The Daily Illini: Sustainability Edition 2022 by The Daily Illini

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APRIL 20, 2022 JULIA EVERSMANN & SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

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The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

UI clerical workers protest for better contract By Matt Novelli, Willie Cui and Lika Lezhava

Managing Editor for Online, News Editor, Contributing Writer

Dressed in green attire, members of Local 3700 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees trade union demonstrated outside of the Illini Union on April 13. This occured ahead of a bargaining session with the University, which took place later that day and resulted in a tentative agreement for a three-year contract between the groups. The trade union, which represents various clerical workers and office staff employed by the University and the University of Illinois Extension, has not had a contract with the University since August 2021. AFSCME Local 3700 has been in bargaining with the University “for months now,” according to Lisa Kelly, an office

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support associate at the University and member of AFSCME Local 3700. In particular, the union wanted the new contract to include eight months of back pay to account for the time since their last contract ended as well as increased wages for workers at the University Extension. Later in the evening, the groups reached a tentative “three-year agreement retroactive to August 22, 2021,” according to Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for Public Affairs at the University. “We’re trying to get (workers) a decent raise and get them longevity raises as well going forward so that we’re not in this situation the next time,” said Greg Brannan, president of AFSCME Local 3700. Kelly noted that some University employees covered by union’s bargaining “are working at poverty wages.” “We have workers who go out into the community to teach about SNAP benefits, The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher.

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Joshua Hollingsead holds a sign during a protest outside of the Illini Union on Wednesday. The protest was organized to demand back pay and wage increase for University clerical workers.

and they themselves are on SNAP benefits because of what they’re paid by the University,” Kelly said. novelli3@dailyillini.com williec2@dailyillini.com THE

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Japan House boatbuilding course floats Japanese style By Jacqueline Barba Staff Writer

This semester, the Japan House held a course in which students learned how to build a boat using traditional Japanese techniques. The course, ARTJ 391: Independent Study in Japanese Aesthetics, included seven weeks of remote work and one week of hands-on learning with Japanese boatbuilding expert Douglas Brooks. The course was organized by the Japan House’s Education Associate Diana Liao. After securing the funding needed for the course and building a syllabus, Liao was able to bring her vision to fruition. Liao said her motivation for the course was the return to in-person classes. “Since it seems like most everyone has the opportunity to come back to campus, I thought we should really just kick it off with something really exciting and hands on,” Liao said. The first seven weeks of the course were held remotely and used Brook’s book, “Japanese Wooden Boatbuilding,” for the reading. For credit, students were asked to respond to what they had read in journal entries and reflections. For Madison Yang, junior in Engineering, the readings reflected her own cultural background. As an Asian-American, the comparison between Western and Japanese techniques in the readings was reminiscent of the cultural influences in her own life. “A lot of the readings compared Japanese traditions and customs to Western equivalents, specifically related to craftsmanship,” Yang said. “It was interesting for me to study this comparison as someone who is culturally influenced by both since I am an Asian-American.” The final week of the class was held in person with Brooks presiding over the students’ learning. The class was taught according to Japanese apprenticeship customs which, as Liao describes, did not include a guidebook. “In Japanese apprenticeships, there’s no lecture, there’s no textbook and everything is done through oral tradition and their hands-on experience,” Liao said. “So you’ll never have a textbook saying like, ‘Oh, here’s how to build a boat, here’s the plans to do these problems.’” Liao said Brook’s approach to teaching the course was relying on students’ commitment to the class. “He said, ‘No, we’re not going to do any quizzes. You just do it. And your craftsmanship and your dedication to

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ARTJ 391: Independent Study in Japanese Aesthetics provides students with a hands-on experience in creating boats utilizing Japanese techniques. The class is held at the Japan House. actually making the technique work is going to be what makes this boat float or sink,’” Liao said. For a week, students worked on the boat for three hours a day. Yang said the aspect of working hands on made the course even more appealing. “It was strenuous for sure, but I really enjoyed being able to work with my hands on something and then actually being able to ride in the boat,” Yang said. Yang said wood planing became one of her favorite parts of making the boat. “Specifically, I really enjoyed planing, which is a process where you shave off thin sheets of wood,” Yang said. “The planing tool is a pretty simple block with a blade, but I felt like without a lot of force, it wasn’t able to have a strong impact. I had a lot of fun sitting there for an hour or so taking off thin shavings of wood to try to make the oar round.” In accordance with apprenticeship customs, the students were asked to refrain from bringing distractions to their workspace such as music or

