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  1. Week 2 - Plastic Reduction Challenge

    Associated Project(s): 
    Plastic Free Challenge
    Campus Sustainability Month

    Hello!

    We hope you are having a great weekend, especially after an Illini win! Congratulations on completing Week 1 of the Plastic Reduction Challenge! How does it feel? Did anything in particular surprise you during Week 1? We have already learned a lot about our daily habits and are excited to get started on Week 2. Hopefully, each week we will decrease our waste total, both as individuals and as a group. If you have not already, please remember to submit your Week 1 Google Form by Monday morning.

    Did you know there are over 175 people participating in this challenge? Wow! Thank you to you all for taking the first steps in being more conscious of your waste. Together, we can make a significant change! 

    Going into this new week, we encourage you to reflect on Week 1 and perhaps set some new goals for Week 2. Maybe that means keeping a reusable bottle on hand, setting out grocery bags before leaving for the store, or requesting take out with no cutlery, straws, or napkins. Discover a sustainability-themed documentary or read an interesting article, and consider sharing it with others in the Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook group or other people in your circle. Whatever you choose to focus on, keep up the amazing work!

    Looking for ways to earn positive points for positive actions this week? Be sure to check out the iSEE Clothing Swap on 10/11, Green Quad Day on 10/13, and Illini Lights Out on 10/14.

    Here is the Week 2 Google Form, and attached is a copy of the points system and optional grid for your convenience. Please submit your Week 2 Form by Monday, October 17th. 

    As always, we invite you to email us with any feedback, questions, comments, or to let us know how the challenge is going for you. 

    We are looking forward to reaching out to you all on Thursday with another weekly tip and statistics from Week 1.

    Have a great week!

    Meredith Moore, iSEE Sustainability Programs Coordinator

    Emily Dickett and Jenna Schaefer, iSEE Sustainability Interns

    Late to the challenge? No worries! Check out the Box Folder for any materials you may have missed.

    Attached Files: 

  2. iSEE Green Event Certifications

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certified Green Event Program
    Certified Greener Campus Programs

    Happy campus sustainability month! We wanted to highlight some recent iSEE Green Event Certifications for the month of October.

     

    iSEE TED Talk: Eco-Edition Series, Certified October 2022

    iSEE Campus Sustainability Month Trash Clean Up, Certified October 2022

    iSEE Water Taste Test, Certified October 2022

     

    We are excited to see everyone at our sustainability events this month!

  3. Engagement002 iCAP Portal Redesign - Submitted (renamed Engagement002 Take Action Weblink)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team Recommendations Summary
    Sustainability iCAP Portal
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)

    The Engagement iCAP Team submitted Engagement002 iCAP Portal Redesign recommendation, outlined as follows:

    "Hire a graphic/web design student intern to develop a simple and more organized website to increase university community engagement on the iCAP Portal."

    The recommendation is attached. 

    Attached Files: 

  4. Electric Vehicle (EV) steering committee

    Associated Project(s): 
    Electric Vehicle (EV) Task Force

    Dear Colleagues,

    Parking is in the process of forming a steering committee to develop university standards and policies regarding electric vehicle charging stations on the UIUC campus.  We will be partnering with Desman Consulting to develop the document and recommendations.  You are receiving this email because we would like you to serve on the steering committee.  We have worked with various divisions within F&S to identify individuals who have expressed interest, and who have in-depth knowledge of university infrastructure and systems.  Please let us know if you want to serve on this committee by next Friday, October 14, and we will set-up a time to meet in the next couple of weeks.

    Thank you,

    Marty

  5. Week 1 Check In - Plastic Reduction Challenge

    Associated Project(s): 
    Plastic Free Challenge
    Campus Sustainability Month

     

    Good morning!

    You are several days into Week 1 of the Plastic Reduction Challenge. How’s it going? We would love to hear what you have learned, what you are struggling with, or any creative ways you have earned points back for environmentally friendly actions thus far. Feel free to share your feedback with us through email or with the Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook Group.

    If you’re like us, you are probably surprised with the amount of plastic you use and how integrated plastic is into almost every aspect of life. Becoming conscious of this waste is a great first step to reduce it, so be proud of that! 

    Every Thursday of this challenge, we will send an email checking in with a tip to help reduce your plastic waste for the week. This week, we are introducing The Seven R’s of Sustainability: the lesser known, more up-to-date version of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The Seven R’s highlight the importance of refusing plastic before you repurpose, reuse, and recycle, among other things. While the other R’s are great, the best way to decrease the plastic in our landfills and oceans is to refuse them altogether. Did you know that black plastic cannot be recycled? This is a very common item, especially when ordering take-out or to-go items. Check out the attached tip guide with more information and a few ideas on how to earn back points for waste-conscious actions this week.

