ICAW 2026 poster designed by Endurance Oye of Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria.
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is celebrated annually during the first full week of May and is a time to learn more about composting organic wastes (e.g., landscape wastes and food scraps) as part of fostering healthier soil and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A theme is chosen for ICAW in the US each year, and the theme becomes the focus of a poster contest, in which artists age 14 and older from around the world compete. The image above is the winning design for 2026, created by Endurance Oye of Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria.
This year’s theme is “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us.”As explained on the Compost Research & Education Foundation website, “Soil is the foundation of life. It grows the food we eat, filters the water we drink, and sustains the biodiversity that keeps our ecosystems in balance. Yet soil is also one of our most threatened resources, with erosion, top soil & nutrient depletion, and contamination endangering its health worldwide. Compost provides the simplest and most efficient means to maintaining and rebuilding soil organic matter, arguably humanity’s most important form of natural capital. Used effectively, compost can manage storm water, remove pollutants, make agricultural soils more resilient, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and remediate contaminated soils.”
Composting reduces methane emissions through aerobic managed decomposition, providing for a more sustainable community.
Composting lowers greenhouse gases by improving carbon sequestration in the soil. Getting the carbon back into the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
Compost provides essential nutrients for plants, promoting vibrant gardens and farms. Healthier soil leads to healthier, more nutritious food for our communities.
Compost use increases the water-holding capacity of our soils. This is important as our communities are more and more often seeing drought and or intense rain events causing soil runoff and erosion.
Community Gardens and Green Spaces: Compost plays a vital role in community gardens, fostering green spaces that provide fresh produce, recreational opportunities, and community gathering places.
If you’re interested in hosting your own ICAW event, check out the IFSCC’s ICAW Host Toolkit, which includes:
tabling signage,
resources for libraries,
a list of relevant children’s books,
resources for park districts,
social media resources,
activities for kids,
a guide for hosting a “compost giveback” event (aka a “compost giveaway” or a “bring your own bucket” event),
a link to a spreadsheet of food scrap municipal composting programs and drop-off locations, and
a link to IFSCC’s guide for where to buy finished compost in IL. (Note that this only includes IFSCC member organizations that are compost manufacturing facilities. If you don’t see a site near you, do an Internet search or consult your county solid waste agency or recycling coordinator for guidance.)
The International Day of Zero Waste, established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 77/161, is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Celebrated on March 30th annually, the event highlights the importance of sustainable materials management and responsible consumption and production. This year’s theme is food waste.
According to UNEP, in 2022, while 783 million people went hungry globally, 1.05 billion metric tons of food were wasted (nearly 19% of all food available to consumers). Most food waste occurs in households (60%), followed by food service (28%) and retail (12 %), proving that food waste is a global challenge that requires action everywhere. According to Feeding America, 48 million people in the United States face food insecurity–including 1 in 5 children.
Thus, fighting food waste is a cost-effective and achievable climate action that also supports human health and well-being.
So what can you do to fight food waste? Check out this ISTC blog post from October 2025 for several ideas and resources to help you with smart meal planning, proper food storage and safety to avoid spoilage, and resources to help you create meals with the ingredients you already have on hand.
Illinois recently became the 11th state to launch a paint stewardship program. Beginning December 1, 2025, residents can recycle leftover paint (both latex and oil-based), primers, stains, sealers, and varnishes conveniently, keeping these materials out of landfills.
Similar programs exist in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, Washington state, and the District of Columbia. Maryland anticipates rolling out its paint stewardship program in 2026. According to the Product Stewardship Institute, U.S. residents generate more than 80 million gallons of leftover latex and oil-based paint each year. When dumped in the trash or down the drain, leftover paint can contaminate our environment with hazardous materials, but most paint is recyclable. Since 2010, paint EPR programs have recycled over 72% of collected latex paint nationwide and saved governments and taxpayers nearly $300 million.
There is no fee to drop off unused paint for recycling at participating locations. To find a drop-off location near you, visit https://www.paintcare.org/drop-off-sites/ and enter your zip code. All PaintCare sites accept up to 5 gallons per visit (some will accept more). Residents should call ahead to confirm business hours and whether the location can accept the type and amount of paint they would like to recycle. Sites do not accept aerosols (spray paint), leaking, unlabeled, or empty containers.
Image courtesy of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council
Beginning January 1, 2026, Illinois law requires battery manufacturers to fund battery collection for recycling, with no cost to the consumer. Batteries can NOT be recycled in your home recycling bin. They may only be recycled through special drop-off collection locations.
Why battery recycling matters
Batteries are made from metals and minerals mined using processes that are often damaging to the environment. When batteries are recycled, these materials can be captured and reused. This reduces the need for newly mined materials. In addition, certain battery chemistries are dangerous in the waste and household recycling streams. Many contain material that is toxic to the environment or may become a fire or explosion hazard in waste collection vehicles or waste processing facilities.
