Next SECS Meeting This Wednesday at 6:30! 🌱

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Climate Strike last Friday! It was a resounding success. For some awesome photos from the event, check out this folder.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, September 20th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Channing Murray Foundation (1209 W. Oregon Street).

Here’s the lowdown for what your favorite working groups will be tackling this week:

Action will be working on outreach for the Fossil Free Addendum, a proposed piece of legislation that amends the University of Illinois Act to legally mandate divestment.

Media is taking a break this week, but the Green Observer will be meeting to continue work on articles for an anticipated late October release of our environmental magazine.

Education will work on the upcoming Urbana letter writing event, and is seeking volunteers for three upcoming events. Sign up here.

Walkable Cities will continue making infographics to be used at Park(ing) Day’s booth in a few weeks.

Solidarity Gardens will be finishing up garden beds.

‼️Camping Announcement ‼️
If you have signed up to come camping with us this Friday, please note that you should have submitted a gear rental request by now if you need any! Here is a document with all vital camping information. Please sign up in the carpooling sheet if you haven’t yet! We want to make sure everyone is accounted for.

Show up on Wednesday! Go green or go HOME!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Park(ing) Day now Saturday, September 30th!

Park(ing) day is a global, public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose curbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people. Our very own Student Planning Organization is hosting a UIUC Park(ing) Day Saturday, September 30th from 1-4pm. SECS will tend a booth at this wonderful event! Sign up to table here.

NYU divests!
Great news: our friends at NYU Sunrise have won divestment!
Read all about it here. After years of pressure from student activists just like us, New York University will divest their $5 billion endowment from fossil fuel companies. Divestment is possible!

Volunteer at Saturday’s game!

The Institute for Sustainability seeks volunteers to help promote recycling at the Illini football game this Saturday! Help us cut waste by signing up here.

Sign the petition to save Weaver Park!

Weaver Park is a natural landscape in east Urbana that is currently at risk of being converted into soccer and baseball fields. To protect this park with inherent value, sign this petition.

SSLC x PRN Luncheon

The Student Sustainability Leadership Council has partnered with local nonprofit Prairie Rivers Network to host an event with environmental groups including the Sierra Club, Grand Prairie Friends, and Eco-Justice Collaborative. If you missed the deadline to sign up, you can still attend! This event will take place Wednesday, September 20th from 12-1pm at the University YMCA.

The SECS talk is back!

SECS’ flagship podcast is returning under Alex Chavez’s leadership. If you have a professor, boss, colleague, or friend that would have an interesting environmental topic to cover, let us know! Here is an interest form to connect us with the wonderful folks you know.

SSC Reimagine our Future Undergraduate Sustainability Competition

The Student Sustainability Committee is co-sponsoring an undergraduate sustainability competition, where undergrads work alone or in teams to address a sustainability problem at a local, regional, national, or international level. The winning team receives $2,000 and there are cash prizes for second and third place as well. Register here by October 9th.

Illini Lights Out is Back!

Join the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment this fall semester in conserving energy! The Institute looks for students to help turn off lights in campus buildings on Friday night to help save energy over the weekend. Go here for more information and to sign up!

Sign the Fossil Free Illinois Open Letter!

In Fiscal Year 2022, the University of Illinois System reported over $120 million invested in 52 fossil fuel companies. This is in contrast to a fossil free future that seeks to mitigate climate change and ensure a healthy planet for all. Go here to learn more about and sign a letter that calls on the University of Illinois System to divest these funds.

Contact Us!
President — Danika Ford (she/her)
[email protected]
Vice Presidents — Alex Chavez (he/him) & Rudy LaFave (he/him)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Treasurer — Averhy Sanborn (she/her)
[email protected]
Secretary — Julia San Miguel (she/her)
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Action Coordinator — Trey McCallister (he/him)
[email protected]
Education Officer — Claire Sullivan (she/her)
[email protected]
Media Officer — Sophia Beem (she/her)
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer — Fatima Naveed (she/her)
[email protected]
Community Chair — Joya Weissman (she/her)
[email protected]
Land Management Chair — Liam Henry (he/him)
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Outreach Coordinator — Izzy Wilder (she/her)
[email protected]