    Lastly, we would like to clarify how to score points for actions you do often. For example, if you pick up litter every day, please count that action once a week (+5 for the entire week); however, if you use Clorox, face, or makeup wipes every day, please count -2 points for each day. We will then have a more accurate score for the week and can better compile the data from the entire group at the challenge’s end.

    Please remember to submit the Week 1 Google Form no later than Monday morning on October 10th. Please reach out to us with any questions, feedback, or concerns, and remind friends it is not too late to sign up for the challenge! Don’t worry, though - once you submit the Week 1 Google Form, you will have extra chances for prizes.

    Late to the challenge? No worries! Check out the Box Folder for any materials you may have missed.

    Thank you, and keep up the great work!

    Meredith Moore, iSEE Sustainability Programs Manager

    Emily Dickett and Jenna Schaefer, iSEE Sustainability Interns

    Attached Files: 

  6. MASSMAIL Inaugural Campus Landscape Master Plan 10/6/22

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)

    The follow is a MassMail sent by Dr. Ehab Kamarah.

    MASSMAIL - Inaugural Campus Landscape Master Plan
    October 6, 2022 2:59 PM

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign landscape contributes powerfully to the character of the campus and its excellence as a land grant institution with global impact. Through thoughtful planning and design guidance, the first-ever Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP) ensures our treasured landscape will thrive for many years.

    The CLMP will shape the vision of a future outdoor environment that will protect natural heritage, strengthen ecosystems, enhance shared experiences and learning opportunities, and provide a welcoming experience for students, faculty, staff, alums, community members, and guests.

    An executive summary of the CLMP and a video of the plan's concepts and designs are available on the Facilities & Services website. We strongly encourage you to share these items with others to help them know about this inaugural effort. The plan builds on concepts developed in the Campus Master Plan and Resilient Landscape Strategy and implements sustainability objectives established in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) to meet the Climate Leadership Commitments, including being carbon neutral as soon as possible and building resilience to climate change in our community.

    Thank you to all contributors who helped develop the CLMP: core committee members, unit stakeholders, and the many individuals who guided us and provided feedback during the various input sessions and public forum. We also want to thank the plan consultants, Design Workshop and their project team, for their hard work and dedication throughout the process.

    As you read the CLMP and view the district recommendations, please remember the plan will be a living document that immediately serves as a foundation to help guide the projects and initiatives that will shape the future of our campus. Ongoing collaborations and partnerships are critical to preserving, maintaining, and improving our campus landscape moving forward. If you have suggestions or questions, please contact University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis bcl@illinois.edu.

    We are excited to begin incorporating the CLMP strategies into ongoing work and turn these ideas into reality.

    Sincerely,


    Dr. Ehab Kamarah
    Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Facilities & Services

  7. Zero Waste iCAP Meeting 10/5/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Green Sports Alliance (GSA)
    Dining Services Reusable Containers

    On October 5th, the Zero Waste iCAP team met to make final edits on Campus Sustainability Celebration slides, foster a conversation on Zero Waste initiatives with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA), and discuss potential recommendations relating to food waste at dining halls.

    Meeting Minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  8. 10-5-22 External Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    "Don't Waste" with Coca-Cola

    On October 5, UIUC sustainability representatives met with Coca-Cola and discussed the following:

    Attendance: Jake Slager, Daphne Hulse, Brette Bennett, Greg Grantham, Kendall Chadwick, Jeff Holman, Meredith Moore, Shawn Patterson, Cole Kouvaris, Sarah Carten, Thurman Etchison, Shreya Mahajan, Sean Chance, Jen Fraterrigo

    • You Are Here (YAH) Agency: leading the campaign around Don’t Waste, which will be broader than just cans and bottles.
    • Jake sent Daphne the updated digital signage with the new logo.
      • Daphne has added to Box.
    • Daphne + Meredith need to determine which department needs how many bins. We will review quantities with Jake. Coca-Cola will pay for them this time around. Some of them can be used for the upcoming Zero Waste Basketball Game. Next week Jake wants to talk about sustainability audit from Circular Solutions
    • Jake would like to move the meeting up. Meredith will check with Morgan and Jen about their schedules.
    • Make sure to add Tony to the Box folder. He had helped distribute signage in the past.
    • YAH: campus ambassador work with Coca-Cola. Brought in to help support the Don’t Waste work on campus. Goal of today is to get background knowledge on the campus.
      • What will this campaign encompass: what does Don’t Waste mean to students? Ideas about content generation (videos, social media?) How to use messaging, the tone, how should the logo be used.

