Leonhard Recreation Center (2307 Sangamon Dr, Champaign, IL 61821. Phone: (217) 398-2550) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Stacey DeLorenzo dropped off 100 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 24, 2020.
University of Illinois Public Safety (1110 W Springfield Ave, Urbana, IL 61801; Phone: (217) 333-1216) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Stacey DeLorenzo dropped off 250 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 17, 2020.
Construction of a new 54-acre, 12.1 megawatt (MWdc) Solar Farm has been approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees as the sole member of Prairieland Energy, Inc. Referred to as "Solar Farm 2.0," the new utility-scale array will be located north of Curtis Road, between First Street and Dunlap Avenue in Savoy. Solar Farm 2.0 will produce approximately 20,000 megawatt-hours per year (MWh/year), nearly tripling the university’s existing on-site renewable energy generation. Completion of this project will then grant the University of Illinois with the title of being the third-largest user of renewable power generated on-site for all higher education facilities in the entire country.
Project Inception
In April 2017, the Energy Sustainability Working Advisory Team (SWATeam) recommended that to increase our campus’ generation of solar power, either an extension should be built onto the original Solar Farm or additional solar panels be installed across campus rooftops. From there, the idea of Solar Farm 2.0 was born. In November of that same year, the Sustainability Council approved the concept of this new solar farm, and a site selection was completed during spring 2018.
In the summer of 2018, after discussions with our neighbors in Savoy, the Chancellor’s Capital Review Committee approved the location, and a request for proposals was initiated. Different vendors from across the nation submitted proposals and various designs for this new solar farm, with nineteen submissions in total. By May of 2019, Sol Systems of Washington, D.C. was chosen to complete the project. A twenty-year contract was negotiated, and the overall project is on track to be completed by the end of 2020.
Project Overview
Sol Systems will be responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance for Solar Farm 2.0, and like Solar Farm 1.0, the Urbana campus will use all the generated power. The $20.1M contract is anticipated to save the university $300,000 in the farm’s first year compared to electricity purchased from the wholesale MISO market. Prairieland Energy will buy the solar energy at a fixed rate of $45.99 per MWh, while the University of Illinois will receive the associated renewable energy certificates (RECs) and the right to claim the use of clean energy.
Pollinator Habitat
Other innovative features of Solar Farm 2.0 include the incorporation of a pollinator habitat located beneath the panels. Indigenous plants will be planted throughout the farm to welcome local and migratory birds and insects. Specifically targeted towards butterflies and bees, Solar Farm 2.0 will be a welcoming environment for wildlife, as well as being a demonstration site for meeting the requirements of the Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act. A landscaped buffer will also be included in the final design of Solar Farm 2.0, creating visual screening of the solar panels along the south edge of the farm bordering Savoy.
Campus Bike Center (51 E Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820. Phone number: 217-300-4638) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Sarthak Prasad dropped off 250 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 24, 2020. Due to the pandemic, the CBC will only accept visitors who make an appointment beforehand, so please call in ahead to more information. The Shields will be distributed at the front desk of the CBC's new location.
We will replensih the Shields as needed.
Neutral Cycle (624 S 5th St, Champaign, IL 61820. Phone number: (312) 834-3560) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Sarthak Prasad dropped off 100 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 17th, 2020.
We will replensih the Shields as needed.
Leah Courtney and Parima Michareune, two GFX Scholars in the Women in Engineering program, worked with Meredith Moore in spring 2020 to develop a carbon offset manual for University of Illinois study abroad programs (manual attached). In fall 2020, we will work to pilot this carbon offset program for engineering students who study abroad.
iSEE intern, Julija Sakutyte, and Meredith Moore have conducted preliminary research into successful local carbon offset programs, including what other institutions have implemented (summary attached). Next steps include: select a value per pound of CO2, develop scope of carbon emissions, identify local projects to fund, and track emissions reduced.
The Campus Bike Center is moving to a new location! The move is currently in progress while the shop is closed due to the pandemic. The Campus Bike Center will re-open on August 24, 2020, and they will only accept visitors on appointments. You can call in ahead at 217-300-4638 or create an appointment online - appointment system is under development. We will share the online appointment link as soon as the system is ready.
The new address for CBC is: 51 E Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820.
Interested in expanding the use of native flora in your yard or garden? East Central Illinois Master Naturalists (ECIMN) is hosting a native tree and shrub sale. Our soil and climate have tested these plants for 8,000 years, it's a good bet they will work for you! The way it works is that you have August 1 - September 28 to research, plan, order, and pay for your selection of native trees and/or shrubs and we will have them available for pick up in October when it is the perfect time for planting.
https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/master-naturalist-native-tree-and-shrub-sale
https://my.aces.illinois.edu/buy/index.asp?tab=3
CUYSS Team|8/5/2020
The Youth Climate Justice Forum presents this podcast series in which we will be trying to find ways for all of us to continue to work for climate justice during and after the coronavirus crisis. This week, Caroline and Grace interview Morgan White, Director of Sustainability at University of Illinois Facilities and Services. They are currently working to construct the University’s newest solar farm, building upon what they learned from their last solar project.
The Bee Campus USA renewal efforts are documented in this updated Bee Campus plan.
