Exhibition/Outreach/Workshop

Where: Latzer Hall in the University YMCA
When: Wednesday, May 7th, 10:30 AM - 12:00 noon

Be a part of the Champaign-Urbana Sustainability Coalition: Make your voice heard!

This coalition will bring together leaders working toward the sustainability of our community. This diverse group involves student and community leaders, UIUC faculty and is looking to broaden to include local business owners, religious leaders, and younger students.

Free lunch from Chipotle to follow.

Please email Ari Sahagun (sahagun2uiuc [dot] edu) if you plan to attend.

Speakers will include:

• Chancellor Richard Herman, on the importance of sustainability
• A panel of three University professors who will speak on sustainability from their own academic perspectives: ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, and SOCIAL.

Agenda:

1. Welcome (5 minutes)
   • Ari Sahagun, facilitator
2. Panel Discussion (20 minutes)
   •        Sustainability Perspectives
3. Importance of Sustainability (10 minutes)
   •        Chancellor Richard Herman
4. What is a coalition? (And what is it not?) (5 minutes)
   •        Ari Sahagun, facilitator
5. Break into WORKING GROUPS for guided discussion (35 minutes)
6. Together: Goals for the coming year & next steps (15 minutes)

RSVP: To Kent Studer at kstuderuiuc [dot] edu by April 4, 2008

General Electric (GE) Energy is converting a Sylvan Power Company plant to a Biomass plant, powered by wood chips.

The facility was constructed in 1996 to burn garbage (otherwise slated for landfill) from the South Side of Chicago, to generate steam to power a steam turbine. The plant generated most of its income, not from supplying electricity, but by accepting garbage. However, in 2000, the State of Illinois changed environmental laws, and the plant went bankrupt.  GE is now converting the plant to generate power from wood chips (3-in in length or less) created from scrap lumber and trees. This will result in a greenhouse-negative facility, the conversion of which is to be completed by the end of 2008.

The facility coordinator is offering a guided site visit for approximately 20-30 University of Illinois students and faculty on April 26th.

Visitors will be able to see:

• 55MW Steam Turbine (non-operational)
• Fuel Handling Area (in construction)
• Boiler Area (in construction)
• Plant Control Room

Visitor Dress Requirements:

1. Long pants
2. Shirts with long sleeves
3. Shoes with toes and that provide ankle support

Please RSVP by April 4 to Kent Studer at kstuderuiuc [dot] edu and indicate if you can drive. The plant is located in Robbins, IL.

For more information contact Andy Friedl at (apfriedluiuc [dot] edu).

Come learn to make an ethanol cookstove!