SIU Sustainability plans open house, leadership and service week and more

October 11, 2024

SIU Sustainability plans open house, leadership and service week and more

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Sustainability Office is sponsoring an open house beginning Monday, Oct. 14, and everyone is invited to tour the new area and contribute their program ideas and initiatives to make the campus even greener and make it more sustainable.

The office recently moved to a modernized space designed to better support its mission. It is now located at the south end of the second floor of the Student Center, near the International Lounge, according to Aimee Lemrise, sustainability director.

Visitors are welcome to stop by the office at any time, including weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., to learn more about the sustainability of the campus and to make their contribution.

The office also plans a week-long celebration of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and will celebrate Leadership and Service Week November 18-23 in collaboration with the Office of Student Engagement.

“We host a series of special events to raise awareness of hunger, homelessness and other critical social issues and to empower students to take on leadership roles to make a difference in the community,” Lemrise said.

Make a difference

The week features guest speakers, workshops, volunteer opportunities and other activities that provide valuable information on the topics while promoting the spirit of service, community building and leadership, organizers say.

One of the highlights of the week is the official kick-off event with keynote speeches and reception on November 18th from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Center. Guest speakers include a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a homeless youth worker from Northern Illinois who will speak about the issues faced by this vulnerable population and discuss ways to help them. The announcement of the special guests will take place shortly. Following the presentation there will be a reception and refreshments in the Corker Lounge. The public is warmly welcome.

Another significant event revolves around feeding the community. Students will meet on November 19th from 4 to 5 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Student Center to help put together care bags with items donated since October 1st. The bags will be distributed during the Feeding Our Community event, held in November from noon to 2 p.m. 20 at the Town Square Pavilion in Carbondale. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy free lunch, games and music.

Other important events include:

• Sustainability Issue and Food Drive – November 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Art Gallery on the first floor of the Student Center. Information will be distributed about National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and ways to address the issues. Additionally, people can participate in a food drive to combat hunger and food insecurity through the Saluki Food Pantry. Care bags and non-perishable food items can be dropped off throughout the week at the Student Center, Office of Student Engagement, Morris Library and Sustainability Hub.
• Presentation of our Salukis – November 18th and 19th, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Student Center Studio. Students can receive free headshots to help prepare them for a successful career search and more.
• Maintaining Our Service – November 19, 5-7 p.m., Student Center Ballrooms A and B. Kia Smith, a SIU alumna, will moderate this evening and will provide a discussion about maintaining service to the community as well as a time of affirmation where participants are encouraged to write a love letter to themselves.

More events will be added to the schedule. More information and the full schedule can be found online.

There are numerous measures for sustainability

Several other projects and initiatives are putting the topic of sustainability in the spotlight.

“SIU has long been a leader in sustainability and environmental initiatives, and there are many more great things happening,” Lemrise said.

For example, a living wall was recently installed in the Agriculture Building, funded by a student Green Fund Grant. Led by Karen Midden, professor emeritus of agriculture and landscape architect, and Jennifer Matthews, lecturer in interior design, the project was installed by Growing Green Company of St. Louis and supported by the College of Agriculture, Life and Physical Sciences. It can be seen whenever the building is open.

The Sustainability Hub will soon launch a small thrift store initiative aimed at encouraging resource sharing and reducing waste on campus by turning one person’s unused items into another’s treasures. The motto is: “Take what you want, leave what you don’t!” Through this thrift store, students, faculty and staff can purchase a variety of useful items such as stationery, electronics, cookware, pantry essentials and other household items (clothing is not available).

The Thrift Store in the Sustainability Office will promote sustainability by allowing people across campus to donate useful items in good condition that they no longer need, which can then be purchased by other members of the campus community for their use.

“This will be a great free resource for the campus community when it opens,” Lemrise said. “Stay tuned for the opening date. By participating in this initiative, everyone on campus can help reduce unnecessary waste and support a culture of sharing and sustainability at SIU. Together we can promote a more sustainable environment by giving things a second life and ensuring valuable resources are not wasted.”

Additionally, Andrew White, a senior double major in geography, environmental resources and studio art from Rockford, Illinois, recently conducted a study in his role as a sustainability intern to analyze and improve sustainability on campus. He conducted an audit at Faner Hall that assessed the use of trash and recycling containers with the goal of evaluating and improving waste management practices in the building.

White pointed out that reorganizing things frees up valuable space and encourages better use of recycling bins, and he praised the School of Earth Systems and Sustainability as “outstanding” because the school balances trash to recycling bins of 1:1.

According to Lemrise, White’s findings “provide valuable insights that will guide future efforts to optimize waste management and recycling practices in Faner Hall and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable campus environment.”

The Sustainability Hub also offers internship opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students for the spring semester of 2025. The office currently employs two interns with experience in geographic information systems (GIS) who will create a comprehensive map of bottled water filling stations and bicycle repair stations across campus.

Find out more about the numerous sustainability initiatives and activities on the website. For more information, email [email protected] or call 618-453-2846.