How do I participate?
Visit https://www.call2recycle.org/illinois/ to find a drop-off location near you. Enter your city or postal code and select the type of battery (rechargeable, single-use, medium format, or damaged/defective) you need to recycle to obtain a list of locations accepting those items.
Be aware that some facilities may take your used batteries in bulk and mixed together. These facilities take the responsibility of packaging them safely for shipping to specialized recyclers. However, many facilities require residents to separate alkaline batteries from rechargeable batteries and will require you to properly protect battery terminals to reduce the risk of fire. This is done by covering battery terminals with clear packing tape (ideal), duct tape (acceptable), or electrical tape (acceptable), or by placing a single battery in very small, individual, clear plastic bag.
Image courtesy of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council
To learn more about batteries and their responsible use and disposal, visit the Illinois Product Stewardship Council website at www.illinoispsc.org/batteries.
Each morning, Monday through Friday, this blog provides an update on sustainability research and case studies from around the world, with a brief description and link to the source material. A wide variety of sustainability topics are covered, with an emphasis on areas of expertise and research interests of staff at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.
To clarify, the “Sustainability in the News” blog does not highlight research or projects conducted by ISTC; those types of updates are available via the ISTC Blog, the ISTC Newsletter (subscribe here), and the Technology Acceleration Program (TAP) Newsletter (subscribe here). Instead, the “Sustainability in the News” feed helps you learn about the issues that ISTC itself is monitoring. Consider it your daily dose of sustainability science inspiration!
To subscribe, visit https://blogs.illinois.edu/publicSubscribe?blogId=9341 and enter your email address. A confirmation email will be sent to you (there may be a short delay before you see it in your inbox). Click on the subscription confirmation link in that email, and you’re all set to receive daily email updates!
Questions or suggestions can be directed to Joy Scrogum.
Temperatures are dropping and many of us are once again doing our winter holiday shopping. Some people find generating gift ideas overwhelming in the best of times, and with rising costs, funding and workforce cuts, and other issues, this year may feel even more tumultuous. To help instill a sense of hygge (a Danish and Norwegian word related to comfort, content, and coziness), this post will focus on another northern tradition—the Icelandic Christmas Book Flood, also known as the Yule Book Flood or Jólabókaflóð.
Iceland has a rich literary history, and after World War II, like many other countries, it was rebuilding its economy and restricting imports. Paper was a commodity that remained relatively cheap, and there were fewer restrictions on paper-based products. So, books were more commonly imported items and thus became popular as Christmas gifts. The tradition of books as holiday gifts officially began in 1944 with the first publication of the Journal of Books (Bókatíðindi), an annual catalog of newly published books that is distributed to all Icelandic houses for free at the beginning of the holiday season (today it’s available online as well as being sent by post). The basic tradition includes the presentation of books as gifts on Christmas Eve, followed by settling down to read and enjoy drinks and snacks. According to Erika Ebsworth-Goold, “No matter how the books are doled out, once they’re opened, and favorites are selected, it’s time to settle and snuggle in for a nice, restful read that helps block out winter’s chill. There’s usually hot chocolate, jólabland (a curious Icelandic combination of brown ale and orange soda), other sweet treats, and a calming sense of quiet, reserved togetherness. It’s tough to imagine anything more peaceful or perfect.”
If you’d like to try out this cozy-sounding tradition, the following books related to sustainability issues might be suitable gifts for loved ones or additions to your own wish list. Both non-fiction and fiction titles are included. This list is by no means exhaustive, and additional resources are offered to guide further exploration of sustainability-related titles.
And while we’re on the subject of books, it should be noted that ISTC’s Sustainability Information Curator and librarian extraordinaire, Laura Barnes, is preparing to retire at the end of December 2025 after 34 years of service. If you’ve had the chance to work with Laura, you may want to contact her and wish her well. Cheers, Laura!
As always, links, companies, or products included in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois. Happy holidays!
What if We Get it Right? Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. “Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side…With clear-eyed essays, vibrant interviews, data, poetry, and art, Ayana guides us through solutions and possibilities at the nexus of science, policy, culture, and justice.”
The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late by Judith Enck and Adam Mahoney. “The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts…the book reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, a warming planet, and overwhelming waste, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities who bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution.”
Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond by Michelle Balz explains the science behind compost, provides tips for using compost, and explores techniques including traditional bin composting (with DIY instructions for building your own bin), vermicomposting, using black soldier fly larvae, keyhole gardens, and trench composting.
