The Career Center hosted a Careers in Sustainability panel which included the following panelists: Roxina Kanchwala (Eco.Logic), John Sinclair (Wisconsin DNR), Andrew Rehn (Prairie Rivers Network), and Savannah Donovan (Urbana Parks District). 57 people were in attendance! Several resources were shared to the group: 

https://climateinterpreter.org/about/projects/nnocci

https://skepticalscience.com/ 

https://www.cleanenergyleaders.org/

https://grist.org/energy/greentrolling-a-maniacal-plan-to-bring-down-big-oil/

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/

The recording is found here: https://uofi.app.box.com/s/m73kwaloh46tr9pphhwgqm4treblvku0 

The Illinois Solar Decathlon team has completed construction of the innovative ADAPTHAUS and is planning an inauguration event. To learn more about this project, visit some of the many links below:

https://www.solardecathlon.gov/2020/build/competition-team-illinois.html

https://resourcefurniture.com/inspiration/adapthaus-net-zero-for-the-win/

https://sustainability.illinois.edu/student-team-awarded-150000-for-sola...

https://www.facebook.com/illinoissolardecathlon/

https://dailyillini.com/opinions/2021/01/19/letter-to-the-editor-illinoi...

https://www.contractormag.com/green/solar/article/21144537/solar-decathl...

https://twitter.com/Solar_Decathlon/status/1377984161751867395

Meeting minutes for the 4/9 Zero Waste SWATeam meeting are attached. The agenda is as follows:

• Updates
• Roundtable Discussion
  • Removal of virgin paper from F&S stores/catalogues 
  • Elimination of thermal paper receipts
  • Assessment of third-party vendors footprint (single-use plastics, recyclable materials, etc) in the Union.
  • Student Waste Management Educational initiative.
  • Single-use plastics in vending machines.
  • Reuse of Surplus Goods
  • Battery Recycling

The trash pickup on 4/7/21 was a great success, and a lot of fun too! Thirty people showed up and picked up 80 lbs of trash/recycling that would have otherwise likely made its way into Boneyard Creek! Most groups helped track and characterize the waste. The categories and data are attached.

Check out our recap video here!

We made it on the Earth Day Network map: https://cleanup.earthday.org/pages/find-a-cleanup

We met today to talk about the integration of SSC projects in the iCAP Portal.

Sad that Mulch Madness is over? You can still watch (most of) those amazing plants 'play' this year in the garden using my 2020 Bloom Calendar as a guide! The champion Virginia Bluebells, which weren't installed until last fall, are in full bloom NOW!

Check out the Red Oak Rain Garden Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/RainGardenUIUC 

Hello iCAP Teams and happy spring! We are excited to invite you to the next iCAP Team/iWG social hour on Monday, April 5 from 4 – 5pm. The format will look a little different this time. We will be meeting on a cool platform called “Topia”, which will be more conducive for small group discussions.  

Here is the link for our “iCAP 2020” platform: https://topia.io/icap-world

 Topia will not work on a tablet or phone, and it needs to be on a Chrome browser. Please take a few minutes and click the link above before the event, and let us know if you have any issues. The hour will consist of:

4:00-4:10 – Welcome and learn about the Topia website

4:10-4:35 – Breakout groups, visiting the different topical areas based on your interest (not specifically based on your team assignment)

4:35-4:45 – Come back to the center (central park) and a representative from each group will provide a brief update on what the group talked about  4:45-4:50 – Highlight one of the iCAP projects

4:50-5:00pm – Q&A, Conclusion

Let us know if you have any questions. We are so excited to try this out with you in a few weeks. See you then!

Meredith, Morgan, and Ximing

The Telecommuting & Commuter Program intern met with supervisor Sarthak Prasad on Tuesday, April 6th, 2021 to discuss updates on the program and goals for the upcoming week. Over the past week, they created a questionnaire for the Illinois HR department and a questionnaire for when they begin interviewing other universities about their respective telecommuting programs. Tomorrow, they hope to collaborate with the transportation SWATeam to get feedback on their proposed questions. This week, they plan to investigate telecommuting policies at other Illinois universities (UIC, UIS, ISU) and various Ivy League institutions. They will then plan to narrow down the best schools to reach out to and gather necessary contact information.

