As part of the Lighting Retrofit #5, 2,711 T-12 fixtures in the Natural Resources Building were replaced with more energy-efficient T-8 fixtures. This switch will incur an Annual kWh Savings of 424,466 hours. The simple payback for this project is 2.2 years.
The Office of Sustainability will be hosting the 2011 Sustainability Week on November 1-4. There will be a variety of exciting campus and community events planned throughout the week.
There will be a poster session on November 1-3 from 12-6pm at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign. We invite University of Illinois faculty, staff, and students working on sustainability education, research, outreach, and operations to present a poster or art display at this open session.
There is no charge to present and you do not need to staff your poster during the session. We sincerely hope you will participate this year.
Tuesday, November 1st:
10am-2pm: Free Bike Repair: Volunteers will be on hand to evaluate your bike and do simple maintenance. North of Henry Admin Building on the Quad
12pm: Garden walk with Diane Anderson, Research and Education Specialist in Crop Sciences and Michele Guerra, Director of Wellness Center: The walk features Red Oak Rain Garden, Illini Grove, Idea Garden, Sunken (Hartley) Garden, Japan House Gardens, new Arboretum trails.The group will meet at the main entrance of the Campus Recreation Center East Building, 1102 W. Gregory Drive.
12-6pm: Sustainability Poster & Art session: ARC Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
4-6pm: Sustainable Student Farmer's Market: The farmer's market will provide fall produce for sale from our student farm on the University of Illinois campus. ARC Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
6pm: Recyclables Costume Contest: Use your imagination and come up with a homemade costume out of recyclable materials. Prizes will be awarded. Refreshments following. ARC Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
6:30pm: Latrelle Bright, Director, performer and arts advocate in the Department of Theatre will be performing a solo performance piece "matter": Graduate Dance Center, East Art Annex 2, 1206 W. Peabody Drive, Urbana
Wednesday, November 2nd:
12-6pm: Sustainability Poster & Art session: ARC Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
1:30-3:30pm: "iCAP Forum" open house: A review and progress report of the University's Climate Action Plan, originally signed May 2010. Participants will be able to provide feedback, suggestions, and comments. Illini Union, 1401 W. Green Street, Urbana, Rooms B&C
4pm: Quad walk with Chancellor Wise: The walk will feature sustainability projects on the quad.Michele Guerra, Director of the Wellness Center will be leading the walk. The group will meet outside at the south entrance of the Illini Union, 1401 W. Green Street, Urbana.*This is an “approved event” for civil service employees. Employees may attend, without loss of pay or having to charge a benefit, with prior supervisory approval and operations permitting.*
6:30-9:30pm: CyclingSavvy traffic cycling course with Gary Cziko and Carl Stewart: ARC Auditorium, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
Thursday, November 3rd:
11am-1pm: Sustainable Student Farmer's Market: The farmer's market will provide fall produce for sale from our student farm on the University of Illinois campus. 57 North, Ikenberry Dining Hall, 301 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign
*Bookstore remote sales stations selling books related to sustainability
12-6pm: Sustainability Poster & Art session: ARC Winter Garden, 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign
1-3pm: Facilities & Services presentations about Utility Rates, Net-Zero Buildings, and Campus Planning: Illini Union, 1401 W. Green Street, Urbana, Room B
4-5:30pm: Green Career Panel with Chris Pyke, Vice President Research at USGBC. Join Chris and other professionals in the green industry to discuss recent and future trends in this growing career path. Other participants include: Bart Hagston, Environmental Sustainability Manager at City of Urbana, Lacey Rains Lowe, Planner at City of Champaign, Wayne Wargo, Site Director at Abbott Nutrition, and Cassie Carroll at Illinois Green Business Association: Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana
4:30-8pm: Dining Services 8th Annual Chef's Challenge: This year’s event will be a mystery box theme featuring proteins provided by the Meat Sciences Lab. They will also be providing a pantry to each team to cook with featuring local products. There will be six teams competing from Catering, PAR, IKE, LAR, ISR, and Busey. Each team consists of a chef/coach and two full time dining employees.Ikenberry Dining Hall multipurpose room, 301 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign
7pm: Chris Pyke, Vice President Research, U.S. Green Building Council: “Accelerating Green Building Market Transformation with Information Technology" will be speaking at Newmark Hall, room 1310, Stoughten Street, Urbana ** Chris Pyke is part of the Sustainable Innovations Seminar Series, a collaboration between the University of Illinois and ERDC-CERL-CASI**:
Friday, November 4th:
2:30-3:30pm: Students Sustainability Chat with Chancellor Wise: As part of the Chancellor’s listening and learning tour the sustainability related RSO’s have been invited to give short presentations. There will also be time for questions and answers. University YMCA, Latzer Hall
Shoe Donation:
The ARC and CRCE will be collecting shoes throughout the week to donate to local charities. Please stop by one of the locations below.