headphones. “We were asked to stay silent and weren’t allowed to listen to music through headphones or anything while we worked,” Yang said. “I thought it would be a nice break and allow me to think my own thoughts while I worked, but everything that I did took my full attention at all times, so I wasn’t really able to think about everything else.” For Mikayla Blanke, junior at the University of Illinois Laboratory High School, the class served as a way to expand her knowledge of Japanese culture after taking three years of Japanese language courses. She describes how the class effort eventually produced a traditional Japanese riverboat, which students then launched in a traditional ceremony. “We worked together to saw, chisel, measure etc., and by the end of the week, we had a full-sized boat ready to launch,” Blanke said. “The launching ceremony consisted of Shinto traditions where we honored the many spirits involved with the boat and the pond.” For Blanke, the class served as a way

to expand not only her knowledge of the culture, but of other students with an interest in Japanese traditions and customs. “It was such a unique and fun experience to learn how to use all the tools while still staying true to Japanese culture,” Blanke said. “It was also really fun to meet the other students who were from different backgrounds and majors.” With the course behind them, Liao has been reading the reflections of the students involved in the class. Liao shares that many commented on the differences in the teaching styles between Japanese and Western cultures. “A lot of students are just writing about how insightful it was and how meditative it was,” Liao said. “It was the idea that we’re so used to this American-style way of thinking, teaching and learning that we don’t think that there are so many other opportunities and other cultural ways of learning.” barba5@dailyillini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Robots serve coffee at Yummy Future By Yuzhu Liu Staff writer

Mozart is a barista that’s new to town. Whether it’s a lavender latte, cream soda or strawberry lemonade, Mozart is ready to serve. Mozart can make a drink in less than 30 seconds. The barista works continuously for 14 hours and never get paid. Mozart is a robot. Yummy Future, the first robotic coffee shop on campus, recently opened on Green Street. Mozart features a mechanical arm programmed to brew beverages. According to Guangzhe Cui, co-founder of Yummy Future, customer traffic has exceeded expectations. “A lot of customers just like the futuristic vibes,” Cui said. Robert Brunner, associate dean for innovation and chief disruption officer, attributed the emergence of robotics businesses to labor shortages in minimum wage jobs. Brunner said many companies now see the opportunity to utilize automation to adapt to the lack of workforce. “One beauty of automation is its (ability) to do the same thing over and over again,” Brunner said. “You don’t have to worry about them getting bored.” Brunner said he expects Yummy Future’s robotic coffee shop system to work effectively in environments with massive customer flow such as airports and shopping malls. Cui said that they are also exploring potential markets in rural areas where traditional coffee shops are hardly accessible due to management and recruitment difficulties. However, not everyone shares the excitement about the growth of robots. Mikayla King, junior in LAS and Starbucks barista, worries robotic coffee shops will take jobs from human baristas. “Corporations go like ‘oh, this is faster, get rid of all jobs,’” King said. “If people think that a robot can do a job, there’s no opportunity for an actual human to do that job.” King said she doesn’t believe robots can fully replace human employees. “In the morning and at night, I have to check temperatures, and I feel like a robot could do those things if they have it programmed,” King said. “But how does the robot know if the thermometer is broken?” Brunner pointed out that although automation replaces simple, repetitive work, it creates more skilled job opportu-

Mozart, a robotic barista, pours drinks at the new coffee shop Yummy Future, located on Green Street, on April 10. nities. He gave an example of automobile manufacturing where automated production lines improve accuracy while there is a growing demand for human employees to inspect the working status. According to Cui, Yummy Future utilizes human-machine cooperation. With the robot taking the most burdensome work, Cui said the staff, mostly former baristas at regular coffee shops, now focus on overseeing the store and facilitating business. “When we hire most of our baristas, they are happier,” Cui said. “Because they don’t need to stand there for long durations of time, pulling espressos and cleaning this and that.” Julie Munoz-Najar, a clinical assistant professor of Social Work, said people have romantic imaginations about how technology serves humans. She called this the enslavement of robots. Despite the novelty, Munoz-Najar said she is always cautious of society’s interaction with this new economic approach. She referred to the protests by Amazon workers last year against the workplace. As some people push back on robotic systems, Munoz-Najar said Yummy Future may face a similar hurdle.

