%20Plan.pdf

Here is the 2022 report: Campus Bike Plan progress report FY22

Here is the 2019 report: 2019 Report for 2014 Campus Bicycle Plan

Resilience iCAP Team had its first virtual meeting of the Spring 2023 semester on Tuesday, January 10th, at 10:30 AM. Cheryl Bicknell is the new Facilities & Services representative of the team. At the meeting, the Biodiversity Master Plan project student intern Gabriel Harper-Hagen gave a brief overview of the biodiversity plan and shared his progress through an extensive update document. Afterward, the team discussed its goals for this semester. 

The full recording of the meeting can be found here

Meeting minutes are attached. 

Morgan and Sarthak discussed the timeline for the next Campus Bike Plan.  The 2014 plan was completed in 2014 and formally approved in March 2015 by Chancellor Wise, with an end date of 2024.  We should have the new plan approved before the end of December 2024.  It would be great to have it available to present during Sustainability Month October 2024, and get formal approval through the Sustainability Council and/or CCRC in November/December 2024.  Thus, the goal is to have a plan ready for routing for approval in summer 2024.

Brian Farber requested a review of the Bike Fee renewal referendum question which will be brought to the CSEC for ballot. This renewal referendum question was approved by Morgan White on January 12, 2023.

Madhu Khanna, Jennifer Fraterrigo, Meredith Moore, and Morgan White met with Christoph Kecht and his team from the University of Vienna, which was the first climate neutral university in Austria.  We shared information about our UIUC iCAP programs and they shared information about their efforts and the attached report.

The iWG met on 12-12-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached. 

1. Brief introductions
2. LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed
   1. Jen to transmit to F&S
3. Education008 Sustainability in Study Abroad
4. Engagement003 Sustainability Ambassador Program  
5. Engagement004 ADV498 Sustainability Campaign Partnership
6. Engagement005 DIA and Green Sports Alliance

Next meeting:

1. ZW009 Project4Less Expansion (Jamie to talk with Alma)
2. Res004 Student Support for Coordinated Rainwater Management Plan
3. Energy010 Establishment of a Clean Energy Plan Conference Committee
4. Energy011 Priority Technologies and Practices for a Clean Energy Plan