1) Seminars, Conferences, and Workshops
2) Course Offerings
3) Funding Opportunities
4) Other Announcements
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April 17, 2012
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1) Seminars, Conferences, and Workshops
Home(town) Security by Majora Carter
Thursday, April 19th
5:30pm
NCSA Auditorium
Registration is NOW REQUIRED for attending this event.We are close to reaching full capacity and if you do not register we cannot guarantee a seat in the auditorium.
Majora Carter redefined the field of environmental equality, starting in the South Bronx at the turn of the century. Now she is leading the local economic development movement across the USA. Home(town) Security is Majora's latest endeavor to disrupt the status quo.
She is producer and host of the Peabody Award winning public radio series, The Promised Land – heard on over 120 station across America, and serves on the Boards of the US Green Building Council and The Wilderness Society. From 2001 to 2008 she was Executive Director of the non-profit she founded: Sustainable South Bronx – where she pioneered green-collar job training and placement systems in one of the most environmentally and economically challenged parts of the US. This MacArthur “genius” Fellow is now president of her own economic consulting firm.
For more information about Majora please visit our website at http://sustainability.illinois.edu/MajoraCarter.html ______________________________________________________________________
Earth Week 2012 – April 16-22
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is celebrating Earth Week! Several exciting activities are planned for the week.
Please visit http://www.earthweekcu.org/ for the full agenda!
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Permaculture a Dangerous Enterprise
Wednesday, April 18
12:00-1:30 Room 210 in the Illini Union
The presentation will be followed by questions and a 30 min reception
Mark Shepard farms and teaches in south western Wisconsin where he has been building a 106 acre permaculture paradise for over 15 years. The farm is a diversified venture that is growing ideas and community culture along with a polyculture of plants, animals and enterprises. Over 250,000 trees have been planted by the keyline technique in the beautiful coulee district of Wisconsin. Trees and market garden patches are planted on contour to retain water via a network of small pocket ponds and spreader swales that slow and spread rain water and protect the land from erosion. His farm embodies the radical idea of managing a perennial food ECOLOGY, which means that all of the rules of ecology apply. According to Mark “When conventional disturbance ceases, (stop the plow and herbicides) a site begins to aggrade... soil fertility increases, organic matter increases, soil life diversity increases, nutrient cycling improves, plant and animal populations and diversity increase. Pests and diseases come into their "natural" population cycles and levels. What ends up happening is that input costs (tillage, herbicide, fertilizer, pest control, disease control) decline. When your input costs approach zero, your net profitability increases”. Mark is encouraging young farmers to contribute to this vision and he backs this up by supporting ‘collaborative enterprisers’. Aspiring permaculture entrepreneurs learn through doing as they design and implement projects on the ground. In his talk, Mark will explain how and why his permaculture paradise differs from traditional permaculture, how it is a force for good and, explain how he is spreading this dangerous idea through collaborative enterprisers. Attend this event to learn about his edible woody crops nursery, and how growing trees shrubs, vines, and canes to produce food, medicines, fuels and fiber are revolutionizing agriculture in nature's image while simultaneously revitalizing culture, stabilizing the economy, and restoring the environment.
Sponsored by: Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP)
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Public Engagement Symposium: Transforming Our Society
April 18, 2012 | 3–6 PM | Activities and Recreation Center (ARC)
Your participation will provide faculty, staff, students, and community partners the opportunity to share innovative ideas and approaches to community engagement activities. We hope you will learn from, support, and celebrate the quality and variety of our scholarly and creative community engagement efforts. It is our hope to enlighten, educate, and inspire; to strengthen relationships; and to develop a culture of engagement across the campus and local communities. The Symposium is free and open to the public.
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Campus Ecology: Eco-Reps - Student Sustainability Educators
April 18th
2:00pm Eastern (NY) time
Join this webinar and learn about our new guide, Student Sustainability Educators: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining an Eco-Rep Program on Your Campus
This new resource, co-published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and National Wildlife Federation, features more than 18 campuses and their efforts to design, implement and evaluate an Eco-Rep program. This webinar will spotlight four campus Eco-Rep programs, including Babson College, University of Pennsylvania, and Lehigh University. This webinar is being hosted in partnership with AASHE and facilitated by Dr. Christina Erickson from Champlain College, author of Student Sustainability Educators.
The free webinar, with Q&A, will begin at 2:00pm Eastern (NY time) and end at 3:00pm. Participants will receive instructions two days before the conference. Participants that want to participate via the phone only can request a copy of the presentation; options are available to receive audio by phone or computer.
To register go to: http://online.nwf.org/site/Calendar?id=105921&view=Detail
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CCNet: “Champaign County Sustainability Network” Discussion: Third Thursdays
Thursday, April 19
12pm – 1pm
Natural Resources Building, room 101
615 E. Peabody
Champaign, IL
(Convenient metered parking is available on Pennsylvania Avenue) (map)
The topic for this Thursday is Transportation by Cynthia Hoyle (MTD consultant) on the big picture and Gary Cziko (Champaign County Bikes) with biking tips.