ARC - 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL
CRCE - 1102 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL
We look forward to seeing you at Sustainability Week!
Co-sponsored by: Campus Recreation, Facilities & Services, Illini Union, University Housing, and the Wellness Center.
Each year, our campus celebrates Earth Day with a week full of activities. The Office of Sustainability collaborated with student groups in planning and organizing events for Earth Week 2011. The Earth Week celebration was intended to widen sustainable practice awareness to the campus community. The events of the week showcased many organizations that promote sustainability, engaged students to be more involved in sustainable efforts, allowed students to use sustainability in their own lives and also included entertainment to celebrate Earth Day. Michael Ableman (Sustainable Canadian Farmer) visited campus to share his life experiences with the students and community. The week included workshops, a clothing swap and an organization fair showcasing RSO’s and other units that practice sustainability. Planning for Earth Week 2012 will begin during the fall semester. Would you like to help? Please let us know!
The highly attended Sustainability Week 2010 shed green light upon campus last week! The former president of Greenpeace USA, John Passacantando, and author Jeff Biggers inspired and informed students, faculty, and the community. Tours and workshops showcased some of the University’s most green spaces and initiatives, while local sustainable food events tickled our taste buds.
Green light Let's GO
From October 25 – 29, 2010, the inaugural Sustainability Week shed green light upon campus movements and activities. Students, faculty and the community attended. Chancellor Robert A. Easter showed his support for the week with his opening speech on Monday before introducing Jeff Biggers, author of "Reckoning at Eagle Creek, the Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland" kicked off the week on Monday with impassioned testimony revealing the tale of the destructive uprooting of natural habitats and families in Illinois throughout history by the coal industry. His theatrical performance had the audience pinned to their seats, appealing to various emotions. After, farmers from various counties, a representative of the Champaign County Board and the Prairie Rivers Network publically brainstormed ways to combat the potential depletion of the Mahomet aquifer, our main source of drinking water, by an incoming coal company from Carlisle, Indiana.
Thursday, John Passacantando, the former president of GreenPeace USA, met and interacted with students at a Q&A Workshop at the YMCA. Students voiced their confusions and concerns regarding environmental issues and "greenwashing"; Passacantando clarified the political hurdles and shortcomings of our system, shared his expertise and experience, and provided authentic and honest answers. Later, he presented an inspiring keynote address providing attendees with purposeful facts and lively anecdotes regarding his time as an environmental activist and leader of the largest environmental organization in the world. View videos from Keynote: Part 1 and Part 2
In Good Green Graces
The week also showcased some of the University's most progressive green spaces; the Business Instructional Facility, the Student Sustainable Farm, Ikenberry Commons, the Art Annex, the Waste Transfer Station, theCampus Bike Plan, just to name a few.
The Common Ground Food Co-Op hosted a cooking class offering not only savory recipes, but also ones that cater to sustainability and budget constraints. The Sustainability Fair, held at the Union, boasted a mosaic of booths and tables explaining the latest news and accomplishments of organizations on campus and in the community. The Electric Vehicles Club showed off the newest cutting-edge models available, complete with friendly members providing information on safety, speed, and practicality.