The Zero-Waste Chef: Plant Forward Recipes and Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen and Planet by Anne-Marie Bonneau. The popular blogger turned author says ‘In my decade of living with as little plastic, food waste, and stuff as possible, I’ve learned that “zero-waste” is above all an intention, not a hard-and-fast rule. Because, while one person eliminating all their waste is great, if thousands of people do 20 percent better it will have a much bigger impact on the planet. The good news is you likely already have all the tools you need to begin to create your own change at home, especially in the kitchen.’
Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth. The author, an Oxford economist, explains a framework for creating a “safe and just space for humanity” between 12 social foundations (based upon the UN Sustainable Development Goals) and nine planetary boundaries which represent ecological limits beyond which the Earth’s environmental system may not be able to self-regulate. Her diagram of this framework resembles a doughnut, with an interior ring where humanity can thrive while maintaining planetary stability.
Fiction
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall. “In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections…they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they’ve saved.” Note that this and the next book listed are examples of “climate fiction,” also known as “cli-fi.”
Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta. “The world is a landscape of drought and risen seas. A military regime controls the remaining freshwater resources with an iron grip. In the far north, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio is the last in the long line of tea masters. She must soon take responsibility for a secret carefully guarded by her predecessors: her family has been caring for a hidden freshwater spring for generations. As the army turns its attention towards the tea master’s house, Noria learns that knowledge and power are irrevocably connected – and that her choices will determine the fate of everyone she loves.”
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. “Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made—and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price.”
Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and Eco-Speculationedited by Phoebe Wagner and Brontë Christopher Wieland is an anthology of short stories, artwork, and poetry from the “solarpunk” genre. According to Wikipedia, the genre “works to address how the future might look if humanity succeeded in solving major contemporary challenges with an emphasis on sustainability, human impact on the environment, and addressing climate change and pollution.” The publisher’s description says the book “focuses on the stories of those inhabiting the crucial moments when great change can be made by people with the right tools; stories of people living during tipping points, and the spaces before and after them; and stories of those who fight to effect change and seek solutions to ecological disruption.”
108: An Eco-Thrillerby Dheepa R. Maturi. “While working the night shift at a San Francisco news agency, Bayla Jeevan has a shocking out-of-body experience. Her consciousness is transported deep into an Indian forest, where she witnesses a noxious liquid spreading through the soil. At the same time, she receives a message from her father, presumed dead for fifteen years, warning her of imminent danger. Coincidence? Unlikely. Halfway around the world, agrochemical corporation ZedChem-led by billionaire Krakun Zed-tests its latest innovation, a product heralded as the solution to topsoil erosion. But the data reveals something else entirely…In this action-packed eco-thriller, the bonds of family-and the power to save Earth-are put to the test.”
Cast Away: Poems for Our Timeby Naomi Shihab Nye. “Acclaimed poet and Young People’s Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye shines a spotlight on the things we cast away, from plastic water bottles to those less fortunate, in this collection of more than eighty original and never-before-published poems…With poems about food wrappers, lost mittens, plastic straws, refugee children, trashy talk, the environment, connection, community, responsibility to the planet, politics, immigration, time, junk mail, trash collectors, garbage trucks, all that we carry and all that we discard, this is a rich, engaging, moving, and sometimes humorous collection for readers ages twelve to adult.”
Additional resources
Environmental Novels. This University of Illinois LibGuide compiled by Laura Barnes, Lauren Bordson Dodge, and Charlotte Roh serves as a guide to juvenile, young adult, and adult novels with environmental themes, generally focused on pollution and climate change. It also highlights environmental book awards to help you keep abreast of new and notable titles.
Dragonfly.eco. Curated by Mary Woodbury, this site ‘explores the wild, crazy, and breathtaking literary trail of eco-fiction, with a large book database, spotlights, interviews, and more. Our motto is “blowing your mind with wild words and worlds.”’
These previous ISTC blog posts may provide some inspiration for the non-readers on your list. Please note that due to the age of these posts, some links included in them may no longer be available.
The following tools and resources will help you reduce food waste associated with your holiday celebrations and hopefully help you establish new habits to prevent food waste year-round. As always, please keep in mind that links to specific products or services are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.
Meal planning
The Guest-imator from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Save the Food website is an interactive calculator to help determine the right amount of food to prepare for a party. You can enter the number of guests based on whether they’re light, average, or big eaters, and even factor in how many leftover meals you’d like when the party’s over. That’s great if you’re the type of person who likes to cook extra food for holiday gatherings so you can send home care packages of leftovers with your guests. You can then choose the style of meal (vegetarian, classic dinner party, or a little of everything smorgasbord), input details on the types of entrees, sides, and desserts you want to get measurements such as the number of pounds of meat to prepare, the ounces of veggies to cook for sides, the number of pies to makes, etc. based on the parameters you’ve entered. Note that for whatever reason, clicking on “Finalize the menu” button does nothing (regardless of the browser you’re using); however, once you’re at the point to add or subtract mains, sides, and desserts, the measurements you’ll need will update on the table graphic at the top of the page with each addition or subtraction. Just scroll back up to see the new information.
