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Project Updates

  1. December 3, 2021 Illini Lights Out Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out

    The final Illini Lights Out event of the semester was December 3, 2021 and over 120 volunteers helped out. Volunteers shut off 3,254 light bulbs and saved 5613 kWh of energy, 3.98 metric tons of CO2, and $472 in energy costs. Thanks so much to all of the volunteers who made this possible, and to all of the volunteers who have helped at Illini Lights Out this semester!

  2. Water and Environment: Water Quality, Quantity and Contaminants (Symposium)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Conservation [ARCHIVED]

    Please register for the Water and the Environment: Fundamental Aspects of Water Quality, Quantity, and Contaminants Symposium on December 9, 2021 from 9am-11:30am. There will be speakers as well as breakout rooms to engage our discussion on water and the environment. We look forward to seeing you December 9th!

    This opportunity is available online. Visit the event's Zoom website to register online.

     

  3. FGI Webinar: Live Panel Discussion on Allowable Leakage Rates

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    This Live Panel Discussion will assemble five industry leaders to answer questions about allowable leakage rates (ALRs) for different types of containment facilities.  In particular, the maximum ALR of a liquid impoundment or landfill is usually a common but difficult question to answer. (1.5 PDH)

    This event will be held on December 7th, 2021 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM as a virtual experience. Visit the GoToWebinar page for this event to register!

  4. 2021 Annual Kids' and Teen Bike Giveaway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    The Campus Bike Center, in collaboration with the Urbana Bike Project, is hosting a free Kids’ and Teen Bike Giveaway this holiday season. Bikes are first come, first served; one bike per kid, and they must be present to pick out their bike. Be sure to get to the event early, as bikes will go quickly! Email contact@thebikeproject.org or call (217) 469-5126 to arrange a donation for the event.

    The event will be held on December 11th, 2021 from 1:00-3:00 PM. In addition, the event will take place at Urbana Bike Project (202 S. Broadway Ave., Urbana.)

  5. Apply for a 2022-23 Levenick Teaching Sustainability Fellowship!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Fellows Research Program [ARCHIVED]
    Encourage Course Development or Modification

    iSEE is offering seed funding to help faculty & instructors incorporate sustainability into the classroom in 2022-23. Levenick Teaching Sustainability Fellows can get $1,000 to integrate sustainability into an existing course or $2,000 to develop a new course, as well as resource support. 100- and 200-level courses encouraged.

    Application deadline Jan. 31, 2022.

  6. Results of the 2021 Sustainability Competition for Undergraduates

    Associated Project(s): 
    ReImagine Our Future


    "The three winners of the 2021 Sustainability Competition for Undergraduates were announced on Saturday afternoon.

    The overall winners in this inaugural competition were Jamie Lee and Semi Shin who developed a communication strategy for promoting the use of sustainable cement. They won $2000 for their innovative efforts. Their faculty advisor was Prof. Iwona Jasiuk.

    The runner-up award ($1000) went to three MechSE students, Advay Sudarshan, Aryan Panigrahi, and Yuge Ji. They proposed the development of an energy efficient thermoelectric cooling system for data centers. MechSE’s Associate Departmental Head, Prof. Sanjiv Sinha, advised them.

    Third prize ($500) went to Sakshi Vaya, who proposed a gender education strategy in India.

    The six winning entries may be viewed on the competition website.

     

    Thank you again for the wonderful support of the 54 specialist advisors and initial judges, and of the seven final judges. I also immensely appreciate the tireless support of the fellow coordinating team members, Prof. (emeritus) Robert McKim, Prof. Warren Lavey, Prof. Michelle Wander, Peter Davis (Univ. of St. Thomas), and Shreyas Venkatarathinam (MechSE Senior).

     

    We trust that you might again be able to support us with the Fall 2022 competition, which will feature a few structural changes. Also, our students will get the chance to collaborate with those from other universities, locally and internationally, as they address their chosen sustainability challenges."

    -Leon Liebenberg (12/04/2021)

    Teaching Associate Professor
    Fellow: Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
    Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    1206 W. Green Street
    Urbana, IL 61801

  8. Update on Sensor Installation to Track South Farms Water Quality

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Nitrates from Agricultural Stormwater

    In the middle of 2021, there was a discussion about adding a sensor station at the far south of South Farms to track the water quality in the Embarras. 

    The original scope included installing the sensor during the Fall 2021 semester as a part of Arthur Schmidt's Field Class. However, obstacles, such as purchasing additional materials and the change in weather, have shifted this timeline. 

    As of Mid-November, Arthur Schmidt and his colleague, Jacob, are teaching a new sensors class in the Spring 2022 semester. The new timeline hopes to get the installation included in the Sensors Class curriculum, with installation occurring in the early half of 2022.

