The SWATeam met to discuss the division of labor of the iCAP 2020 Objectives research. Several team members took initiative to present informed objective ideas on an area of Zero Waste Sustainability.
The attached file and following links are reference materials for the Zero Waste SWATeam, for developing draft objectives for the 2020 iCAP.
Every few years iSEE submits data to the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), in the Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Reporting System (STARS). Our campus is STARS gold, and we would like to aim for platinum. This is a resource as you consider 2020 iCAP objectives.
You can see from the scores above that some items were not pursued. If you click on a link above and then choose “Credit Info,” you can see the data requirements for that item.
Attached are the meeting minutes from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 17 September, where the trajectory for iCAP 2020 was discussed, as well as review of SP19 SWATeam recommendations and a potential battery recycling initiative.
Good afternoon!
It was wonderful meeting many of you at the iWG and SWATeam Kick Off event yesterday afternoon. Thank you so much for attending and for your participation. It will be a great year and your efforts are very much appreciated. Please find the slides and handout attached, and be sure to reach out if you have any questions.
As a reminder, Sarthak Prasad from the Transportation team mentioned that it would be helpful if you could take this short bike survey.
Thank you again for your hard work and dedication to making our campus a more sustainable place! I look forward to meeting with you in the near future.
Meredith
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Meredith Moore
Sustainability Programs Coordinator
Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1101 W. Peabody, Urbana, Suite 338 (NSRC)
217-333-0119
[Power Point from Kickoff is attached, RC]
Attached are the meeting minutes for the first Zero Waste SWATeam meeting!
Introductions of both new and old members were followed by a review of recommendations sent to iWG in April 2019.
After that, some miscellaneous ideas were discussed.
The next Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting will be 17 September 2019.
As part of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s effort to improve sustainability, new recycling and landfill collection containers have been distributed to buildings on the Urbana campus. Eventually, more than 20 buildings will have the containers, which feature three top openings with easily-identifiable and color-coded labels for either “landfill,” “paper,” or “bottles & cans.”
Collection Containers to Increase Recycling Efforts
Pete Varney . Facilities & Services
Dear SWATeam members, We are so happy to welcome you to the FY20 SWATeams, including Energy, Land and Water, Zero Waste, Transportation, Education, and the new Resilience Working Advisory Team (RWAT). SWATeams are an important part of our overall Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) efforts, and we truly appreciate your assistance and support!
In 2014, iSEE worked with the Office of the Chancellor to develop the formal sustainability procedures to support the Carbon Commitment. These procedures established the SWATeams, the iCAP Working Group (iWG), and the Sustainability Council. In 2018 Chancellor Jones and the Mayors of Urbana and Champaign signed a Resilience Proclamation, so RWAT is the newest part of our SWATeam process. We are currently working on an update to the iCAP procedures document. We’re also updating the 2015 iCAP plan to the new 2020 iCAP, and FY20 SWATeams will contribute to such an important milestone of iCAP!
For both returning and new SWATeam members, here are a few things to expect in the coming weeks:
As mentioned above, this year will be highly focused on drafting the 2020 Illinois Climate Action Plan iCAP. Each of the SWATeams will be asked to recommend specific, measurable objectives for the 2020 iCAP. To help facilitate this effort, the two of us, as co-chairs of iWG, will both be attending each full SWATeam meeting in September, October, and November. The actual iCAP chapters will be written by members of the iWG and iSEE staff, based on the input received from SWATeams and campus, for review by the iWG. In Spring 2020, there will be campus and community review of the draft chapters, and the SWATeams will be included as key stakeholders in that review process. Ultimately, the 2020 iCAP with a chapter for each SWATeam, and additional related chapters will be formally submitted to the Sustainability Council for campus approval.
The University is committed to being carbon neutral as soon as possible, and no later than 2050, and to bolstering our community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change. SWATeams play a key role to achieve those goals. We thank you for your willingness to assist in the efforts that will make us a model of sustainability for the nation. Thank you for your time, your enthusiasm and your continuous efforts!
Sincerely,
Ximing Cai and Morgan White
iCAP Working Group, co-chairs
Dr. Mohamed Attalla, Executive Director at F&S, responded to Dr. Ximing Cai, iWG Chair, on August 22, 2019 stating, "We will prepare the report as requested."
See the transmittal of PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement Recommendation.
See SWATeam Recommendation PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement here.
Dear FY19 SWATeam members, As another academic year is about to begin, we want to first thank you for all of your help moving campus toward the goals outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). Each of the six SWATeams worked on multiple recommendations last year, and after careful evaluation by the iCAP Working Group (iWG), several recommendations are under consideration now at the appropriate campus units. Additionally, several prior SWATeam recommendations are continuing to show progress, such as the Solar Farm 2.0 project, which is likely to be approved by the Board of Trustees this fall.
Now, the iWG is gearing up for the drafting of the 2020 iCAP. Last year, we have received a lot of feedbacks from the SWATeams and the student body about the 2015 iCAP, our successes, and our areas for growth. After extensive consideration, we have reorganized the SWATeams as announced in the iSEE newsletter earlier this month. Soon we will be updating the email lists, so please do not be concerned if you are removed from a SWATeam email list and are planning to stay on the new team; all returning members will be added to the new SWATeam email lists, as they are created.
If you have any questions, please let us know and we’ll be happy to discuss this further. We thank you for your time, your enthusiasm, and your continuous efforts!
Sincerely,
Ximing Cai and Morgan White
iCAP Working Group, co-chairs
Following the completion of iWG assessment for PWR019 Sustainable Procurement, the recommendation was transmitted to Director of Purchasing Brad Henson.
See iWG assessment of PWR019 Sustainable Procurement attached.
See SWATeam Recommendation PWR019 Sustainable Procurement here.