Utah State University Extension—Meal Planning. This website guides you through the process of assessing what you already have in your pantry, thinking about your meals for the week, and creating a grocery list. It also includes free printable templates for planning nutritious meals and creating relevant shopping lists, and describes free meal planning apps for your phone to make planning simpler.
Proper storage & food safety
Store It. A key strategy for preventing food waste is storing your ingredients and leftovers properly to keep them viable for as long as possible. This section of the NRDC Save the Food website provides information on how to store a wide variety of foods, including when and how to refrigerate, how to freeze, and tips for using up the last bits of a given ingredient.
FoodSafety.gov (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). In particular, check out the Cold Food Storage Chart and the FoodKeeper App to learn about proper storage of different foods and ingredients. The FoodKeeper App is also available for Android and Apple mobile devices. Further, this website provides resources for keeping food safe by event and season. Following these guidelines can help prevent food waste caused by improper preparation or storage practices. Explore the downloadable guides for cooking for groups, guidance for parties and buffets, Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays, and more.
Sometimes the best strategy to prevent food waste is to find inspiration on how to use an ingredient in a new way, use up a surplus of a given item, or repurpose leftovers in a new dish. The following websites and tools will help you create meals based on what you have on hand.
The 5 Ways website suggests using canned beans as a substitute for half of the fats in baked goods like brownies and cookies to use them up and add protein to treats. Photo by Andrei Starostin – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
5 Ways With Commonly Wasted Foods. This section of Canada’s Love Food Hate Waste website allows you explore new options for using various ingredients. Images of items are presented with a list of 5 different uses. Click on any image for details, which include links to specific recipes. You can also explore the “Recipes” section of the website to search for items you have on hand that might not be featured on the “5 Ways” page.
Food Hero. Another excellent resource from Oregon State University Extension, this site provides a database of recipes, resources to help celebrate the food of different cultures, gardening tips, and other guidance to support a healthy lifestyle. You can search their resources by ingredient to find recipes, videos, and other inspiration for items in your pantry or fridge.
Of course, you can always just perform an Internet search for your available ingredients, but you might be overwhelmed by the number of search results. Check out these additional recipe database sites to help you find what you’re looking for more easily. Many of these are also available as apps for your phone.
Supercook. Use the dropdown menus to select multiple ingredients at a time.
MyFridgeFood. If you’re a creative chef, this site not only allows you to search for recipes based on what you have, but also to submit recipe ideas to assist others.
Cookpad. Similarly, you can search and share your own recipes. You can search without creating a free account, but need one to submit recipes.
Cookin’ With Google. This is a Google Customized Search engine that lets you input multiple ingredients and find relevant recipes.
Use Up Leftovers. Enter three ingredients and get results from a database of over a million recipes. Don’t worry about being overwhelmed; the results will consist of the five best matches from the database.
Happy holidays and good luck whittling down your food waste!
Every October, colleges and universities around the world celebrate Campus Sustainability Month. According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the goal of Campus Sustainability Month is “to raise the visibility of campus sustainability and provide campus sustainability advocates with a platform through which to deepen campus engagement around sustainability. It provides an excellent opportunity to recruit new leaders and set goals for the rest of the year. It serves as a complement to Earth Day, which is held each year in April, and is often a time for celebration and recognition of the good work that took place over the course of the academic year.”
The following resources will help members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus community learn more about and contribute to sustainability efforts on campus. This list is extensive but not exhaustive. You’re encouraged to explore websites referenced below for further information or reach out to the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) at sustainability@illinois.edu with questions.
Staff members of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), including the PRI Office of the Executive Director and the five State Scientific Surveys, can join the PRI Sustainability Microsoft Team to share resources, ask questions, and collaborate on solutions. Open the Teams app on your work computer and search for “PRI Sustainability” or contact Joy Scrogum to join. Staff from the Urbana campus Facilities & Services (F&S) unit, including the campus zero waste coordinator, also participate in this group.
Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). This plan, updated every five years, represents the university’s commitment to environmental stewardship and outlines strategies that are being pursued to reach carbon neutrality as soon as possible (no later than 2050). Objectives relate to energy, transportation, land and water, zero waste, education, engagement, resilience, and implementation. The latest edition of the iCAP was published in 2020 (which means a revision is currently underway). Check out the 2020 iCAP athttps://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/5293/iCAP-2020-FINAL-WEB.pdf.