  9. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Decrease Wasteful Practices through Behavior Change

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Friday, December 3 to discuss and finalize the two recommendations related to the team's water bottle behavior change campaign. These include a drinking water behavior survey and a recommendation to track water filter systems on campus. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  10. CTAC fall 2021: Charge Letter, Presentation file, Meeting recording

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC)
    Vision Zero
    Walkability Study

    Please see attached the presentation for the CTAC meeting in Fall 2021. This meeting was held on December 3, 2021. Here is the link to see the recording of this meeting: https://uofi.box.com/s/ezoxpyo8xp2bysocygvj4hnh7cnm9xi3

    Attached Files: 

  11. New iSEE Greener Campus Programs Certifications

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

    Congratulations to the newest recipients of our Green Event and Green Office certifications!

     

    Green Event Certifications: 

    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) Environmental Career Panel-Certified October 2021

    University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors Basketball Game Watch-Certified November 2021

    Office of the Chancellor State of the University-Certified November 2021

     

    Green Office Gold Certification:

    Department of Communication-Recertified October 2021

     

    Thank you to each of our participants, keep up the great work!

     

  12. Sustainability and Green Job Certifications

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Green Jobs
    Resilience iCAP Team

    Sustainability & Green Job Certification examples have now been included on the Institute for Energy, Sustainability, and the Environment (iSEE) Education Portal website.  Scroll down on the page to find and review Professional Certification Programs.  This list can be used to inspire and provide insight into green careers. Green Job Certification Topics include: 

    Buildings & Energy

    Environmentalism & Advocacy

    Climate Change and Sustainability Professionals, Business, Reporting

    Water

    Outdoors, Gardening, Wildlife, Natural Resources

    A downloadable Excel file titled "Job Certifications" provides additional detail about these certifications and these careers.

  13. R&D World Online Two-Part Green Labs Article

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Lab Program

    From: Becky Chambers Hennessy <hennessy.becky@gmail.com>
    Sent: Wednesday, December 1, 2021 5:07 PM
    To: Foote, Gerard Paul <gfoote2@illinois.edu>; Breitwieser, Steven <sbreit@illinois.edu>
    Subject: R&D World online two-part green labs article

     

    Hello, Paul and Stephen! I'd like to share with you and your peers the online version of R&D World's two-part feature story on sustainable labs.

     

    For the online version, we spread the pieces across two days, with the second posted today. Here are the links:

     

    Day 1:

    —https://www.rdworldonline.com (landing page)

    —https://www.rdworldonline.com/facing-sustainability-in-the-lab

     

    Day 2:

    —https://www.rdworldonline.com/a-look-at-the-2021-freezer-challenge-winners (U of I's profile)

     

    I suggest that you share the article on U of I's social media channels. It's incredibly well-earned and effective publicity. :-)

     

    The print edition comes out this month. If you'd like, I'll provide R&D World with your postal address and that of others if you send it to me. 

     

    However, the best way to receive the print copy might be to go to R&D World's website and subscribe. The December print edition will house both the edited main and sidebar portions.

     

    I so enjoyed working with both of you, Paul and Stephen. Thank you for taking the time to share your world-class academic lab program!

     

    Best,

     

    --Becky

     

    Becky Chambers Hennessy

    hennessy.becky@gmail.com

    219-689-8889

    Becky Chambers Hennessy | LinkedIn

  14. Green Sports Alliance Monthly Newsletter Example (November 2021)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Sports Alliance (GSA)

    Every month, the Green Sports Alliance releases its monthly newsletter! 

    In the November 2021 edition, GSA provided details about next year's Green Sports Alliance Summit (expected to be held in June 2022), upcoming events, and other exciting #GreenSports news! Upcoming newsletters will provide similar details and is available to all members.

    See the attached PDF to read the GSA November 2021 Newsletter.

     

    Attached Files: 

  15. Sustainability Best Practices Video Update: Results & Data

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Best Practices Video

    As of December 01, 2021, the Sustainability Best Practices Video has accumulated the following statistics:

    Video Views as of December 01, 2021 at 9:37 AM CST:

    • STUDENTS: 240
    • STAFF/ADMIN/COMMUNITY:300
    • FACULTY/RESEARCHERS: 120
    • Total Reach of Videos: 660
    • Surveys: 254 (38% of watches filled out the survey)

    Moving forward, efforts may be directed towards drawing attention, completing a beginning-of-semester (SP22) push before classes begin, and addressing divestment & recognizing student concerns.

     

  16. UIUC Freezer Challenge in R&D World Magazine

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Becky Chambers Hennessy, writer of R&D World magazine, wrote a Q&A style piece on UIUC's "Winning Streak Award" for the International Freezer Challenge. The piece contains answers from Deborah S. Katz-Downie, Martin Gruebele, and Paul Foote. The piece can be found here.