    What inspired the Don’t Waste campaign?

    Jake: Not late to the party here. Jake joined the project in late July 2022. There had been some folks who had met with U of I in the past. Daphne joined in September 2022. She’ll be main stakeholder and point of contact for UIUC. There are many departments across campus, which makes it challenging. This is how we got to the zero waste event.

    Meredith: Didn’t provide easy opportunities previously to provide an easy way to recycle. Also, a way to work with DIA and athletics.

    Jen: How do we reduce plastic waste on campus? Switching to aluminum wasn’t an option, but best strategy was to evaluate how well the recycling program was operating. Looking at strategies to reduce waste.

    Jake: glad to be a conduit to have discussions about things on campus.

    Was their initiative on recycling prior to Don’t Waste? Any other slogan?

    Focused on waste and plastic reduction, within the last 3 years they have not had a centralized campaign like this. Bin It was a prior intiative (about a year long, made some fun videos. Not nearly as robust as Don’t Waste, it wasn’t on bins. It was on social media and newsletters).

    Goals, apart from increasing recycling?

    Meredith: Waste reduction is primary goal, then reduce plastic, then second step is to recycle. Really trying to increase the diversion.

    Jen: There have been a couple of waste audits. They are snapshots, so not sure how it could imapct all of campus

    Meredith: They were done before the 3-stream receptacles. Not sure how helpful it would be. WTS would have more data

    Jake: Circular Solutions waste audit details to come next week. Determine a cost associated.

    Assets being developed? Found a strong connection between marketing or social media?

    Jen: We have no data analytics capacity, but it would be wonderful if we did.

    Jeff: want to make sure what we are providing UIUC is effective.

    Jen: students do use the Illinois app. There is a QR code (link COVID test results with their identity). So there is an opportunity here to explore

    Brette: is there a way to track sporting events on campus?

    Jen: Don’t know of anything.

    Thurman: The Illinois app has dining and sporting information, can use as ID in some instances, local campus radio station, geo-tagging/fencing, information about the local transit. Can find out who hosts the app

    Meredith: we can ask Tony (iSEE) who was able to get all sustainability events on the full campus calendar. In some way, we are already connected

    Greg: http://sites.superfanu.com/committotheg.com/index.html use the loyalty element and rewarding that behavior

    Are there other assets that would make a big impact on the campaign (signage, content, digital boards, non-traditional things, what might be missing)?

    Brette: can revist this and UIUC can provide feedback later.

    Jen: Basic infrastructure (rec fields, some buildings, poritions of campus without receptacles)

    Meredith: worth revisiting. Sustainable giveaways. With the quantity, this is challenging (welcome celebration - which we partnered with Coke on earlier this year - and athletics). Things like durable water bottles, that get people thinking about waste and recycling

    Jen: we did talk to some folks at OSU MyCup program (evolved to rewarding people who use reusable vessels for FreeStyle Machines, and charging all others). We haven’t talked internally about this, something to follow up on with Thurman and others.

     

  10. Varsity Room Sustainability Initiatives

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Sports Alliance (GSA)
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) Climate Action Plan

    Team Clerk Claire Keating met with Zero Waste Team Clerk Nikki Palella and Justin Holding, a member of the engagement team.

    The meeting content included brainstorming zero-waste food containers for athletes who participate in meals provided by DIA and Hendrick House.

    Meeting also covered updates on Green Sports Alliance recommendation and future contacts.

     

  11. Green Cleaning Program Update 10-2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Cleaning Products and Practices

    According to Dominika Szal, F&S Waste Management Intern, "We have found green alternatives for most of the floor cleaning products as well as some multi-surface/glass cleaning products. We are continuing our search for green alternatives for other types of products such as carpet cleaners, bleach, etc.."

    Here is a link to the WELL Building Standard. 

     

     

     

  12. Land and Water iCAP Meeting 10/4/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Cover Crops on South Farms
    Let It Flow
    Benefits of a Large-Scale Prairie Experiment

    On October 4th, the Land and Water iCAP team met to make final edits on the Campus Sustainability Celebration slides, review the Campus Landscape Master Plan, and discuss regenerative agriculture research on the South Farms.