Progress toward iCAP goals involves detailed analysis, research, and formulation of recommendations by topical iCAP teams (previously referred to as Sustainability Working Advisory Teams, or SWATs) comprised of faculty, staff, and student members. Topics covered by these teams roughly correspond to iCAP objectives and include Education, Energy, Transportation, Land & Water, Zero Waste, and Engagement. Interested staff, faculty, and students can reach out to team chairs (listed as “Project Leaders” on the team pages) to express interest in joining topical teams. All recommendations made by iCAP topical teams are available on the iCAP Portal (described below).
Recommendations made by the topical teams are then considered by the iCAP Working Group, a committee of mid-level administrators as well as students, staff, and faculty members, which evaluates and routes them to appropriate campus units or to the Sustainability Council for further evaluation and implementation. The Sustainability Council is chaired by the Chancellor, vice-chaired by the Director of the iSEE, and is composed of campus decision makers at the highest level. The flowchart below illustrates the process of progress toward iCAP objectives.
Illustration of the iCAP recommendation and approval process from the iCAP Portal.
The iCAP Portal: Launched in 2012, this is an online repository of information on various sustainability efforts across campus, including past projects, those currently underway, and those in the planning stages. The iCAP Portal features updates, historical context, metrics, and contact information for all current and past iCAP projects. Project descriptions are organized into10 themes on the portal: Energy, Transportation, Land and Water, Zero Waste, Resilience, Reporting Progress, Engagement, Education, Research Opportunities, and Funding. Aproject’s status may be listed as Proposed (prior to approval), In Progress (projects actively being implemented), Ongoing (for projects running on their own, or for summaries of overarching efforts with multiple subprojects), Completed, or even Cancelled (for efforts that didn’t work out or ceased for some reason). The “Objectives Dashboard” can help portal users find updates and track progress toward the various objectives outlined in the current iCAP.
The iCAP Portal is a massive resource, and it contains a wealth of information about campus sustainability efforts, though many campus community members remain unaware of this repository. Content maintenance and portal design are led by Facilities & Services (F&S), iSEE, and the College of Education’s Office for Math, Science, and Technology Education (MSTE). Other contributors include the iCAP Working Group and topical iCAP teams (and associated student clerk and interns), under iSEE’s direction, as well as the Student Sustainability Committee (described below under “Student Organizations”). As you can imagine, keeping this type of extensive record up to date takes a lot of time and effort. The various projects the portal outlines are contributed to by students, faculty, and staff, which are all populations comprised of busy people with varying degrees of turnover. As a result, you may occasionally find outdated information (e.g., old contact names) or a lack of recent project updates on the portal. So, if you happen to have knowledge of a project and/or are browsing the iCAP Portal and see something that needs to be updated, use the online “Suggestions” form to inform the team working on portal maintenance. That same form can also be used to suggest ideas for new projects (after checking the list of existing projects, categorized by topic).
Green Guide: Published in spring 2025 through a collaboration of F&S, iSEE, and Student Affairs, this document is designed to highlight opportunities for campus sustainability engagement. It overlaps with much of the information provided below, while providing a few specific examples of student organizations, cultural and resource centers, key campus programs, relevant facilities that you can tour, and tips for sustainable behaviors for individuals to pursue.
Student Sustainability Home Page: This section of the Urbana campus Student Affairs website is the gateway to student engagement in campus sustainability efforts. Included are subsections on the following:
Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Illinois Green Fund (IGF). The IGF is North America’s largest university sustainability funding pool, financed by two student-initiated fees, the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee (CETF) and the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee (SCEF). The SSC is a student-led university funding board charged with distributing IGF funds. Working with staff and faculty advisers, the SSC allocates $1.5 million annually toward the development and seed funding of projects that have an environmental impact on the university community.
Student Organizations. There are over 1,000 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) related to sustainability or environmental issues on the Urbana campus. A comprehensive list is available online. A few examples include:
ActGreen, which is focused on sustainable business.
Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC). This group serves as a hub to facilitate collaboration and communication between student groups, administration, and community members; spearhead and assist educational programming; and advocate for students’ campus sustainability concerns.
Sustainability Training Videos: These videos can help individuals understand how they might contribute to the iCAP objectives. Different videos are available for students, faculty and researchers, and for other staff members, administrators, and community members. Links to surveys are available for viewers to provide feedback on what campus is doing right and what needs to be prioritized moving forward.
Greener Campus Certification Programs: Did you know that your office, sorority or fraternity chapter, or your campus event could receive recognition for the implementation of simple, inexpensive sustainable actions? This section of the iSEE website outlines the campus green certification programs and how to participate.
Sustainability research on campus. Each year, iSEE calls for proposals to provide seed money for faculty-led teams to engage with interdisciplinary sustainability issues on campus or in neighboring communities as part of theCampus as a Living Lab research program. The goal is to leverage this seed money to attract external funds for research relevant to achieve the iCAP objectives. Check out the link above to learn about previously funded projects and watch that space for information on calls for proposals.