CCNet meets monthly at the same time and place and at each meeting we will learn about a specific topic, with time for discussion. Over time, we'll cover the range of sustainability topics. We'll host special events, as needed, on topics or at locations of interest to the group and community. Come learn more about us and about sustainability in our community.
Our goal is to include both the campus community, the business community and government representatives (e.g. city and county officials).
This Thursday group covers a broad scope of topics under the sustainability umbrella: energy (renewables, conservation, green building), local food & farming, social justice and transportation.
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Wildlife Medical Clinic to "Shower" Wildlife Babies at April 21 Event
Saturday, April 21st
1-4pm
Prairieland Feeds
303 S. Dunlap
Savoy, IL
On April 21, local wildlife fans will have the opportunity to shower baby wildlife with gifts of food and supplies at the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic's Wildlife Baby Shower.
For the Wildlife Medical Clinic, spring means the arrival of many new mouths to feed. Each year, dozens of wildlife baby orphans are delivered to the Clinic needing care and nurturing.
Guests are invited to stop by this free event between 1 and 4 pm to meet the Clinic's resident birds of prey, see wildlife orphans, and play baby shower games. At 1:30 and again at 2:30 there will be presentations on what to do when you find a baby wild animal.
This spring the Clinic has also introduced its Sponsor a Day at the Wildlife Medical Clinicprogram which invites Illinois wildlife fans to show their support by sponsoring the daily operational costs of the Clinic for the amount of $200. Sponsorships can be made in honor of birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones.
For more information visit, https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/6403802
Donations from the Clinic's Baby Wildlife Shower Wish List are welcome. Please view list at: http://vetmed.illinois.edu/news/?function=viewartcl&id=270
For more information about the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic, visit http://vetmed.illinois.edu/wmc. For the latest news, follow the Clinic on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UIWMC
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Parkland College Campus- Free showing of Sustainability Films
FRESH: New Thinking About What We’re Eating
Tues, Apr 24 4-5:30p, Room L111
Facilitator: Eleni Kametas-Hicks, radio director, WPCD; member, Sustainable Campus Committee
Synopsis: FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet. FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy. www.freshthemovie.com
When the Water Tap Runs Dry
Thurs, Apr 26, 10-11a, Room L111
Facilitator: Vikki Crnekovic, microbiology faculty; chair, Sustainable Campus Committee
Synopsis: The greatest impacts from climate change will not be warmer temperatures but water shortages. Learn how America's water infrastructure is incapable of handling these changes. Every drop of water that flows through America's rivers or is stored in our lakes and reservoirs is spoken for. Now, America is over-drafting its water supply. We will look at these issues and provide essential solutions based on a new vision of America's water infrastructure, and customized water rights agreements. If the water crisis is not addressed, the water tap will run dry for many Americans. www.ambrosevideo.com
The End of the Line
Thurs, Apr 26 3-5p, Room L111
Facilitator: Mike Retzer, environmental biology instructor; Parkland Sustainability Assistant
Synopsis: Imagine an ocean without fish. This is the future if we do not stop, think, and act. The film examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation. Filmed over two years, The End of the Line follows the investigative reporter Charles Clover as he confronts politicians and celebrity restaurateurs, who exhibit little regard for the damage they are doing to the oceans. One of his allies is the former tuna farmer turned whistleblower Roberto Mielgo – on the trail of those destroying the world's magnificent bluefin tuna population. Filmed across the world – from the Straits of Gibraltar to the coasts of Senegal and Alaska to the Tokyo fish market – featuring top scientists, indigenous fishermen and fisheries enforcement officials, The End of the Line is a wake-up call to the world. endoftheline.com
Carbon Nation
Tues, May 1 -5p, Room L141
Facilitator: Greg Walburg, sustainable construction faculty; member, Sustainable Campus Committee
Synopsis: Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is still a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic, and national security issues. You'll meet a host of entertaining and endearing characters along the way, including Richard Branson (CEO, Virgin Group), Thomas L. Friedman (New York Times), Former CIA Director James Woolsey, Denis Hayes (Founder of Earth Day), and many more climate change pioneers. The film is an optimistic, solutions-based, non-preachy, non-partisan, big tent film that shows tackling climate change boosts the economy, increases national and energy security, and promotes health and a clean environment. carbonnationmovie.com
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Fourth Annual EBI Biofuels Law and Regulation Conference
The University of Illinois Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) announces the upcoming Fourth Annual EBI Biofuels Law and Regulation Conference, "Focusing in on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2)," which will be held at the U of I I-Hotel in Champaign, Illinois on April 25, 2012. EBI's Biofuels Law and Regulation Project is sponsoring the Conference.
The conference will focus on the multitude of issues related to the implementation of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), with sessions discussing:
- Current economic evaluations of the RFS2,
- Industry perspectives on the RFS2,
- Feedstock availability and agricultural impacts of the RFS2.
The conference will involve leading academic, scientific, government, and industry experts, with opportunities for in-depth discussion among speakers and audience members. The organizers have structured the program to appeal to a variety of stakeholders, including those from business, law, government, and academia; biomass producers; students; and the general public.