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Week 1 Kickoff - Plastic Reduction Challenge

    Associated Project(s): 
    Plastic Free Challenge
    Campus Sustainability Month

    Happy October, and welcome to the 3rd Annual Campus Waste Challenge! Whether this is your third year participating in this challenge or first, we are so glad you’re here. To each of you, thank you for taking the first step toward decreasing your individual waste stream by challenging yourself to be more conscious of what you throw away every day.

    This year, the Campus Waste Challenge will focus on plastic reduction. The Plastic Reduction Challenge lasts four weeks, from Monday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 30th. Each day, keep track of the plastic you throw away (not reuse or recycle) using the predetermined point system (attached). The goal of the challenge is to earn as any points as possible each week. Every time you throw away a plastic item, points are subtracted from your weekly total. Environmentally friendly actions can earn you points back and are also listed on the points system. 

    At the end of each week, please submit your weekly point total using the Google Form. We have created a grid (attached) as an option to keep track of your weekly waste, but you may choose any method that works for you, such as your phone or a piece of scratch paper. This week, submit the Week 1 Google Form by Monday, 10/10 at 9:00 AM.

    Additionally, every Thursday of the challenge we will send a check-in email with resources to help you. Remember, refuse plastics when you can, and make sure to repurpose and recycle those you must take. Hopefully, throughout this challenge, you develop a personal habit of waste consciousness. All participants will be entered into a raffle for sustainability packs. You will earn an entry for each week you submit a Google Form.

    We encourage you to engage with fellow participants on UIUC’s Sustainability forum: Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook. In this Facebook group we welcome you to post questions, tips, and resources to support each other during this challenge!

    Please respond to this email if you have further questions and reach out to us at any time throughout the month. We would love to hear from you! We are very excited to kick off this fun, impactful challenge with you all. Remember to recommend friends, family, and colleagues to join the challenge, as well. It is never too late. 

    If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate Campus Sustainability Month this October, check out the iSEE Calendar for a month filled with engaging activities!

    Thank you and have fun! We will talk to you again on Thursday with the first weekly tip.

    Meredith Moore, iSEE Sustainability Programs Manager

    Emily Dickett and Jenna Schaefer, iSEE Sustainability Interns

    Attached Files: 

  15. Ohio State University includes the waste survey as part of the agenda for the upcoming BTAF meeting, to solicit a better survey response rate

    Associated Project(s): 
    Big Ten & Friends Sustainability
    Achieve Zero Waste

    From: Leciejewski, Mary leciejewski.8@osu.edu
    Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 12:19 PM
    To: Hulse, Daphne Lauren dlhulse2@illinois.edu
    Cc: Szal, Dominika Patrycja dszal2@illinois.edu
    Subject: RE: Scheduling a Waste Management Survey

     

    Hi Daphne,

     

    Pleasure speaking with you last week. I was going to send out an agenda for the Big 10 and Friends meeting on Thursday. Are you still interested in introducing yourself and your project to try to solicit a better response rate? If so, I can put you on the agenda.

     

    Thanks! Mary

  16. Urban Biodiversity Master Plan Student Support

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urban Biodiversity Master Plan
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team

    Biodiversity Plan intern Gabriel Harper-Hagen is looking for students and student groups to help him develop two iNaturalist surveys for the project. Here is the detailed explanation from Gabe:

    The survey will act as a pilot for future surveying around campus and the broader community. We will have two surveys: one focused on animals and one focused on plants. This is because of the different methods of surveying each. The surveys will benefit from as many students that would be interested in this for either one (Or both). The survey will attempt to efficiently gather data about the diversity of plant and animal species found on campus to create a baseline for what is present and to help identify gaps on the campus where diversity may be lacking. If successful, I hope to expand the model to other parts of the community including the park districts to have larger community based BioBlitz seasonally to keep track of the diversity in the area and measure success of the biodiversity plan. 

     

    As far as students can help, we need enough people to survey the area efficiently in a reasonable amount of time. The student groups and individual students would be helping in an initial survey that focuses only on the campus. My thought is that a date will be set for each of the two surveys where the participants can join to go over brief instructions on identifying plants with iNaturalist, adding them to the project, and explaining the purpose of surveying. iNaturalist allows for specific project data to be collected within a region which is then peer reviewed. Ideally, there will be some experts (students or professors if appropriate) that join for each survey to help with logistics and identification. I hope this will not only be a useful database for our campus to utilize, but also a fun learning experience. 

     

    All iCAP students and environmental student groups are encouraged to participate. If interested, please email Gabe (harperh2@illinois.edu) and Resilience iCAP Team clerk Asli Topuzlu (aslit2@illinois.edu). 