Sustainability Education Opportunities: Finally, be sure to check out this section of the iSEE website for more information on sustainability education opportunities on the Urbana campus. These web pages offer a wealth of information on sustainability-related fellowships, certificates, and programs (including courses, majors and minors) that students can pursue.
Photo by bernardbodo – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
In her 2018 TED Talk, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe asserted that the most important thing one can do to combat climate change is to talk about it. Citing long-term opinion research conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, she pointed out that although a majority of people (~70%) in the United States agree that climate change is happening, and that it will also harm plants, animals, and future generations of humans (~70% for each type of impact), only about two-thirds of the population believe it will impact them personally. And two-thirds of the population never talk about climate change, even occasionally. If you explore the interactive Yale Climate Opinions Map based on 2024 data, you’ll see that these statistics remain roughly the same today within a few percentage points. So, it seems there is widespread belief that climate change is real and will be impactful, but for many, there’s still a disconnect between that uncomfortable truth and our immediate lives. Dr. Hayhoe posits that as long as we don’t talk about it, we’ll continue to convince ourselves that climate change is a distant problem removed from our experience, and this attitude will delay progress toward solutions.
If the subject of climate change feels taboo, how does one begin climate conversations, especially in a society that seems to be increasingly polarized? In this post, we’ll explore some ideas and resources to help you broach the topic.
Keep an open mind about how open others are
If the above statistics about the belief in the existence and impact of climate change surprised you, you may also be operating under assumptions about how polarized we are in general. It may seem as if you’re surrounded by people with extreme opinions, on the opposite side of the spectrum from you on just about any topic, let alone climate change. This perception might feed into an unwillingness to even try to talk to others about important issues.
But the keyword there is perception. If you assume that you already know what other people think and that they won’t be open to your views, and further allow that assumption to halt conversations before they begin, you’ll never actually find out if your assumption was true. And the more you base your action—or rather inaction—on a potentially false assumption, the more likely you are to reinforce an atmosphere in which individuals fail to connect and simply accept division as insurmountable. While it’s certainly true that people can disagree strongly about specific issues, it’s also true that we’re all human. We all eat, pay bills, love our families, experience loss, etc. By focusing on the differences between us, we make the conscious decision to ignore all that we share.
In the July 2024 Time article “The Growing Evidence That Americans Are Less Divided Than You May Think,” Karl Vick describes research that illustrates the disparity between individuals’ opinions on what is important and what those individuals thought other people would find important, along with psychological principles that tend to skew human perceptions and behaviors to create a sense of isolation. A recent report from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, “Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2025″ reflects a high degree of support for climate change policy and various mitigation strategies among all registered voters (view the Executive Summary for results regardless of political party; details by party are provided within the report). For example, 52% of registered voters think global warming should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress; 71% support tax credits or rebates to encourage people to buy electric appliances, such as heat pumps and induction stoves; and 79% of registered voters support strengthening enforcement of industrial pollution limits in low-income communities and communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by air and water pollution. Writing for the Summer 2025 edition of the Carnegie Reporter magazine, Dame Louise Richardson stated: “Preliminary research and polling that we have supported suggest that the population at large is less polarized than our political leaders and that smaller communities are less polarized than larger ones. Moreover, they demonstrate that there is actually a strong convergence of opinion among Americans on many core issues, but widespread misunderstanding of the views of those on the other side of the political spectrum.” She cites and provides links to the various studies that support her assertions.
In other words, remember that your impressions might not be accurate, and if you’re going to make assumptions, err on the side of assuming that the number of things most people have in common outweigh their differences. This can combat the fear of conflict that might form a barrier to engagement.
Connecting rather than convincing
Dr. Hayhoe suggests the best way to begin climate conversations is not by spouting data or citing research to try to make the other person adopt a particular viewpoint. If people feel overwhelmed by information because of its quantity or complexity, or if they perceive your lecture as a personal attack on their character, they’re likely to stop listening to you. Instead of approaching climate conversations as an opportunity to convince, see them as an opportunity to connect with a fellow human being. Ask the other person questions about themselves (e.g., what are their hobbies, where are they from, what is their family like, what do they enjoy, etc.) and really listen to what they have to say so you can start to understand who they are and what they care about. Then consider if what they’ve said resonates in any way with your values and experiences. Find what you have in common.
