Gudwein

Being a Sustainable Student at UIUC

written by Grace Gudwein

As the 2021-2022 school year begins and things are opening up a bit, now is a great time to consider sustainability here at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. From courses, to Registered Student Organizations, to activities in the community, there are plenty of ways to incorporate sustainability into your life on campus.

In the classroom, there are many courses about sustainability and the environment in general Illinois’s Institute of Sustainability, Energy, and the Environment (iSEE) provides a spreadsheet on its website. One notable course is Earth Systems (ESE 200), which teaches the basics of sustainability and the environment. In another course, Environmental Writing (ESE/ENGL 360), you will learn how to write about the environment to convey all the great things you learn in other sustainability classes to others.

In addition, several Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) revolve around sustainability. Students for Environmental Concerns leads campaigns to advocate for sustainable practices, such as their current campaign for fossil fuel divestment. The Red Bison does restoration around and just beyond campus, including prescribed burns and removing invasive plants. UIUC’s chapter of the Wildlife Society promotes conservation in order to protect wildlife and their habitats. These are just a few examples of environment-focused RSO’s on campus, but iSEE’s website provides a longer list.

Off of campus, there are other groups in the Champaign-Urbana community promoting sustainability. Grand Prairie Friends is a nonprofit organization and land trust that works to conserve native prairies in east central Illinois. They host monthly volunteer restoration events for anyone who wants to participate. Another off-campus nonprofit is the Prairie Rivers Network, a group that promotes clean waters and land through science and advocacy; their website provides a list of volunteer opportunities.

This article provides just a small taste of what options involving sustainability campus and beyond has to offer. With all of these opportunities, there is bound to be something for everyone, so get out there and live sustainably.

Sources

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx? src=https%3A%2F%2Fsustainability.illinois.edu%2 Fwpcontent%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F04%2F04272021List _ of _ Sustainability_ Courses _ Fall _ 2021.xlsx&wd Origin=BROWSELINK

https://secsatuiuc.web.illinois.edu/about-us/

https://illinois.campuslabs.com/engage/organizati on/RedBison

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWildlifeSoc ietyUIUC/

https://sustainability.illinois.edu/10-environmentalgroups-to-join-on-campus/