Campus Highlights

– The IWU Peace Garden is now making weekly deliveries of greens to Station Two Twenty. Danny Kenny ’13 reported at the Feb. 28 GREENetwork meeting that the owner-chefs have visited the garden and are excited about the partnership.

– Student Senate awarded funding to the Sierra Student Coalition to explore the installation of hydration stations in The Ames Library and Hansen Student Center. Hydration stations provide filtered water and encourage the use of refillable water bottles instead of plastic.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is also investigating the feasibility of installing a hydration station in the Shirk Center.

Hydration stations have previously been installed in Presser Hall and CNS, and will be available in State Farm Hall.

Kick-Off for a Stylish Mission!

Mission Mart
Thursday, Feb. 28
6:30 p.m.

Ecology Action Center invites you to participate in the 2013 Renewable Fashion Challenge. This event is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate your passion for protecting the environment while showcasing your style. We’re encouraging participants to choose a “look” from a magazine and recreate it using secondhand clothing from area thrift stores. Participants will then model their creations at a runway show at the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo at Shirk Center on Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m.

There will be a kick-off to celebrate this challenge at the Mission Mart in Bloomington on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. This kick-off is a great opportunity to learn more about the challenge and get started on your stylish mission! Participants are encouraged to pre-register before Feb. 28 in order to receive a $10 Mission Mart gift certificate at the kick-off; however, you may submit your application for the Challenge any time before April 5.

For more information, contact: Sara Vore, (309) 556-3334, svore@iwu.edu

Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture

Tuesday, Feb. 19
4 p.m.
CNS C101

With Bob Boehle, head of Boehle Consulting and tester of the soil at the IWU Peace Garden

Interested in gardening? Sustainable agriculture? The connection of nourishing soil to our food supply and health? Come listen to Boehle, a garden and agricultural soil specialist. Sponsored by the Action Research Center and Peace Garden.

Single-Stream Sorting

Now that Bloomington and Normal (and by this fall, the IWU campus) operate single-stream recycling — accepting paper, cardboard, plastic and cans in one bin — have you wondered how everything is sorted out in the end? Midwest Fiber Recycling, which handles recyclables for both of the twin cities, has a video that shows how.

Climate Change Rally: Defeat Keystone XL Pipeline

Monday, Feb. 18
12:15 – 1:00 p.m.
Hansen Student Center

Some 24 hours after the climate change rally planned in Washington, D.C. (expected to be the largest in history), Illinois Wesleyan will have its own: “Climate Change rally: Defeat the Keystone XL Pipeline.”

Members of the campus community are invited to come to Hansen Student Center to hear speakers, music and short videos to learn more about the pipeline project, climate change and what you can do.

Co-sponsored by: Sierra Student Coalition (SSC), College Democrats, Student Senate, ORL Sustainability Educators and the Environmental Studies Program.

In a related project, SSC is looking for volunteers to interview about the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline.

If you are interested in sharing your opinions (for or against) the proposed Keystone XL pipeline for a short video to be shown on campus, please contact Mark Hansen (mhansen1@iwu.edu). Interviews will be held on Feb. 4.

Renewable Fashion Challenge

Students, along with faculty, staff and their children (age 10 and older) are invited to participate in the Renewable Fashion Challenge Fashion Show during the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on April 13, 2013.

Participants should visit area thrift, resale, or consignment shops to find pieces for their outfit. The Grand Prize winner will receive a prize package worth over $100! See the details.

“Nature Photography” with Tom Ulrich

Monday, March 18
7 p.m.
CNS C101

Urlich is a renowned nature photographer whose work has been featured in National Geographic, National Wildlife,Time, Audubon, and many other publications. Originally from Illinois, he now resides outside of Glacier National Park in Montana, but returns to Illinois each year on his photo tour. Every year he dazzles his audiences with amazing photographs, tips for photographers and humorous narration. The focus of his presentation this year will include the nature of Alaska, Africa, and Glacier National Park, with a special feature on bird migration in south Texas. Co-sponsored by IWU’s Environmental Studies Program, John Wesley Powell Audubon, and Sugar Grove Nature Center.

Fee:
– Members of Sugar Grove Nature Center and JWP Audubon $5/adult, $2/children under 12
– Non-Members $7/adult, $3/children under 12
– Free for Illinois Wesleyan, Illinois State University, & Heartland Community College students with ID

 

An Elusive and Rare Prairie Mammal: the Franklin’s Ground Squirrel in Central Illinois

Thursday, Feb. 28
7 p.m.
CNS C101 

The Franklin’s ground squirrel was listed as a threatened species in Illinois in 2004 and the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan lists it as a “species in greatest need of conservation.” Population declines of this elusive Illinois resident have been widely attributed to the loss and fragmentation of tallgrass prairie habitat due to intensive agricultural practices. Tih-Fen Ting, an associate professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will provide an overview of her research findings on the ecology of Franklin’s ground squirrels, as well as an update on their abundance, behavior, and habitat requirements in Central Illinois. Co-sponsored by IWU’s Environmental Studies Program and John Wesley Powell Audubon.

Crops and Conservation: The Nature Conservancy’s Mackinaw River Program

Thursday, Jan. 31
7 p.m.
CNS C101

The Mackinaw River in central Illinois contains several high quality stream segments and is home to many aquatic species, but it is exposed to environmental stressors such as agriculture runoff from the surrounding landscape. Krista Kirkham, applied scientist for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, will talk about the work of The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and give an overview of three TNC conservation projects along the Mackinaw River, including the Paired Watershed Project, the Franklin Research and Demonstration Project, and the Mackinaw Drinking Watersheds Project. Co-sponsored by IWU’s Environmental Studies Program and John Wesley Powell Audubon.