Illustrate immediacy through common connections
Once you’ve found what you have in common, you can build a bridge by talking about it. Then you have the opportunity to introduce the idea of climate change as it relates to your common interest or experience. This can help transform the subject from an abstract and removed concept to a tangible and directly relevant issue. If you both like to garden, you might talk about how the USDA plant hardiness zones were updated a few seasons ago; maybe now you can confidently grow plants that were once reserved for warmer areas. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you can start your garden earlier in the year or that you need to water more than you used to. Perhaps you’ve noticed a change in the types or number of insects or birds present while you’re working in your garden. If you’re both parents, you might observe that your kids get time off from school these days due to high heat advisories in the warm months, or windchill factors instead of snowfall in the colder months. If you’ve bonded over needing a cup of coffee to start your morning, you might talk about hearing that climate change might impact coffee yields and where coffee can be grown, among other things.
You don’t have to be prepared with an arsenal of trivia; again, the point is not to present a litany of facts but to connect the impacts of climate change to something you both care about. If you aren’t already aware of a fact related to your shared value or experience, it could be enough to wonder aloud about the potential impact (e.g., “I wonder if climate change will impact coffee production? I don’t think I could cope if there was a coffee shortage!”). You don’t have to be an expert in every possible impact of climate change, just a fellow human being willing to share concerns, questions, and reactions to a changing world.
Respect emotions
Be prepared for the fact that climate change can trigger a wide variety of emotions. If the other person wants to share their experiences, let them, and again, listening mindfully is important. Remember that all feelings are valid. If the other person expresses something that you don’t personally feel, don’t belittle their feelings (e.g., “there’s no reason to be afraid of sea level rise in this area…”), just listen respectfully and respond with empathy. Be willing to share your own emotions authentically, regardless of whether the other person volunteers their feelings. If, for example, the other person tells you what scares them about climate change, share your own related fears. If you don’t have any fears about climate change, share what you do feel (e.g., grief, anger, anxiety, etc.). Again, having the conversation can help normalize the idea that climate change is an emotional reality as well as a physical one, and that we don’t need to bury those emotions.
Be advised that talking to children is very different from talking to adults. Don’t present potentially traumatic information when dealing with very young children, and don’t overwhelm kids with too much information. See the “Resources to explore” section below for links to guidance on talking about climate with young people.
Invite hope to the conversation
The magnitude of climate change issues can evoke a sense of despair or powerlessness. While acknowledging these feelings is important, if your conversation focuses solely on doom and gloom, you’ll end up fostering the idea that climate change isn’t something worth thinking about, talking about, or acting on—in direct opposition to the point of your starting the conversation in the first place. If you’re aware of a case study to mitigate climate change that gives you hope, share that (e.g., “My church recently installed solar panels on the roof,” or “I read there’s been a drop in deforestation in Colombia”). At the very least share one or a few examples of what you are doing, however simple, to fight climate change, and why that relates if the other person doesn’t know (e.g., “I’ve started composting my food scraps,” “I plan my errands to minimize the amount of driving I do,” “I’ve gotten to the point where I almost always wash my clothes in cold water,” etc.). Examples may not only reassure your conversation companion that solutions exist and are being pursued, but also inspire and empower them to take action.
Resources to explore
The following resources can help you prepare for, or conduct, climate conversations with others.
Illinois Extension Climate Stewards:https://extension.illinois.edu/climate/illinois-extension-climate-stewards. This course trains environmental stewards to communicate about climate change and engage in local solutions. Though upcoming dates for the course have not been scheduled, you can contact your local Extension office to express interest. ISTC’s Joy Scrogum completed this course in Fall 2024 and can provide insights on the experience.
Climate Conversations Card Game:https://climateconversationslex.weebly.com/card-game.html. Available to download in English, Spanish, or in K-12 versions for printing or in versions appropriate for remote play. “This game aims to create conversations, having participants work through their own relationships with climate change while envisioning a climate resilient future. Working with a partner, participants pick one card from each of the four conversation levels.” This card game was developed by a network of community members in the Lexington, KY area interested in fostering resilience through climate change conversations.
Talking climate handbook—how to have a climate change conversation:https://climateoutreach.org/reports/how-to-have-a-climate-change-conversation-talking-climate/. Developed by the British organization Climate Outreach, this guide is meant to assist anyone interested in having constructive day-to-day conversations about climate change. Their advice is presented via an acronym representing important steps for good climate conversations (REAL TALK). It includes sections on dealing with specific audiences, such as young people and those strongly opposed to climate action.
Principles for effective communication and public engagement on climate change: A handbook for IPCC Authors: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2017/08/Climate-Outreach-IPCC-communications-handbook.pdf. This brief, evidence-based handbook was commissioned by the Working Group/Technical Support Unit of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and prepared by Climate Outreach.