Following the completion of iWG assessment for PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement, the recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Evan Delucia, Director of the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment.
See iWG assessment of PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement attached.
See SWATeam Recommendation PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement here.
Following the completion of iWG assessment for PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement, the recommendation was transmitted to Dr. Mohamed Attalla, Director of Facilities & Services.
See iWG assessment of PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement attached.
See SWATeam Recommendation PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement here.
University Housing Director, Alma Sealine, responded over email to Morgan White (Associate Director of F&S, Sustainability) in regards to the recommendation: "I support the recommendation."
From this point on, Housing will be represented on the new Zero Waste SWATeam by Assistant Director of Dining Services Thurman Etchison.
See SWATeam recommendation PWR017 Housing Representative for Zero Waste SWATeam here.
Here are some references, provided by Eric Benson, on recycled paper/environmentally sourced recycled paper.
https://re-nourish.org/paper-printing-ink-tips/
The PWR SWATeam submitted a recommendation asking the following:
"The PWR SWATeam kindly requests that all products that are purchased using university funds be in accordance with Section 44 of the Administrative Code, Procurement Rules for Institutes of Higher Education, Section 4.4520 “Recycled Supplies” and 4.4525 “Recyclable Supplies (Paper)”). Additional relevant sections of the Administrative Code, Procurement Rules are presented at the end of this Recommendation.
Currently these parts of the Administrative Code are difficult to enforce due to direct department access to University contracted iBuy vendor catalogs. In an attempt to gain process efficiencies, these transactions can be made without the oversight of the purchasing office. To increase compliance, the purchasing office should work with contracted vendors to modify iBuy catalogs to prioritize and promote the sale of sustainable supplies. See relevant sections of the Administrative Code, Procurement Rules shown at the end of this recommendation.
This could be facilitated by the Zero Waste Coordinator, who would work with Purchasing to monitor compliance with the code and to follow-up with campus units that are not in compliance with the code.
Additionally, the possibility of purchasing centralization should remain open for consideration in the
future to achieve compliance with Section 44 of Administrative Code."
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR019 Sustainable Procurement complete with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
An iCAP Working Group assessment of the recommendation began on July 2, 2019.
The PWR SWATeam submitted a recommendation asking the following:
"The PWR SWATeam respectfully requests iSEE to fully support the eight (8) recommendations stipulated in the F&S Indoor Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Report."
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR020 F&S Waste Report Endorsement complete with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
An iCAP Working Group assessment of the recommendation began on July 2, 2019.
The PWR SWATeam compiled the following recommendation:
"The PWR & ECBS SWATeams suggest a switch from conventional incandescent light bulbs to LED or CFL light bulbs
• This switch would occur during REPLACEMENT of expired bulbs in all buildings and/or during remodeling. Such a switch needs to be implemented gradually, i.e., replacing the current incandescent lightbulbs as they stop working, with lower energy and longer life CFL bulbs."
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR015 Lightbulb Replacement with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
An iCAP Working Group assessment of this recommendation began on July 2, 2019.
The PWR SWATeam submitted a recommendation asking the following:
"The PWR SWATeam kindly requests that the following four improvements be made in the iBUY shopping dashboard.
• Prioritize sustainable products (e.g. office paper, cleaning products) in the catalogue.
• Prioritize sustainable and smart electronics (e.g. computers, monitors, TV’s, etc), that are certified as energy-efficient (Energy Star and EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool), rated computers and electronics to reduce energy consumption).
• Develop a more logical search mechanism for the website so sustainable products are found quicker and prioritized.
• Simplify “punchout vendor” catalogs and make them emphasize sustainable products."
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR018 iBuy Modification complete with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
An iCAP Working Group assessment of the recommendation began on July 2, 2019.
The PWR SWATeam submitted a recommendation asking the following:
"PWR kindly requests the addition of a member from the Student Housing Department to the PWRSWATeam. Ideally, this person would be a director or associate director so that planning and initiatives will receive attention at the highest level and be disseminated effectively."
As a recommendation with minor impact, and because a switch for former ALUFS SWATeam member and Assistant Director of Dining Services Thurman Etchison to the new Zero Waste team was already planned, it was transmitted directly to iWG member and University Housing Director Alma Sealine.
Morgan White wrote in the transmission:
"As you know, we are modifying the SWATeam structure this year and we have asked Thurman to shift from the previous Agriculture, Food, Land Use, and Sequestration (ALUFS) SWATeam to the Zero Waste SWATeam. He agrees with this change and said “Please count me in” per the attached email.
Please take a moment to reply and confirm that Housing is able to provide a Housing representative on the Zero Waste SWATeam this coming year."
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR017 Housing Representative complete with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
The PWR SWATeam submitted the following recommendation:
"The PWR SWATeam, in conjunction with the ECBS SWATeam, kindly requests that iSEE work with the UI Ethics Office to prepare videos and/or information for sustainability training for UIUC students, staff, and faculty.
• In the case of university employees who do their mandatory annual ethics training, optional additional short videos at the end of the mandatory annual training is one possibility for increasing sustainability awareness.
• We suggest multiple avenues for exposing students to appropriate videos including showing them in Residence Halls, freshman orientation classes, e.g., LAS 101, ACES 101, etc., and sporting events would also reach a large student audience. These videos would be designed to be effective and revealing, e.g., showing a video of the daily waste generated on campus at the UIUC waste transfer station being one of many options to increase student awareness of the magnitude of the campus waste problem.
• The project would likely be achieved through the efforts of a graduate student, perhaps reporting to the Zero-Waste Coordinator and interacting with the PWR SWATeam.
See attached the SWATeam recommendation PWR014 Sustainability Ethics Training with comments from PWR SWATeam members.
An iCAP Working Group assessment of this recommendation began on July 2, 2019.