“People might come to them and say, ‘What are you doing to ensure that you’re still being a part of the community and not creating a bigger divide?’” MunozNajar said. When asked if she would work for a robotic coffee shop, King shook her head. “I don’t want to be near robots,” King said. “They’re very creepy.” Cui said he empathizes with people’s natural resistance to robots. He said the primary responsibility of Yummy Future’s staff is to alleviate customers’ potential discomfort by familiarizing them with the machine. While the robotic coffee shop system does not have much human interaction, Munoz-Najar sees the transitioning role of human employees to offer a different type of care. Cui mentioned the engineering team has added customization options based on the staff’s feedback. Unlike baristas who recommend drinks to satisfy customers’ needs, Cui said it takes years for the machine to achieve the same level of humanized design. “It’s hard to get off the comfort zone, but we cannot just stay in the same place forever,” Cui said. Munoz-Najar emphasized the impor-

YUZHU LIU THE DAILY ILLINI

tance of retraining employees in a technology-centered market. Apart from barista techniques and customer service skills, she expects staff at robotic coffee shops to obtain human-machine knowledge that prepares them to work alongside the robot. Knowing that automation is coming in, Brunner encourages students to think about the opportunities it will create. “It can be scary because we are creatures of habit,” Brunner said. “But life is about adapting and evolving to how the environment is changing, and I think this is just another example of where you know you have to learn.” To offer some insight, Bruner said students should ask questions about how to work with automated machines in future professional encounters. “It allows you to make a bet on your future and say ‘I want to learn those skills now when I’m here at the University of Illinois,’” Brunner said. “How can I work with automation instead of fearing it? How can I work with it? How can I leverage it? How might I be able to position myself to be complementary or augmented in partnership with AI?” yuzhul2@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Grind2Energy repurposes dining hall food waste By Sarah Bond Contributing Writer

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up to 40% of all food in the U.S. is wasted. But, in University dining halls, food waste is only 2%. Since 2019, the University dining halls and the Urbana & Champaign Sanitary District have been repurposing food waste into energy and fertilizer using a system called Grind2Energy. After food is put in the green bins at the dining halls, it is taken into the kitchens, mixed with water and put into a grinder. The result is a semi-liquid mixture called slurry, which is then pumped into a several-thousand-gallon holding tank outside the dining halls. When the tank hits 80% capacity, the slurry is picked up and transported to the Urbana & Champaign Sanitary District. Wade Lagle, the sanitary district’s operation supervisor, explained what the district does with the slurry. “From there, we directly feed it into a blending tank … and then we store it for three to five days,” Lagle said. “We also blend it with several other waste streams. Food waste (from the University) is only about 0.2% of our feedstock to our digesters on an annual basis.” Lance Charles Schideman, the principal research scientist at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, said the next step in the process is anaerobic digestion. “There’s a natural set of microorganisms that occur in anaerobic (oxygenfree) situations … which breaks down the organic matter (food waste) into … flammable fatty acids,” Schideman said. “Then, they’re subsequently broken down into methane and CO2, which together are called biogas.” Lagle said the methane contributes to 30% of the district’s daily total power. The leftover sludge from the slurry becomes a 20% to 25% solid material that is used as fertilizer for agricultural fields. Thurman Etchison, assistant director of dining at the University, said before Grind2Energy, the dining halls were doing something different with their waste. “Prior to G2E, we were using aerobic (with oxygen) digesters … it would take our food waste and turn it into grey water,” Etchison said. “It had microbes in a holding tank that were constantly stirred, and the (microbes) would eat the food.” Schideman said the prior system was not practical.

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“The aerobic digestion process … takes the energy content (in the waste) and turns it into CO2,” Schideman said. “It’s a double negative because it gets rid of the energy, but it takes energy to do that process.” Etchison said he knew it was time for something better. “About four years ago, we were in the planning stages for ISR and were talking to the sanitary district,” Etchison said. “We did some testing on the free flow that was coming out of those machines and found it didn’t meet the EPA guidelines. So, we decided we needed to change gears.” Etchison said the Grind2Energy systems were put in Ikenberry Dining Hall, ISR, FAR and PAR. He also said currently, waste from Lincoln Avenue dining halls goes to PAR, but there are plans to install a fifth tank in that area over the summer. The system doesn’t just service the University. It is a nationwide program aimed toward large-scale food serving operations. Heather Dougherty, the business development lead for Grind2Energy,

explained why the system was created. “It was around 2010 that our leadership (was) really recognizing the need for commercial foodservice operations to have an alternative solution for managing their food scraps,” Dougherty said. “We had our first prototype out in 2012.” Dougherty elaborated on the system’s current range of services. She said they work with hotels and grocers and can keep track of the systems using a database. “Our environmental team has a very comprehensive Google Maps database of every (anaerobic) digester in the U.S.,” Dougherty said. “So when a customer reaches out to us, we can access that map and know where the digesters are.” While many are concerned about food waste levels and want to make changes, Schideman explained it can be difficult to balance energy expenses and profits. “The main challenge is the collection mechanism … if you try to go around to every house and get their food waste, capture it, carry it somewhere and then do anaerobic digestion, you may spend more energy on the collection than you