Detailed information can be found on the conference website, www.biofuellawconference.org. The conference is free, but registration is required. Registration questions should be directed to Elizabeth Stull, Conference Administrator, at estull@illinois.edu.
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Department of Religion
April 26th, 2012
12:00n
213 Gregory Hall
David Haberman, Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University presents "Faces on the Trees: Exploring the Environmental Implications of tree worship in India"
Abstract: Consideration of tree worship was once central to theories of religion, which tended to view this practice as a primitive form of anthropomorphic animism that has no place in a civilized modern world. How might we regard tree worship once it is liberated from the cultural evolutionary views of the nineteenth century? Neem trees have long been associated with the goddess Shitala in Hindu religious culture. This presentation examines the worship of individual neem trees in northern India, which in some cases involves clothing the tree and attaching a human-like facemask to it. Ethnographic evidence suggests that this remarkable form of anthropomorphic activity can be best understood as an intentional strategy for establishing more intimate relationships with the nonhuman world. Although it is not the explicit goal of most tree worshipers in India, this practice may serve as a possible resource for the preservation of trees.
This event is co-sponsored by the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; School of Earth, Society and Environment; Program in Law and Philosophy; Office of Sustainability; Global Crossroads; Interfaith in Action; The Green Observer; Students for Environmental Concerns
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Final Presentations of Subsistence Marketplaces Course
Monday, April 30
Deloitte Auditorium
Business Instruction Facility
5:00pm-6:45pm
We invite you to the final project presentations by students in the course sequence and international immersion experience on Sustainable and Marketplace Development for Subsistence Marketplaces. At the conclusion, students will be presented with certificates of excellence in Sustainable Management and Technology.
Refreshments will be provided. We thank you for your support of this course.
www.business.illinois.edu/subsistence
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Implementing Behavior Change for Energy Efficiency Conference
The Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) is co-hosting a conference with the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) on May 22 from 8:30 to 4:00 at the I-Hotel and Conference Center. The conference brings together key decision makers and implementers of behavior change for energy efficiency programs on the higher education campus. The keynote speaker will be Susan Mazur-Stommen, Director of Behavior & Human Dimensions Program, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
For more, visit: http://smartenergy.illinois.edu/calendar.html or http://www.igencc.org/behavior.change.
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2) Course Offerings
Sustainability Course Development/Instruction Opportunities at Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC) in Godfrey, Illinois
LCCC is collaborating with the University of Illinois (Illinois) regarding a variety of sustainability opportunities including the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC), energy, food, storm water management, green infrastructure, etc.
LCCC is developing two new curricula and two-year degree tracts: Storm Water Management and Restoration Ecology. There are potentially several opportunities for individuals to be compensated for developing and/or teaching courses as part of these new degree programs. Examples of courses include Soil conservation/erosion control, Hydrology, and Sustainable landscapes. The full listings of the courses for these degree programs are attached. Depending on the course, there may be skills and knowledge that are desirable in addition to the appropriate subject matter background, for example, knowledge of EPA regulations and CAD /GIS expertise. For many of the courses, there are employment opportunities related to instruction as well as course development. In fact, LCCC has currently posted the position, Coordinator/Instructor in Restoration Ecology/Storm Water Management (Tenure Track) described at https://jobs.lc.edu/postings/276.
Storm Water Management Curriculum
Restoration Ecology Curriculum
For additional information and full consideration please contact
Susan M. Czerwinski, Ph.D.
Dean of Math, Science, & Technology
Lewis and Clark Community College
5800 Godfrey Rd.
Godfrey, IL 62035-2466
Tel: 618-468-4800
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3) Funding Opportunities
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4) Other Announcements
Your input wanted about Bike Sharing at the University of Illinois!
Ever wish you had access to a bike on campus? The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is exploring the possibility of an on-campus Bike Sharing program, which would make shared bicycles publically available to University employees, students, visitors, and members of the community. Please take a moment to complete our Campus-Wide Bike Sharing Survey to tell us whether or not you would use such a system, and how you’d like it to be structured. Questions? Email aneptune@illinois.edu.
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Third Annual C-U Bike to Work Day: May 1, 2012
The third annual Champaign-Urbana Bike to Work Day will be on Tuesday, May 1. Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to ride their bikes to work or school on May 1 in celebration of May as National Bike Month! Register online at http://cubiketowork.com/ and stop by one of our bike stations on your way to work that morning for food, drinks and prizes! Interested in volunteering to help out? Fill out our volunteer form.
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Governor's Sustainability Awards
Since 1987, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) has presented Governor's awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices.
Sustainable technology encompasses any technique or technology that reduces the amount of and/or toxicity of pollutants that would have otherwise been released into the environment. Sustainability includes processes such as raw material and solvent substitution, preventive maintenance programs, beneficial reuse of by-products, waste reduction and recycling, and implementation of programs that support pollution prevention (e.g. ISO 14001).
Applications due May 25th
More information at: http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/govs_awards.cfm
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