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It's Not Easy Being Green | Alumni Interview | Memory Lane

FEATURE STORY — November/December 2006

Undaunted, the University of Illinois grows its sustainable energy efforts

By Jim Dey

When Joe Teng isn't thinking about the logistics of collecting 250 gallons of used vegetable oil each week from University of Illinois food services, he's wondering about how to more effectively organize the collection of used batteries and computer ink cartridges heaped on him by his fellow students.

"On a campus this large, there is so much that needs to be done," said Teng, a senior from Houston who's majoring in natural resources and environmental science.

If the challenge seems overwhelming at times, Teng can take solace in the knowledge that he's not alone in his efforts to bring a heightened awareness of environmental and energy issues to the UI campus. Actually, he's just one of many people on campus pursuing more energy-efficient, cost-effective, environmentally sound ways of doing business.

So while Teng, a member and former president of Students for Environ-mental Concerns, is involved in student-led programs to convert used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel and recycle used batteries and computer ink cartridges, others on campus - both faculty and students - are pursuing projects on their own. Collectively, these efforts could someday have a huge impact on the lives of all Americans.

Present vs. future needs

In his inaugural address of Sept. 22, 2005, UI President B. Joseph White posed the question of whether the University should work to make Illinois "a global spire of excellence in sustainable energy production and consumption." He observed that the state possesses "tomorrow's alternative energies in abundance - nuclear, coal, wind, bio-mass - plus the expertise to build enormous industries in a century of energy transformation."

Whether at White's visionary level or in the endeavors of campus citizens like Teng, it all comes under the umbrella of what's called "sustainability," a comprehensive view of managing resources that calls for meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising those of future generations.

"We need to find a way to do that which doesn't destroy the ecological foundation on which all life depends. I think that's the greatest challenge of the 21st century," said William Sullivan '80 ACES, MS '82 ACES, director of the UI's Environmental Council and co-chairman of the Committee for a Sustainable Campus Environment. "I think sustainability is the key to figuring that out."

Matt Malten '96 ACES was hired a year ago as the campus's first sustainability coordinator, and he defines the challenge as establishing "equity be-tween the environment, the economy and people." He hopes to see the sustainability concept "embedded" not only in the curriculum but in daily operations of the campus.

"There's a lot of cool stuff going on," said David Schejbal, associate vice chancellor and co-chairman of the campus sustainability committee.

One example is the creative landscaping involved in the formation of a rain garden that is under construction near Allen Hall on campus. Designed to keep excessive amounts of water out of storm sewers, the landscaping is arranged in a way to encourage water to percolate down into the ground. There also are plans to plant low-maintenance native grasses and wildflowers in order to cut down on needed maintenance.

"They don't need to be mowed. They don't need a lot of water. They pretty much crowd out weeds," said Schejbal of the plantings.

UI agriculture engineering professor Yuanhui Zhang is conducting research to develop an alternative energy source from pig manure, a process that - if successful - would not only contribute toward cleaning up the environment but provide an additional source of fuel. Plant sciences professor Stephen Long is conducting research on the possibility of growing Miscanthus grass, known popularly as elephant grass, as a source of clean energy to produce electricity. The crop can be harvested annually and burned for fuel.

There's a bewildering array of possibilities, all devoted to doing more with less and in the cleanest way possible, and they're converting the University itself into a gigantic laboratory where experiments are conducted to see what works and what doesn't.

"We're going to use our campus as an engine for these new ideas, and, in doing so, have an impact on the economy," said Sullivan.