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this thirteenth day of March 2019, commit to transition to 100% clean renewable energy community-wide beginning with 100% renewable electricity in buildings by 2035 and complete electrification of CTA's bus fleet by 2040;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit to ensuring that community-wide power will come from the generation and storage of clean, renewable energy from solar, wind, and geothermal sources with an emphasis on new and local resources; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City of Chicago will develop a transition plan by December 2020, which will outline key strategies, set progression milestones, develop a timeline for reaching an equitable clean energy transition, and further opportunities to create a 100% clean, renewable energy future community-wide, as well as addressing issues including but not limited to...
(see file)
A Positive Step: Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to becoming carbon neutral no later than 2050. To achieve this, the campus and community must take ownership of that commitment — and faculty, students, and staff can do their part as individuals. One way is to purchase carbon offsets for travel or other actions that have measurable emissions.
Offsetting your carbon footprint is becoming easier to do — and at less than $10 for a 2,000-mile flight, it is a cost-effective way for you to personally pay for your emissions impact even if your grant or government fund won’t cover offsets (many do not).
This page offers a four-step guide to 1) determining the amount of carbon to offset, and 2) purchasing high-standard offsets.
One of the most sustainable options is to avoid air travel, and instead teleconference or choose a lower-carbon alternative such as a bus or train. If flying is required, it is possible to make sustainable choices to reduce the amount of carbon pollution generated as a result. Takeoff and landing require the most fuel during a flight, so eliminating connections by choosing direct flights can help reduce carbon emissions. An additional way to reduce GHG pollution is to pack lightly — Heavier airplanes require greater fuel consumption. For more information on sustainable and alternative transportation options to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, visit our sustainable and alternative transportation page.
Step 1: When considering a flight, the first step is to check to see if the airline offers the option to pay a surcharge based on the miles to be traveled. For example:
Step 2: It is important to understand the impact of your travel and lifestyle choices by measuring your carbon footprint. Since not all airlines provide the opportunity to purchase a carbon offset, you can use the following calculator to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere based on the mileage of your journey: https://sustainabletravel.org/our-work/carbon-offsets/calculate-footprint/.
Step 3: Visit one of the following links to purchase offsets. These provide options to fund various projects either domestically or internationally (e.g., methane capture, organic waste digestion, forest regeneration, clean water access, solar or wind projects, secure and sustainable agricultural practices, etc.). Optimize your offsets by funding more than your journey and choosing projects that support sustainable development in addition to carbon capture or reduction. For example, projects that create local jobs, improve public health and education, and benefit local communities. We recommend the following two sites to search for a certified carbon offset project based on their stringent standards, measuring requirements, and processes:
Step 4: Fill out our short survey (on this page, or via the link below) to tell us about your offset purchase (reason for purchase, amount, what type of offset, why you did it, and why it is important!). We will want to feature you in our communications efforts to help encourage others to make sustainable choices. The survey >>>
The first 529 Shield was handed out to a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on August 3, 2020!
Please see attached the progress report for 2014 Campus Bicycle Plan. This report reflects the progress made by the University towards the implementation of the bike plan in the last five years. The Bike Plan was also updated to reflect the changes mentioned in this progress report.
Hello Illinois NLRS Partners,
The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy was released on this date five years ago.
Thank you to all of the nutrient stakeholder partners who continue to give their time and resources to implement the strategy. While we still have a lot of work to do to reach our goals, we invite you to celebrate the anniversary by enjoying this “NLRS By the Numbers” video.
You can view the video on the Illinois NLRS Facebook page here. Feel free to share it on social media as well.
Thank you,
Illinois NLRS Steering Committee
Description:
Bicycle registration is primarily a method to assist with returning stolen or lost bikes when they are recovered by Public Safety or Facilities & Services. Bicycle registration is offered for free to faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois, and can conveniently be completed online at http://go.illinois.edu/mybike.
In September 2013, the University will be adopting new stickers for bicycle registration, and all registered bike owners will be contacted with instructions on how to receive their new sticker.
To register your bicycle, visit http://go.illinois.edu/mybike
Background:
The benefits of registering your bicycle include:
Savoy Rec Center (402 Graham Dr, Savoy, IL 61874. Phone number: (217) 359-3550) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Stacey DeLorenzo dropped off 100 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users.
We will replensih them as needed.
Hello Resilience SWATeam!
I hope this message finds you well. In the spring, one Education SWATeam (Edu002) recommendation to the iCAP Working Group suggested developing a sustainable communities paid internship program for students, in partnership with local businesses, non-profits, local government agencies, and local community-based organizations. As the recommendation states, the program would be designed to provide student opportunities in the sustainability field to advance resiliency efforts in our region and help tackle challenges related to climate change.
The iWG recommended including the Resilience SWATeam in discussions on how best to move this forward since it directly involves and relates to the community. We recognized that cities are interested in working with students though funding may be a potential barrier. Your input on this recommendation will be very helpful. What are your initial thoughts on this recommendation? Does this seem like a feasible project, and what would be needed to implement such a program? Meredith may schedule a meeting in the fall between the two SWATeams to discuss further, though in the meantime, please respond with your feedback.
Thank you!
Ximing Cai
August 2, 2020
The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) Public Viewer enables the user to view NPMS pipeline, liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and breakout tank data one county or offshore area at a time, including attributes and pipeline operator contact information: https://pvnpms.phmsa.dot.gov/PublicViewer/