end up getting,” Schideman said. Lagle said many companies do not choose renewable energy systems because of the hefty costs. “That is usually the hurdle that people can’t get past,” Lagle said. “To make a capital investment without the payback within a reasonable time frame is hard to do. Even with our heat and power units, the payback on them is roughly 10 years.” While it isn’t easy to fix this issue on the business end, Etchison said students have the ability to make a difference. He said how a good portion of students take more food than they can eat and sometimes, students do not throw their scraps in the Grind2Energy bins. “I worry about the kind of environment we leave for our grandchildren, considering everything that went into that food,” Etchison said. “We bring it here, we refrigerate it, we cook it, we prepare it and we add water. All along the way there’s energy and water and other resources being used and some of it just gets thrown out.” sbond21@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

CIF goes green with geothermal energy system

Aquaponics take root in greater C-U community By JP Legarte & Leland Pan Investigative News and Longform Editor and Staff Writer

From harvesting to cooking, produce is transferred from one place to another, leaving consumers on campus unsure about where their food is coming from. Environmental advocates such as Justin Vozzo, graduate student studying natural resources and environmental science, are invested in a systematic approach to improve efficiency on campus — aquaponics. “What got me into aquaponics ultimately was emulating the natural systems in our agricultural systems and again, like, closing those loops to make things more efficient,” Vozzo said. Aquaponics is a production system that combines raising fish to maintain plants in water, a mix between aquaculture and hydroponics. The system does not require soil and instead allows plants and fish to complement each other to create a symbiotic relationship. When fish excrete ammonia, the ammonia is broken down through nitrifying bacteria and turned into usable nitrogen, which is normally found in soil. As fish feed the plants, the plants provide clean water in return. Therefore, this system can reduce water usage, fossil fuels and transport costs. “It’s not just about cutting carbon,” Vozzo said. “It’s about how can we use those resources that we have available to use on this planet most efficiently so that we can … sustain them for as long as possible.” Despite the challenges in organizational and funding logistics, dedicated organizations and staff members supported the fruition of his project. After his freshman year, Vozzo submitted his idea of implementing an aquaponics system to the Student Sustainability Committee in 2015 for funding. “This is definitely only possible because we have a funding body on campus like the Student Sustainability Committee,” Vozzo said. “Otherwise, it just wouldn’t have (ever) happened.” Following the success, Vozzo found Carter Phillips, instructional chef in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, who was able to provide a permanent home for the project after Vozzo’s undergraduate graduation. Throughout the implementation, they harvested generations of fish such as tilapia and grew leafy greens.

“Aquaponics has been something that I’ve been interested in for many years,” Phillips said. “I had a small aquaponics system set up at my house. Just the symbiosis between the fish and the plants — it really kind of spoke to me.” The system continues to run for Bevier Café on campus. Phillips and his team members maintain the aquaponics through weekly checks on the fish and water quality. They said the benefit to having aquaponics in the staff’s proximity is its value as an educational tool. Phillips sees students come from urban areas that do not have the opportunity to grow their own produce forming a connection with food. “To put a seed into the ground or, in this case, an aquaponics system and watch it grow, there’s a connection with that food that gives you a little more respect not only for where it came from, but, you know, there’s some mental peace of mind as well in that process,” Phillips said. Bevier Café is not the only location that houses an aquaponics system in the greater C-U community. On March 24, Holy Cross School in Champaign revealed its own aquaponics system that was provided by Sky-High Aquaponics, a division of Tryon Technologies Inc. Holy Cross School’s aquaponics system is very similar to the University’s system. The school’s system includes a closed-loop process where tilapia and plants provide nutrients to each other, eventually resulting in the growth of food within the system. Greg Koerner, principal of Holy Cross School, expressed his desire to have a curriculum that would allow the school to stand out among other schools. When a member on Koerner’s marketing team suggested aquaponics, Koerner and the rest of the team soon connected with the CEO of Tryon Technologies Inc. After research was conducted, designing the curriculum was a key next step. Meghan Burgess, a fifth-grade teacher at Holy Cross School, constructed a large part of the curriculum. Burgess used the skills she learned from her master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction at the University to create a curriculum that would allow students to learn about aquaponics in all their classes. “One thing we’re working on right now is being able to develop a curriculum that doesn’t just teach this in science class,” Burgess said. “If a kid can see that something you learn in science also