The Finale Celebration, held on Friday at the Art East Annex 2, showcased the new dance floor, designed and built by architecture and dance students from the former IMPE Gym 4 floor before the ARC renovation. Chef Benjamin prepared a delectable variety of seasonal fall dishes using local foods. Guests enjoyed hors d'œuvres such as Curtis Apple Orchard and goat cheese crostinis, filet de boeuf with caramelized onions and bleu cheese, a bruschetta bar with fresh spreads, a pumpkin cheese ball with apple slices, chocolate truffles and hot apple cider as they awaited the raffle drawing. Prizes were distributed to 39 lucky winners, the grand prize being a freshly finished bike from the Campus Bike Project.
Gear into Green
As the year continues, we all may find ourselves in a few traffic jams—juggling school, jobs, internships, activities and our general lives! Sustainability Week encouraged the community not to turn a blind eye to the environment in which we thrive. Keep in mind the processes behind being able to fuel up your car, take a shower, heat your room, and drink clean water. Keep track of the actions institutions like the University of Illinois take to preserve our environment. And most importantly, do your part. Get informed. Get involved. The light is green!
Lauren Turk
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MA European Union Studies 2012
BA French Commercial Studies, Communication 2010
University of Illinois Office of Sustainability, Graduate Assistant
Student Sustainability Committee Intern, Solar Energy
Sustainability Week 2010 Communication Coordinator
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Photos from Sustainability Week 2010
Videos from Sustainability Week 2010:
- Chancellor Robert A. Easter - Sustainability Week Kickoff
- John Passacantando - Part 1
- John Passacantando - Part 2
- Jeff Biggers
- Ikenberry Dining Hall Sustainable Practices
For the complete list of events, please click here.
Tim Hoss: Our First Green Hero
The year was 1987. In just a few hours on the Quad, members of Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) got over 2,000 signatures on a petition to encourage campus leaders to start a recycling program at the University of Illinois. Campus leaders agreed it was a good idea, and an advisory task force of students, faculty and staff was given the charge to study what it would take to set up a campus-wide recycling program. After reviewing the task force's 170-page report, campus leaders approved approximately $650,000 to start a recycling program, which was to be set up over a 5-year period. Grants from various state agencies contributed the other resources needed to cover the final $1 million price tag.
Tim Hoss, with a lot of help from students, was able to get a recycling program that serviced over 200 buildings on campus operational in about two years. And since 1989, Tim Hoss, Coordinator of Campus Waste Management, operated a comprehensive recycling program at the University. In 1995, $1.3 million was spent on a material processing addition to the Waste Transfer Station (WTS). When it opened in November 1997, the University's Material Recovery Facility was one of the first state-of-the-art recycling-sorting facilities on a university campus in the nation.
Fast forward to 2010. Everyday two trucks from the WTS collect waste paper, and another truck collects cardboard twice daily from around campus. Recovering recyclable material from the University's waste stream is no small job. The WTS collects waste from thousands of recycling bins and 250 dumpsters. Except for the waste from University Housing (which runs its own program), all wast
e on campus comes to the WTS. Once back at the recovery facility, all of the material gets sorted: equipment, construction waste, and non-recyclable materials are removed. Recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, aluminum, and plastics are all sorted out and placed into storage bunkers. Tim is quick to point out that it takes a team of people to get the job done including: 5 drivers, 2 operating engineers, 4 laborers, and 6 workers from the Developmental Services Center in Champaign who help with the sorting.
Once sorted, the materials are compressed into large bales and sold. The WTS generated about $500,000 in revenue during fiscal year 2008, and saved the University over $200,000 in landfill costs. In 2008, the WTS recycled: 838 tons of cardboard, 1,236 tons of paper, 21 tons of plastic, 41 tons of aluminum, 625 tons of scrap metal, and 325 tons of pallets. Through these efforts, the Un
iversity diverted 48.8% of our waste stream from landfills.
Tim retired from the University in January 2010. But he still has great ideas for how the University can continue to lessen its impact on the environment. When asked what he'd like to see happen in future recycling efforts on campus he had two ideas:
1) Start a comprehensive organic waste management program, and
2) Restructure the way that surplus equipment is disposed.
Tim Hoss made a tremendous positive impact while he was here at the University, and so we are happy to recognize him as our first Green Hero. Tim certainly did his part to make our campus a Greener place. And you can too. Consume less. Recycle more.