All,This week projects to be a busy one as the temps climb into the 70s.
Last week I had an interview with Buzz Magazine and we had our Fix-a-Flat class on Wednesday evening. It was well-attended with 3 participants. Our first Friday Ride was a no-show as it was still, I guess, a little chilly for most people. Personally, 60 and sunny is delightful weather to ride a bike. Elsewhere, I also worked with Todd to clear out some bikes at the warehouse. One guy came by specifically asking for the Bike@Illinois seat cover. I happily obliged.
This week we have another after-hours class on Wednesday (Bike Maintenance 101) and another Friday Ride.
Campus Rec IT came by on Friday and set up our new phone, new number, and email address. I worked with Barry to get this new number hooked into TBP communications. The phone will ring in the lobby, which will be much easier to hear and answer than just having my office line.

The numbers:

Visitors: 18
Sales: $677.50
Memberships: 5 for $150
Bikes (refurb): 2 for $370
Tire/tubes: 4 for $29

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Manager, Campus Bike Center

The iWG met on 3-30-21. The discussion focused on the following: summarizing the Sustainability Sub-Council meeting, the Engagement001 recommendation, the upcoming Sustainability Council meeting, Earth Month updates, and student group updates. The meeting minutes are attached.

Good afternoon and Happy Earth Month! Once again, congratulations on completing the Plastic Free Challenge. We are proud of you for taking the steps to become more conscious of your waste and dedicating your time to reflect on and change these habits. 
 

As a group, we decreased our average plastic waste by 37% from week 1 to week 4. Many participants decreased their weekly waste even more; one participant decreased their weekly waste by as much as 110% and several others received fewer than 0 points for an entire week! These accomplishments, among many others, are incredibly impressive!
 

If you submitted a google form with your grid during this past month, please keep an eye on your inbox for a certificate of completion for the Plastic Free Challenge. As mentioned many times throughout the challenge, we hope you consider checking out the Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook group to stay connected with fellow participants, start a discussion, hear about the latest sustainability opportunities at U of I and beyond, and share tips for living sustainably going forward.
 

On Wednesday, we used a random name generator to choose two winners of the challenge. As a reminder, you received one entry for every week you participated in the challenge. The winners are Bartek Susol and Jessica Lillegaard. Winners, we will contact you on how to receive your prize! Congratulations to you two and, of course, to all participants! We hope you enjoyed your time during the challenge! We sure did, and we are here to assure you that this will certainly not be the last challenge that iSEE hosts.
 

Again, we offer our congratulations to each of you for completing this challenge. We know it was time-intensive and not always easy, but it was certainly worth it. We hope you continue to make environmentally-conscious choices and apply the many things you have learned over the past month. It is equally as important to share what you have learned with friends, family, and peers. As we discussed at the Ted Talk: Eco-Edition event on Tuesday, being an environmental hero does not have to be changing the world with a single action. You are an environmental hero by reducing your own environmental footprint and helping others do the same. Write to your politicians, store managers, or leaders, encouraging them to prioritize sustainability. Show that there is a demand for these initiatives. Building a culture of sustainability on our campus and in our world starts with you!
 

A great place to start (or continue this great momentum) is attending any of the countless events for Earth Month iSEE and other campus and community entities. Here is the link to the calendar: Earth Month Calendar. We are constantly adding more events, even beyond April. Please submit an item to the calendar if you notice something missing. Coming up this Wednesday, we have a campus trash pickup! Check out the calendar for more info. If you can't join us on campus, consider joining with a few friends or family members (or go on your own) and pick up trash in your own neighborhood and community. It can be a fun, COVID-safe, springtime event.
 

As always, please reach out to us with any questions, comments, or feedback, and stay tuned for more exciting events in the future. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
 

Take care!