By Azucena Gama Night Editor

SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

Carter Phillips, instructional chef at Bevier Caf�, plucks tomatoes out of the aquaponics system in the greenhouse on Friday. relates to what you’re learning in social studies and in writing and in art, that makes the experience that much more meaningful for them.” Burgess said there is a potential for students to explore aquaponics’ past and future in history classes, measure and collect data in math classes and draw the plants and the stages of their growth in art classes. The benefits of the school’s aquaponics system extend beyond the students’ education and the provision of food for the school’s lunch program. Koerner envisioned potential partnerships with clubs and organizations such as the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Harvest Market and the Champaign-Urbana Rotary Club so that community needs are met. Burgess said that students are the future and their understanding of the resources in the community influences them to think on a larger scale with resource issues. “If (students) are able to actually be part of the process of planting the seed, growing the food, giving it to somebody and seeing how it can actually be used in an actual dish for those who, you know, maybe are less fortunate or cannot get the meal that they need, I think that’s going to be huge for the students,” Bur-

gess said. Even with the challenges that accompany the development of the aquaponics system, Burgess highlighted how these opportunities for problem solving can be part of the students’ education as well. “It’s gonna be a lot of learning as we go, and I think that that’s really important for kids to see as well, that we are kind of all learning this together,” Burgess said. “They get to learn like, ‘Okay, what do we do to fix this?’” When considering the future of the aquaponics system in the school, Burgess wondered how much space is available for more towers to be introduced while Koerner discussed the possibility of expanding the systems to other schools. Koerner said he wonders what it would look like if the towers were suitable for the public. “I’ve also talked to Tryon about downsizing these towers to make it more sustainable for somebody at home to have one of these in their basement or backyard,” Koerner said. “We also want to help Tryon with the promotion of these towers to every household that wants one.” jlegar4@dailyillini.com ljpan2@dailyillini.com

As conversations about climate change continue to become more important, it is essential for higher institutions to do their part to protect the environment. In an effort to become more sustainable, the University has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050. One of the initiatives the University pursued to meet that goal was building a geothermal exchange system to heat and cool the Campus Instructional Facility. Geothermal energy is a strategy that brings steam from reservoirs of hot water deep in the Earth to the surface to generate electricity. But according to Dr. Scott Willenbrock, a professor in LAS, there are no steam systems in the Midwest, and the underground temperature in the area is low compared to areas with active hot springs. A large portion of the energy used in the Midwest is from unsustainable resources. Willenbrock said he saw an issue with that. “In Illinois, the dominant form of heating for homes and for buildings is burning natural gas and sometimes coal,” Willenbrock said. “The idea of geothermal is to use electricity for heating.” During the Midwest winter, the underground heat is warmer than in other seasons. Because of this, the geothermal system in the CIF pulls energy from the Earth during the winter. “The idea of geothermal energy is that in the winter, you can actually pull heat out of the ground,” Willenbrock said. “In the summer, you can dump heat into the ground — that’s what geothermal is all about in the Midwest.” Since electricity is used to heat the building instead of fossil fuels, geothermal energy is more environmentally friendly. On the ceilings of the CIF, there are infared heat panels that connect to a water supply. The water supply comes from narrow holes dug on the Bardeen Quad, called the “geothermal field.” The holes, called “boreholes,” act as wells that bring water from the Earth. There are 40 total holes, each 450 feet deep. Then, the infrared heat panels warm the water from the boreholes. Eric Vetter, the CIF’s facility manager, reports the condition of the building to the design team and contractors. He said the CIF’s geothermal system is still in a “confirmation” period.

SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

The Campus Instructional Facility, located at Wright Street and Springfield Avenue, utilizes geothermal energy for power.

“In Illinois, the dominant form of heating for homes and for buildings is burning natural gas and sometimes coal. The idea of geothermal is to use electricity for heating.” Dr. Scott Willenbrock, professor in LAS “We are still working with the contractors to confirm that everything is set up and liquid is flowing correctly through the radiant panels and the temperature is set correctly,” Vetter said. Willenbrock acknowledges that electrifying the heat still uses fossil fuels. However, the amount used in heating the CIF is less than what regular methods would require. “Even if you were to just leave things as they are, switching over to geother-

mal energy is still better from a carbon dioxide output point of view,” Willenbrock said. “The amount of fossil fuels you use to run a geothermal system is less than you would use if you use gas or coal for heating.” Yu-Feng Lin, project team member and director of the Illinois Water Resource Center, said while there are no current plans for another geothermal building on campus, the center is open to the idea.

