Author: Elizabeth Meschewski

Elizabeth Meschewski is a research specialist at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), a part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Beth earned her B.S. degree in geology and an M.S. degree in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She works on a variety of projects at ISTC including the Illinois Hazardous Waste Research Fund (HWRF) grant program; Sustainable Seminar series; engagement on ISTC’s work via events/conferences, publications, and online; and several laboratory research projects. She is interested in educating the public about sustainability measures that take a balanced approach to the three aspects of sustainability: environment, economic, and social.
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Tips for Greening Your Major

This post was co-authored by Laura Barnes, Elizabeth Luber, and Lauren Murphy.

 

These days we hear a lot about “Green” energy or “Sustainable” products, but what do “Green” and “Sustainable” really mean?  How do these words affect your life and your major?

 

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency,

“Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.”

 

This diagram about sustainable development, designed by Johann Dréo in 2006, might clear things up.  The three pillars of sustainability – social, environment, and economic, sometimes called people, planet, profit – must be balanced in order for something to be entirely sustainable.

Sustainable_development

 

 

What Does This Have To Do With Your Major? Continue reading “Tips for Greening Your Major”

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Midwest Biochar Conference

Biochar continues to fascinate researchers as a net-carbon negative fuel source and soil amenity which continues to surprise the scientific community. The Illinois Biochar Group, in conjunction with the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as co-organizers, announces the 2014 Midwest Biochar Conference which will be held on August 8, 2014, in Champaign, IL. The conference will feature presentations and posters on the latest in biochar research and plenty of opportunities for discussion with those interested in all aspects of biochar work. The event will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm CST, with a reception following from 4:30 – 6:00 pm.
For more information, submit an abstract, or register for the conference please visit the conference website.

 

Topics from last year’s conference include:
• Cook stoves
• Large scale biochar production
• Biochar’s effect on soil
• PAHs in Biochar
• Biochar supercapacitors
• Biochar as a filtration or aeration media

 

2013 Conference Agenda

Illinois Biochar Group logoISTC logoUSDA logo

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2013 Naturally Illinois Expo

 


The Prairie Research Institute presents the fifth annual Naturally Illinois Expo on March 8-9, 2013, on the University of Illinois Urbana campus. Families, teachers, and students of all ages are invited to attend and enjoy exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities that showcase the work of the Institute, home of the State Scientific Surveys (Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center).  Continue reading “2013 Naturally Illinois Expo”

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Landfill Harmonic: An Inspirational Story

In Cateura, Paraguay (South America) there is extreme poverty.  The people make most of their living from collecting sellable items from the huge landfill near their town, and drug addictions and gang violence are common among the youth.  One day two orchestra directors, Luis Szarán (Sonidos de la Tierra) and Favio Hernán Chávez Morán (Recycled Orchestra), got a “hair-brained” idea to give free music lessons to the poor children in Paraguay.

 

“Music is the smile of the soul” said Director Szarán.

 

The directors wanted to give purpose to Paraguay’s children to help prevent some of the social issues associated with extreme poverty. They teamed up with Creative Visions and started in Cateura with five violins.  Fifty children showed up for lessons.

 

How did the directors get instruments to all the students?  Continue reading “Landfill Harmonic: An Inspirational Story”

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2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards

A pair of environmental recognition programs have joined together to honor Illinois organizations that have accomplished significant achievements in protecting the environment and helping to sustain the future. Winners of the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards and the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact Awards Program were presented during a luncheon in Oak Brook, IL.  Continue reading “2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards”

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Illinois Biochar Group Meeting – Fall 2012

The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is getting ready to host its fall Illinois Biochar Group meeting.  Meetings are held three times a year and are usually located at ISTC.  The Illinois Biochar Group encourages research in the production and use of biochar including the project topics: soil amendments, site remediation, carbon sequestration, and supercapacitors. Continue reading “Illinois Biochar Group Meeting – Fall 2012”

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Orange and Blue Go Green

Sustainability Week 2012

The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) participated in several events during the 2012 UI Sustainability Week, October 22-26, 2012. The center was one of the stops on the Sustainability Scavenger Hunt. ISTC gave out biodegradable plastic sports bottles at its location in the hunt and has also donated reusable tote bags made from recycled plastic as part of the grand prize for the winners of the hunt.

 

ISTC also was at the Orange & Blue Go Green Sustainability Expo on Thursday, October 25 from 11:00am-2:00pm. The Sustainability Expo was located in the Lobby of the Student Dining & Residential Programs Building (SDRP), 301 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign. ISTC had a table with information on our Center and ways to be more sustainable as well as a few sustainable giveaways.

 

ISTC hosted the award winning documentary Bag it: Is your life too plastic? from 7:00pm-9:00pm on Thursday, October 25. Dr. BK Sharma, Senior Chemist at ISTC gave a 15 minute presentation before the film on how he converts plastic bags, non-recyclable, and not easily recyclable plastic into oil to potentially be used as fuel or lubricants.

 

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Grand Opening of the Indoor Climate Research & Training Facility

The ICRT Grand Opening Welcome Banner

 

The new Indoor Climate Research & Training (ICRT) program training facility was completed earlier this month and ISTC hosted an invitation only Grand Opening Ceremony.  Dr. Manohar Kulkarni (ISTC Director) and Paul Francisco (Research Engineer and Program Leader for ICRT) kicked of the ceremony with welcoming remarks and short history of the ICRT program.  Special guest Lt. Governor Sheila Simon was given the honor of cutting the ribbon for the official opening of the training facility.  Continue reading “Grand Opening of the Indoor Climate Research & Training Facility”