Meredith Moore, iSEE Sustainability Programs Coordinator
Emily Dickett, iSEE Sustainability Intern

We did it! We completed the Campus Race to Zero Waste! Data for Week 8 (March 21-March 27, 2021) is found below. Thanks for showing up, Illinois!

Trash - 178,740

Food Organics - 12,000

Paper - 34,248

Cardboard - 13,590

Bottles and Cans - 0

Earth Month is here! Can you believe it? I would like to first draw your attention to the iSEE Sustainability Calendar as a reference point for the many virtual and in-person events (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions) held this month and beyond. If you notice a missing event on the calendar, there is a link to submit an event yourself.

Here are a few highlights:

• TED Talk: Eco-Edition series - iSEE’s second TED Talk: Eco-Edition event, will be held from 7 – 8 PM CST, March 30. To complement our recent Plastic Free Challenge, this gathering will focus on plastic waste. Participants will view a prerecorded TED Talk, presented in September 2019 by Andrew Forrest: "A Radical Plan to End Plastic Waste." Afterward, all are invited to participate in a guided discussion and roundtable, hosted by Maddy Liberman (NRES/F&S Intern) and Shantanu Pai (ISTC/F&S). Registration is required; sign up here.
• iSEE Congress – “The Future of Water”, April 6, 14, 20, 23 at noon. Over a series of Zoom webinars, iSEE Congress – Spring 2021 brings together a diverse group of researchers, educators, journalists, and activists to dive deeper into the topic. Our modified “teach-in” will introduce the Illinois campus and community to cutting-edge thinking from highly influential scholars on topics ranging from drought to the global politics of water to pollution, public health, and biodiversity.
• Trash pickup event at Boneyard Creek, sponsored by iSEE and F&S, April 7, 3-5 PM. We will meet at 3 PM behind Engineering Hall and disperse from there (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions). Drop in and stay as long as you are able. Bags and supplies will be provided. More details here.
• Sustainability Rocks on the Main Quad, April 8, 11 AM – 5 PM. Come paint a rock outside the Union with a sustainability/environmental theme (maintaining COVID-19 safety and social distancing precautions). Bring your own rock, or use one of ours! After you finish creating your rock, place it somewhere around campus for others to find! More details here.
• Careers in Sustainability Panel Discussion (virtual), April 9, 12 – PM. Interested in careers in sustainability? Join us to hear a panel discussion from industry professionals and learn how the field is changing and how to pursue a career in sustainability. Registration is required; sign up here.  
• Facilities & Services hosts a Virtual Open House of UIUC Solar Sites on Earth Day, April 22, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. April 22 on Topia (must use a computer, not a smart phone), Click this link to attend the Open House
• TED Talk: Eco-Edition series – Earth Month, April 29, 7 – 8 PM. In celebration of Earth Month, this month’s topic will focus on environmental activism and action with a discussion hosted by iSEE Communications Intern and Earth, Society, & Environmental Sustainability student, Maria Maring. Registration is required; sign up here.
• UIUC Arbor Day Celebration at CCNet, April 30, at Noon, on Zoom, Click this link at noon on Arbor Day to join the CCNet Zoom call

We invite you to participate in any of the above opportunities (or celebrate in your own way!) to get “Caught Green-Handed!” this Earth Month! Get featured . . . Click here to let us know how you’re celebrating the Earth. Please reach out if you have any questions. Be sure to sign up for the iSEE newsletter to stay up-to-date on more sustainability opportunities. Have a great Earth Month (and don’t forget to continue the momentum beyond April)!

Check it out: 

• Earth Month Video
• Trash Pickup Follow-Up
• TedTalk: Eco-Edition promo on 4/30

The Environmental Justice Plan working group met on 4-1-21 to brainstorm the next steps of the process. The next steps for the group are to review and provide feedback on the "public input form" draft (attached). This will then be circulated around various organizations within the campus and community to ensure that the appropriate questions are asked, in the right way, and involving the right people. The group will continue to review the resilience and environmental justice indicators to refine which indices we should focus on.

The meeting recording is found here.