“We have been doing a lot of research on campus related to it,” Lin said. “(The University) has a lot of brilliant scientists, faculty and good student workers, so we are talking to campus leadership.” Lin praised the Student Sustainability Committee for its involvement in the project. For example, the committee had civil engineering students attend the borehole drillings with instructors. They also assessed the foundation. Additionally, computer science students worked on a website that tracks energy savings for other buildings on the Bardeen Quad. Along with that, the committee allocated $375,000 for the CIF’s geothermal system. “Students desire and will try to make the people know their power,” Lin said. “That’s the most important part.” gama3@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

CIF goes green with geothermal energy system By Azucena Gama Night Editor

SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

The Campus Instructional Facility, located at Wright Street and Springfield Avenue, utilizes geothermal energy for power.

OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

EDITORIAL

We are screwed. By The Daily Illini Editorial Board The world is ending — at least, climate change experts seem to think it is. Scientists around the world are doing whatever they can to spread this message, going as far as chaining themselves to the fence of the White House or a JPMorgan Chase & Co. bank in Los Angeles. Last week, over 1,000 scientists protested worldwide following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2022 report, which emphasized that greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly cut in the next three years to avoid catastrophic, irreversible damage to the Earth. Yet, amid these amplifying pleas from climate experts, climate skeptics are everywhere. According to a Yale Climate Opinion Poll conducted nationwide in 2021, a whopping 34% of participants said they were not concerned about global warming. This lack of concern does not bode well for humanity. It slows initiatives that should be taken to reverse the effects of climate change before it’s too late: and time is ticking.

Sustainability efforts are often targeted at individual consumers. One is reminded of the “Save the Turtles” movement that went viral in 2019, spawned by a video of a sea turtle choking on a plastic straw — when in reality, mega-corporations are responsible for dumping metric tons of plastic into our oceans. In an effort to deflect responsibility, these corporations perpetuate the assumption that the individual consumer has any power over reducing greenhouse gas emissions through misleading environmental campaigns. For example, the concept of a “carbon footprint,” which was popularized by British Petroleum and has been circulating for decades, emphasized the impact of a consumer’s lifestyle choices, such as electricity, gas and water consumption, on the environment. BP was the culprit behind the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, which is considered to be the largest marine oil spill in history. This spill occurred four years after BP’s carbon footprint ad campaign told individuals to go on a “low-carbon diet.” Consumers are left to wonder how

many minutes need to be cut from their shower time to offset the 130 million gallons of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico that still affects marine wildlife today. Social media hasn’t helped ecofriendly efforts either. Sustainability movements that live on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have significantly contributed to the narrative that an individual can live sustainably to help the environment. Though these movements may have good intentions, they are often preached by privileged populations, are driven by guilt and tend to alienate many populations. After the “Save the Turtles” movement, the world collectively ganged up on plastic straws. Starbucks changed its lids to reduce plastic straw consumption in 2020, and many companies followed, some even partially banning plastic straws from their establishments. Those with disabilities that have difficulty consuming beverages find themselves left out of this conversation or guilt tripped for using plastic straws. Some may find reusable straws difficult to wash, and paper and other bio-

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degradable straws fall apart quickly. Plastic straws often end up being the most reliable option. What’s worse is that banning plastic straws has failed to make a significant difference in the grand scheme of things. According to National Geographic, plastic straws only make up 0.025% of the 8 million tons of plastic waste dumped into the ocean annually. Advertisers need to stop pushing sustainability as an individual issue. Climate change impacts everyone, making it a collective social issue. Environmental change begins with the government. To make a real difference, start local. Scope out environmental groups and legislation and hassle politicians. Climate education should be first and foremost. Listen to scientists —they’ve dedicated their whole lives to saving humanity. If you’re still going to be stubborn and not listen to facts, then go outside and breath in the fresh, slightly warmer air. You won’t be able to in a couple years. opinions@dailyillini.com

OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Watch for Wagner Group war crimes in Ukraine By Jude Race Senior Columnist