Talk Climate:https://talkclimate.org/. This Seattle, WA organization offers resources that are “are age-appropriate, emotionally-responsive, and designed to empower people to build emotional and interpersonal capacity for facing the climate era together.”Contributors and collaborators include scientists in various fields, healthcare professionals (including therapists), musicians, and activists. Their website includes sections on talking about climate with birth to kindergarten-aged children, elementary school students, middle to high school-aged students, young adults, and caregivers and adults. They provide resource compilations related to education (K-university), environmental justice, faith and spirituality, healthcare and public health, mental health and wellbeing, and climate science. Site visitors can browse downloadable handouts, music and book suggestions, and more.
The Daily Climate:https://www.dailyclimate.org/. A publication of the nonprofit Environmental Health Sciences, this online newsletter includes sections focused on Solutions and Good News to help you sow the seeds of hope.
Active Hope:https://www.activehope.info/. Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone first published the book, Active Hope, in 2012, and then released a revised 10th anniversary version in 2022. The book focuses on how to face the complex environmental “mess” that we’re in and how to find your role in collective positive change (what the authors call the “Great Turning”). Among other things, the revised edition shifts from seeing the negative impacts that might come about in the future due to various environmental challenges to acknowledging that those negative consequences are underway. This website provides information not only about the book, but related free training and resources.
If you have questions or are interested in exploring ways to have climate conversations within your organization or institution, contact Joy Scrogum.
Photo by wavebreak3– stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Time flies, and August is upon us already, so it will soon be back-to-school time in IL. Whether you’re a parent, student, or educator, if visions of classrooms or campuses are dancing in your head, the following resources will help you prepare for the new school year. As always, please keep in mind that links to specific products or services are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.
Did you know that beginning next fall, IL K-12 public schools are required to provide climate change education? Public Act 103-0837, signed into law by Governor J. B. Pritzker in August 2024, provides that, “Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public school shall provide instruction on climate change, which shall include, but not be limited to, identifying the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities and evaluating solutions for addressing and mitigating the impact of climate change and shall be in alignment with State learning standards, as appropriate. The State Board of Education shall, subject to appropriation, prepare and make available multi-disciplinary instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used to meet the requirements of this subsection.”
An organization called SubjectToClimate is already leading efforts to develop an Illinois Climate Education Hub. The goal of the online hub is to make it easier for Illinois K-12 educators of all grade levels and subjects to teach about climate change by providing access to free, vetted teaching resources, professional development opportunities, lesson plan examples, and more. They’ve previously created similar hubs for New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin, Maine, New York, Connecticut, and Michigan. Check our their “Get Involved” page if you’re interested in being part of the effort, or reach out to Katie Nahrwold, the Illinois State Lead, for more information. While the IL hub has yet to be launched (the tentative launch date is September 10, 2025), teachers may still consider registering for an account on the SubjectToClimate website to browse teaching resources already available. Resources can be searched by grade, subject, resource type, standards, providers, locations, and languages. You can also use online forms to suggest teaching resources or suggest a teacher professional development opportunity.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) defines education for sustainability (EfS) as follows (as relayed on the Getting Started with Sustainability in Schools website): “Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world-views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. It enables individuals and communities to reflect on ways of interpreting and engaging with the world. Sustainability education is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through informed action. Actions that support more sustainable patterns of living require consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence.”
Similarly, UNESCO uses the term “education for sustainable development,” or ESD, stating “Education for Sustainable Development empowers people with the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors to live in a way that is good for the environment, economy, and society. It encourages people to make smart, responsible choices that help create a better future for everyone.” The UNESCO ESD website provides a variety of resources to explore, along with its Education for sustainable development for 2030 toolbox.
The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education provides professional development opportunities, EfS standards and indicators, and a variety of other resources to support educators interested in integrating sustainability in their curricula.
Illinois Green Schools Project:https://www.illinoisgreenalliance.org/illinois-green-schools-project-home. According to the Illinois Green Alliance, this is “an annual sustainability action and recognition program for K-12 schools in Illinois. We help educators engage students and school stakeholders in hands-on projects that improve health, efficiency, and environmental impact.”
Green Lunchroom Challenge archive: Launched in 2015, the Green Lunchroom Challenge (GLC) was a voluntary pledge program for K-12 schools to improve the sustainability of their food service operations. By registering, participants were accepting the challenge to reduce and prevent food waste in their facilities. The GLC website provided suggested activities that ranged in complexity and commitment, to allow participants to best suit their situation, budget, and available community resources. Participants were not required to complete activities, but with each activity that was completed successfully, they earned points toward recognition at different levels of accomplishment. When the project ended, material from the original website was folded into a topical blog that also included information on food waste reduction for sectors besides K-12 schools. The archived blog is available at https://wayback.archive-it.org/6086/20250528191406/https://green-lunchroom.istc.illinois.edu/ or . See https://tap.istc.illinois.edu/2016/12/07/green-lunchroom-challenge/ for further project information.
