Photo Gallery: Campus Prairie Plot

See a new photo gallery of the Campus Prairie Plot, which features native Illinois prairie plants. (Photos by University Archivist & Special Collections Librarian Meg Miner.)

A student initiative, the prairie plot was planted in the spring of 2009 on the southwest side of the Center for Natural Science. All of the seeds were collected, bought, or donated by Illinois Wesleyan students and members of the community. The native plants are resistant to drought and provide important wildlife habitat.

Greening Your Lawn

It’s that time of year! Each weekend about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas annually and producing tons of air pollutants. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a new gas-powered lawn mower produces as much air pollution in one hour as 11 new cars. (Source: http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm )

The Ecology Action Center’s Yard Smart program encourages yard care that is ecologically sustainable. Their website offers a host of helpful resources about steps you can take, such as switching to low-maintenance native landscaping, and reducing your reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Free Showing of Gasland

Gasland, the award-winning documentary on hydraulic fracturing, will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at the Normal Theater (209 W. North St., Normal). The 2010 film by Josh Fox explores the issue of hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydrofracking, and its risks to clean water supplies.

An aborted request to change McLean County zoning rules early in 2011 has drawn attention to the possibility of hydraulic fracturing in central Illinois.

For more information on the event, click here.

Campus Arboretum

The grounds of Illinois Wesleyan flourish with greenery at this time of year, with spring rains awakening the approximately 1,200 trees representing nearly 150 species and cultivars on our 80-acre campus. Thanks to Groundsman Art Killian, the variety of trees at Illinois Wesleyan are catalogued and newly photographed on the Campus Tree Map — a treasure map for the amateur arborist.

E-Waste Collection Drive

The Illinois Wesleyan community is invited to join employees of Advocate BroMenn, who have teamed up with Advanced Technology Recycling for an electronic waste drive:

Thursday, May 26, 6 a.m.-10 a.m. at Advocate BroMenn in Normal, in the southwest corner of the parking lot off of Main and Apple streets.

Accepted Electronics:

Computers • Laptops • CRT Monitors • LCD Monitors • Printers • Servers • TVs • Digital Cameras • PDAs • Cell Phones • Telephones • Office Equipment • Stereo Equipment

Up to 10 items accepted per employee. No charge to bring in items. Items must be donated. Help keep electronics out of landfills by recycling!

Looking to Be a Locavore? Farmers’ Market Begins Saturday

Thanks to Country Of Origin Labeling required under U.S. law, we can count up the fossil fuels consumed when those bell peppers in our grocer’s produce section are shipped from Holland throughout all four seasons.

If you’d like to take advantage of Central Illinois’ agricultural bounty, support local farmers, and get your produce fresh from the farm — take heart, the local farmer’s market season is coming soon!

The Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market begins this Saturday, May 14, and runs through Oct. 29. The market will be open Saturday mornings from 7:30 a.m.-noon on the square in downtown Bloomington (Main & Jefferson).

In Normal, the Trailside Market begins June 7 and will continue until Sept. 13, every Tuesday from 3:30-6 p.m. on East Beaufort Street in Uptown Normal.

Good to Go Commuter Challenge

The Go to Good Commuter Challenge is a weeklong event designed to encourage healthy living and promote the use of alternative transportation instead of driving alone. The Challenge is a friendly competition between workplaces for the highest employee participation rate, and between individuals, teams, groups and organizations to see who can tally the most miles. During the week, participants track and report their commutes online. Public transit, walking, bicycling, car sharing, carpooling, vanpooling, and telecommuting all count for the competition.

The annual challenge is the third week of May (May 14-20). It’s open to anyone who lives, works, goes to school, or regularly commutes in or to McLean County. Get started now to save money and earn bragging rights!

Please let Wellness know if you are interested in participating and we will sign up Illinois Wesleyan to take the organizational challenge. Contact Wellness at (309) 556-3334 or wellness@iwu.edu by May 11.

Campus Composting Continues, Expands

Sodexho’s participation in the community composting initiative has continued without problems, with 35,496 pounds of waste diverted from landfills since the program began Jan. 24. Composting efforts have been expanded to include waste from the faculty-staff dining room and large catering events.