Trigger warning: This column discusses physical and sexual violence. Before Russian invaders failed to seize Kyiv from Ukraine, they committed several war crimes such as the indiscriminate killing of civilians, sexual assault and torture. It should be a priority for Ukraine and its allies to serve justice on those responsible. And who would commit these evils? The cruelest private military contractor: the Wagner Group. The Wagner Group first saw action during the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. They have offered their services to Ukrainian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as factions in war-torn nations such as Syria, Libya, Mozambique, Sudan, the Central African Republic and Mali. Where Wagner goes, evil follows. In Syria, they crushed, mutilated, beheaded and scorched the remains of a Syrian army deserter; in Libya, they placed landmines in civilian areas; and in CAR, they murdered three journalists, killed at least fifty noncombatants

and raped and robbed countless others. This list only scratches the surface of their documented horrors. Regardless of any unknown acts, the group is a threat to the safety and stability of Ukraine. They have had nearly a decade to perfect their terrorism, making them some of the most experienced and savage fighters in Ukraine. Eliminating Wagner’s offensive capabilities must be a priority. Journalists have linked Wagner’s founder and leader, Dmitry “Wagner” Utkin, to an oligarch in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. Utkin evidently holds fascist sympathies given his Waffen SS tattoos and the Nazi-associated nordic runes emblazoned on his mercenaries’ equipment and uniforms. Putin, who accused Ukraine of starting a Russian genocide as a casus belli for war, honored the neo-Nazi Utkin in 2016. Hypocrisy aside, bad actors like Utkin perpetuate suffering when left to their devices — removing him from the conflict by any means should not be ruled out. It would ultimately have a positive impact both in Ukraine and beyond. Currently, Putin uses the Wagner Group for clandestine black operations overseas. This provides Russia with plau-

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The mother of Ukrainian soldier Lubomyr Hudzeliak, who was killed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, mourns over his coffin during his funeral on April 6. sible deniability. Having acquired Wagner’s services for their invasion, it is only a matter of time before we learn of Wagner’s role in Ukraine’s suffering. As of yet, Utkin’s men have not been tied to the recent war crimes in Ukraine; nevertheless, with Wagner’s 1,000 mercenaries in Ukraine, it would not be a surprise if they are behind the atrocities. But even if Wagner is not responsible,

Ukraine should not wait to move against them — it’s only a matter of time before they sweep Ukraine. Unfortunately for the Ukrainian victims, justice will remain on hold. For now, we must hope for a speedy end to the war. Jude is a senior in LAS. jdrace2@dailyillini.com

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BUZZ

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

ANGELICA ORDONEZ THE DAILY ILLINI

Local business fights fast fashion, fosters sustainability By Gina Jagminas Staff Writer

Dixie Jackson strolled through Twice is Nice Thrift Shop on a busy Saturday afternoon in Urbana, reorganizing shelves and taking note of inventory. Located on Elm Street and just off the Green and Orchard bus stop, the shop has been in operation since 2008. Jackson, volunteer coordinator at Twice is Nice, said the shop was founded by a committee within First Presbyterian, the church right next door. “We needed a new use for the house,” Jackson said. After running through a few different options for the house, like student housing and office spaces, the committee settled on a thrift shop. “One of the committee members had been a manager for (JCPenney) in the Southeast and knew how to do retail,” she said. The committee saw the thrift store as a way to generate revenue for the church, promote sustainability and provide an affordable source of goods for the community. Jackson said she shops in the store, alongside many of the other volunteers. She pointed out a dress in the room that she was going to bring to her daughter when she visited.

She explained her issues with the fast fashion industry, saying, “The fashion world persuades us that we need to change clothes all the time and buy new things instead of reusing.” Jackson’s personal shopping experiences shaped the way she thought about the effect of fast fashion on the environment and the clothing industry. “For the first time ever, I shopped in Kohl’s,” Jackson said. “They have what I saw as grocery-store sized carts; there would be people with those carts filled with inexpensive T-shirts.” She realized that this inexpensive clothing was not only cheap but also cheaply made. “You can go to Nordstrom and find things that are poorly made with a very high price,” Jackson said. Jackson mentioned how young people — including college students — are often the target demographic for the inexpensive, low-quality clothing that eventually ends up in landfills. “When you’re young, you like to keep up with trends,” she said. Fast fashion options are often cheaper than clothes that last longer, so college students on a budget opt to buy cheaper, lower-quality clothing to save money. Jackson talked about the larger conversations that Twice is Nice is involved in about the clothing indus-

try and sustainability. “We do seminars,” Jackson said. “We did one on clothing and the whole clothing industry, looking at the environmental impacts of that.” Jackson described the network of thrift stores in the community that work with each other. For example, Twice is Nice gives some of the clothing it can’t use to Salt & Light; if it’s not wearable, then there are other uses for it. “They can be used as rags at places where you work on cars, for example,” Jackson said, “Or, they can be chopped up and put in mattresses.” She said it’s important to not let anything go to waste. Sustainability is about more than fast fashion, though, Jackson explained. She and the other volunteers at Twice is Nice understand their place in the community. She said she and other volunteers “try to keep it affordable.” Jackson identified some of the clients that she sees enter the shop. “We have people who live on very low incomes and shop here,” she said. “For example, during the working season, we have men working in Rantoul who come in and buy work clothes.” Besides people on tight budgets, Jackson said the store also has “people who just like bargains.”

