On Saturday, March 29, from 8:30-9:30 p.m., cities around the world will participate in Earth Hour 2014. People are urged to join together to turn off their nonessential lights and equipment for one hour.
This symbolic effort is intended to raise awareness about how energy efficiency and conservation can help reduce the negative impacts of global climate change.
Do you ever wish it were easier to bike to Eastland Mall, downtown Bloomington, or anywhere else in the local community? The City of Bloomington is developing a master plan for bicycle accommodations and they want input from the IWU community!
In addition to the online feedback system, there will be a brainstorming workshop on Tuesday, March 18 at 7 p.m. at the Bloomington Police Department. Participants will be given maps to mark roads where they want to see bike lanes, Constitution Trail extensions, additional bike racks, and anything else they can think of.
Ellen Cornelius is a senior Environmental Studies major who is currently interning with Illinois Environmental Council and is helping to organize the following event (including helping organize transportation). See contact information below and consider attending.
Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) is holding its
Lobby day on
Thursday, April 3 in Springfield
Hello! I’d like to tell you about an exciting opportunity for those of you passionate about environmental issues and public policy. The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) is holding their Lobby day on Thursday, April 3 in Springfield. Lobby day is a chance for constituents to come to the Capitol and tell legislators you want your environment protected. It is the IEC’s biggest day of the year because they make the largest gains on environmental legislation.
If you want to meet legislators and experience first-hand environmental policy happening RIGHT NOW in Illinois, you should definitely go. This is an all day event, but I am sure your professors would understand you missing one class to fulfill your civic duty! Even if you do not have experience with lobbying, the IEC trains you on what to say and how to say it. The IEC will also reimburse you for transportation costs to Springfield. If we get enough students, we may take a bus down.
If you want to learn about the issues we will be lobbying for, or know more about IEC, go to this link: http://ilenviro.org/register-for-lobby-day-2014/. Please feel free to contact me, Ellen Cornelius (IWU Environmental Studies Intern for Illinois Environmental Council) for more information: ecorneli@iwu.edu.
This will be a fun, action-packed day where you will be able to meet so many important players in the environmental arena.
Thanks everyone!
Ellen Cornelius
Volunteers are invited to assist in two-hour shifts during the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on Saturday, April 12. Sign up here.
The City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal are sponsoring an emergency public meeting:
Mahomet Aquifer Summit
Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Uptown Station (4th floor), 11 Uptown Circle in Normal
PLEASE ATTEND!
Briefly, a local disposal company is seeking approval to operate a chemical waste storage facility near the Clinton, Ill., Landfill site, a short distance from Bloomington/Normal. If approved, large quantities of the banned toxic chemical Polychlorinated Biphenyls, commonly referred to as PCBs, will be moved to the Clinton site. One of many concerns is that this facility would sit directly over the Mahomet Aquifer which provides drinking water for over 1,000,000 people in Central Illinois. Please consider attending for any or all of the meeting. The agenda:
McLean County Mahomet Aquifer Summit
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Uptown Station
4th Floor
11 Uptown Circle
Normal, IL 61761
Moderator – Steve Carter, retired City Manager, Champaign
9:00 a.m. Registration
9:30 Overview of the Mahomet Aquifer and Sole Source Designation Application
10:15 Legal Challenges
10:45 Why Do We Need to Protect Our Aquifer?
12:00 p.m. Lunch (provided by the Town of Normal)
12:45 Citizen Advocacy Panel…
“Next Steps? What Can We Do?”
2:00 Closing Comments –
For more information, contact Mark Peterson, Town of Normal City Manager.
The city is embarking on creating a citywide bicycle master plan. This plan will help guide the future bicycling infrastructure investments in the city. Residents of Bloomington will have three different ways to participate:
We urge you and your neighbors to utilize one of these ways to provide the feedback. Feel free to forward this invitation to any and all interested parties that may have an interest in participating in this important process.
Any faculty, staff member or student is invited to join the GREENetwork at our meetings.
This semester we will meet about every two weeks on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., tentatively scheduled in the Titan Room, Memorial Center:
Feel free to contact a co-chair if you have any questions.
Don’t throw it away! Give it away!
In the tradition of Ecology Action Center’s semi-annual FREE-4-ALL, we will be creating an opportunity to give away your unwanted stuff and to take what you like – FOR FREE!
Here are the rules:
Household Items
*Knick-knacks, lamps, vases, paintings, prints etc. Items must be clean and in good condition.
*No large furniture, please.
Clothing Items
Bring in gently used adult or children’s clothing.
*Clothes should be clean and in good shape.
And the popular FREE-4-ALL Toy Giveaway!
Bring in your gently used toys to give away to others.
*Toys should be in good shape (all parts and pieces etc.) and clean.
Please bring items that deserve a second life to the IWU Wellness Office by April 9. Please contact us with questions or if you need help with pickup, ext. 3334 or wellness@iwu.edu.
Donated items will be available at the Illinois Sustainable Living & Wellness Expo
Saturday, April 12
9 a.m.-4 p.m.,
Shirk Center
The GREENetwork compiles an annual accounting of sustainability initiatives that have occurred on the IWU campus. The 2012-13 report, now available on Digital Commons, highlights some key actions by multiple campus groups.