  17. Edu007 Big Ten Career Fair - Transmitted

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Sustainability at Career Fairs
    Education iCAP Team
    Education iCAP Team Recommendations Summary

    Following the completion of the iWG assessment of Edu007 Big Ten Career Fair, the recommendation and assessment were transmitted to Jim Hintz, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Inclusion, and Belonging.

    The iWG assessment is attached. 
    See the submission and recommendation of Edu007 Big Ten Career Fair. 

    Attached Files: 

  18. Weekly Update: Slower times, Business Hours, Sorting abandoned bicycles

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    All, Slower times here at the Bike Center (in terms of visitors). We’re almost slow enough that we can reinstate the First Visit Free policy. Not quite there, as we’ll have lulls but pick back up again.

    It was discovered that the CBC Google Business hours were not updated when we moved to M – F, which explains why we we’ve been so slow on Tues/Thurs. That has since been corrected so we’ll see if that impacts visit numbers this week.

    Last week I started sorting bikes at the warehouse for shipment/donation. We’ll be saving even more bikes than usual as we’re critically low on consumable parts like tires.

    We managed to rehab a Huffy to an acceptable degree. The frame was in good shape and we piloted a new freewheel system that should hopefully help keep those types of bikes rideable for longer. That bike sold in about 20 minutes. Demand for cheap bikes is evergreen.

    This week I’ll do more sorting at the warehouse and coordinating the donation, an interview or two, and otherwise business-as-usual.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 78
    Sales: $479.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $70
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tires/tubes: 9 for $58

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  19. Captstone meeting Week 1: Introduction to the topics

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Friendly University Status
    Reduce Bicycle Theft on Campus
    Independent Student Projects

    I, Aparna Padmakumar from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning am pursuing a master’s degree with a concentration focus in the field of transportation and currently is looking to take up a potential capstone project with the transportation iCAP team hoping to contribute to better bicycle safety/access on the UIUC campus. After multiple discussions and meetings with Sarthak Prasad,  the projects that I will be helping out with would be the ‘Bicycle Friendly University Status’ and ‘Reducing Bicycle Theft on Campus’ through the months of October until May. In today’s kick-off meeting (10/3/2022) previous data, studies, and information were shared with me for better clarity and expected to go through all the previously collected information on the iCap portal. Sarthak guided me through the 2022 Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) application to achieve Gold-level BFU certification and also the Bike at Illinois website as a source of information for the second ongoing project. I am also in constant touch with the other concerned team members to note down important background information on these 2 projects for a better sense of direction before our next weekly Monday meeting’

  20. 10-3-22 Internal Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    "Don't Waste" with Coca-Cola

    On October 3, UIUC sustainability representatives met and discussed the following:

    Attendance: Pete Varney, Meredith Moore, Shreya Mahajan, Bryan Johnson, Marty Kaufmann, Morgan White, Daphne Hulse

    • Bryan Johnson: res life. Will be having a conversation with the res life Director. Seeing if Sustainability LLC wants to take on the sticker.
    • Waste audit: submit a request for the SSC funding. Meredith and Dave discussed this before Daphne joined, wanting to pursue SSC funding.
      • Daphne would do the request. Ask for 25,000 for step 1, and then submit the actual cost in step 2.
    • Tim Knox is on the engagement iCAP team. Tim and Marty talk every couple of weeks. Tim had been talking with COO (Roger, chief operations officer) about the need for better recycling for tailgating. This will be in the works for Fall 2023. Marty says they’ve done flyers, but probably not bags before. Maybe we do a kiosk on busy game days.
    • Picnic tables. Morgan suggested ARC put them at Vet Med, arboretum, off-of-the-beaten path.
      • Marty says athletics could maybe utilize them? Not against them, but it wasn’t a request of theirs.
      • It’s not a great time of year to get them (they would have to be stored through the winter).
      • Will continue to look into these, but it’s on the back burner for now. Will address it in the spring.
    • Temporary Coca-Cola bin discussion. No one is sold on them. But they do provide a benefit at events, to show people (especially students) that we recycle.
      • Hard to clean? Marty: we may or may not need bins at athetics, especially for the zero waste event.
    • Meeting on Wednesday: Tell Jake that we do want the bins replaced, but need to clarify where they will go. 60 total? Could all of them get delivered to F&S and deployed for various situations.
      • Determine how many we got originally, and if they can all be replaced (with the Royal Blue).
    • Meredith: getting students to help out. Morgan had asked Marty to see if he could find a RSO. Marty has a staff meeting at 2, so he will ask for those contacts. Then, we will connect the students from sustainability to this athletic RSO.

     

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