She also explained that half of the profits from the shop’s sales are donated to local charities, which is part of the store’s relationship with the church. “We sent money to the Lierman Neighborhood Community Garden and to the Randolph Street Community Garden,” she said. The store also donates to transitional housing for people coming out of prison. Twice is Nice has become a staple of the community. For University students on a budget, thrift stores can be a much-needed source of affordable clothing and home items, Jackson explained. “In the fall, we get a lot of students moving into apartments,” she said. “The international students, when they come, don’t bring kitchen items with them, so they can come and get everything they need.” Jackson explained that there’s a reciprocal aspect, too. She said that it’s funny when the store gets the items they sold to international students back when they go home. Jackson is excited about the future of the store. “It’s worked out well for us so far,” she said. ginamj2@readbuzz.com

SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Illini prepare for Orange and Blue Spring Game Bielema welcomes new coach, players in his second season By Jonathan Alday Assistant Sports Editor

After an up-and-down first season for Bret Bielema and the Illini, the expectations are for the waves of execution to simmer down as Bielema’s culture solidifies. Throughout the five weeks of spring practices, the coaches have implemented a new offense, expanded the defense and are beginning to see massive improvements. “They’re doing so many things positively,” Bielema said. “These guys work, they’re tough, they’re smart, they’re dependable.” Offensively, Illinois struggled under Tony Petersen, shown by an abysmal stretch of games in September, outlined by losses against UTSA, Virginia, Maryland and Purdue. Petersen was fired at the conclusion of the 2021 season and replaced by UTSA offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who looks to revamp the offense into a more pro-tempo offense. “We’re not game ready yet but, no position is yet, we’re going to get there,” Lunney Jr. said. “They come to work every day, trying to make corrections. The culture is healthy. The chemistry makes it easy to come to work every day.” While fall training camp is still months away, there are clear decisions that await Bielema and his staff. Most notably, the fight for the starting quarterback role is set between junior Artur Sitkowski and senior Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito. With Sitkowski still recovering from an injury, it is likely that DeVito will play the spring game with the first-team while one of the three remaining quarterbacks on the roster — freshman Jake Huber, redshirt freshman Samari Collier and senior Ryan Johnson — will take the quarterback role for the second-team. Regardless of who will be starting for each squad, Bielema and Lunney Jr. will be looking for a pocket passer to fit their new offensive scheme. In addition to that, the recently signed class added a host of early enrollees at multiple positions, notably in the running back position. Freshmen Aidan Laughery and Jordan Anderson provide further depth to a running back room which already includes junior 1,000-yard rusher Chase Brown and freshman Josh McCray, who led a strong running attack.

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema speaks with the team from the sidelines during the Homecoming game against Wisconsin on Oct. 9. Bielema begins his second year on the team as the Illini prepare for the Orange and Blue Spring Game on Thursday. Lunney Jr. and the offensive coaching staff showed nothing against allowing them to contribute their skills to the offense. “We don’t care what year they are, we want to find the best players to help us,” Lunney Jr. said. “When you got that type of speed, you can make things happen,” said running backs coach Cory Patterson. Defensively, Illinois is trying to build off its success from last year. However, the holes left by NFL hopefuls Kerby Joseph, Owen Carney Jr. and others bring up personnel questions for the Illini. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters believes that they have the right guys in the building to keep trending in the right direction. “Just looking at where we were around this time last year, the communication

has ramped up, the guys understand football a lot more,” Walters said. “I think we’re definitely improving.” The defensive linemen positions have shown to be extremely deep, furthered by the transfer of redshirt freshman TeRah Edwards from Northwestern. While at the safety position, the defensive staff have continued to rotate players around to find the best fit. “We owe it to the Illini faithful to have the best 11 out there,” Walters said. The first showing of the 2022 Illinois football season starts with the Orange and Blue Spring Game which will take place on Thursday night, at 6:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. Admission is free of charge. @JonathanAlday7 jalday2@dailyillini.com

Read our on-air editor Josh Pietsch’s expectations for the Orange and Blue Spring Game.

The DI · Wednesday, April 20, 2022

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