  18. Local Carbon Offset Programs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Develop Local Carbon Offset Program [ARCHIVED]

    From: Ricci, Marcus <mericci@urbanaillinois.us>
    Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 1:32 PM
    To: icap-resilience at lists.illinois.edu
    Subject: RE: [icap-resilience] Revolving Loan Fund example for evaluation

     

    *** Email From An External Source ***

    Today’s Lunchtime Stroll Through the Internet: “Local Carbon Offset Programs.”

     

    I hit on “The Offset Project” which started off in 2010 as a not-for-profit program in Monterey Bay, to fund sustainability programs that reduce carbon emissions: https://theoffsetproject.org/programs-and-services/local-offset-projects/top-local-offset-projects/.

     

    They eventually morphed into a for-profit group that helps/services others to do the same: http://www.bluestrikeenvironmental.com/. One of their clients was UC Santa Cruz and the City of Watsonville, the latter of which instituted a Carbon Fund Ordinance which “establishes a Carbon Fee to be charged to all development projects except single family residential alterations, temporary buildings, and/or building area that is not used as conditioned space. The goal of the Carbon Fund Ordinance is to encourage the implementation of renewable energy in development projects. The money collected from the Carbon Fund Fee are placed in a separate account to be used for citywide greenhouse gas reduction projects.” https://www.cityofwatsonville.org/1765/Carbon-Fund-Ordinance

     

    So, if we (someone) wanted to pick their brains (for free) Kristin from Blue Strike Environmental would be willing to chat with us, and provide the Power Point presentations they used at City of Watsonville.

     

    The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund sounds similar to UIUC’s sustainability funds, so it could be used, in general, to pay for offsetting carbon: https://sustainability.ucsc.edu/engage/funding/carbon-fund/about/index.html.

     

    By the way, I *really* dislike the use of the word “offset.” I feel that an offset is when you are paying for emitting something, when what we are trying to do (I think?) is actually *reduce* carbon emissions.

                    Merriam-Webster: : to cancel or reduce the effect of (something) : to create an equal balance between two things

     

    Are we trying to reduce the emissions themselves? Or allowing all of the emissions and just fixing their effects?

     

    Be safe, stay healthy,

    Marcus

     

    Marcus Ricci, AICP
    Planner II

    Community Services Department | City of Urbana
    400 S Vine St | Urbana, Illinois 61801
    217.328.8283

    cid:image001.jpg@01D799AC.BF71CD50

     

    Scott Tess shared these resources for local projects: 

     

    https://www.green-e.org/certified-resources/carbon-offsets

     

    https://www.climateactionreserve.org/how/voluntary-offset-program/

     

  19. Winter Meeting Agenda

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy iCAP Team

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

     

    Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation

     

    This Week in Illinois Research

     

     

    An Era Ends, a New Frontier Begins

     

     

    We're approaching the end of the semester, the end of the year—and the end of a storied chapter in the history of the Illinois research enterprise. On December 31, the Blue Waters supercomputer will cease operations after its extended years of service.  

    It's hard to overstate the impact of Blue Waters. When it fully came online in early 2013, we were planning to operate the system for five years. Now, nearly nine years later, we are wrapping up one of the most successful projects in our university's history. With insights into such diverse topics as genomics, gerrymandering, and geospatial data (and so much more), the Blue Waters team and the scholars who used the machine set the standard for using high-performance computing in boundary-shattering research. 

    While we celebrate the discoveries that Blue Waters made possible, as authors of technology and innovation we are ever focused on the future. I'm so pleased that our incredibly valuable Blue Waters team will be deployed to other projects at NCSA, including the emerging New Frontiers Initiative. I am grateful to Bill Kramer and Bill Gropp for their vision and leadership as we take the next steps in exploring what lies ahead. Blue Waters may be ending, but its impact will live on, far into the future!

    Sincerely,

    Susan

     

     

     

     

     

     

    An archive of these email announcements is available here. 

    Subscribe to the This Week in Illinois Research mailing list. Unsubscribe from the mailing list.

     

     

  20. Sustainability Gen-Ed Student Survey

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Gen-Ed Requirement

    Please take this survey regarding the sustainability general education requirement: https://forms.gle/UGho4xcS8hx8Rw5aA

    Proposal information is attached. 

    This proposal calls for a 3 credit-hour Sustainability category to be added to the Natural Sciences and Technology gen ed requirement. It will give all undergraduate students the opportunity to take a course focused on sustainability topics to fulfill 3 credit hours of this existing requirement. Read through the attached proposal to learn more, and fill out the survey below to share your thoughts on this proposal. We appreciate all responses.

    Attached Files: 

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