Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Illinois State University's Office of Sustainability is located at 305 N. School St. and is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Illinois State University's Office of Sustainability is located at 305 N. School St. and is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Sustainability Task Force at Illinois State University has crafted a campus-wide plan — the Sustainability Strategic Plan — to further promote sustainability.

The plan provides a roadmap to several different sustainability goals across campus. Over 30 students, faculty and staff members from all areas of the University, including housing, academics, facilities, athletics and more, spent 18 months working on the project.

Director of the Office of Sustainability, Elisabeth Reed, said the team first came together and looked at how sustainability was already incorporated into various spots on campus.

“We talked about the strengths that ISU had in regard to sustainability and the things that we’re already doing and things that we could grow and expand and open up the opportunity for collaboration,” Reed said.

Additionally, the team looked at a survey done on campus in October 2019 to further set goals and determine the sustainability priorities of faculty and students at that time.

ISU has been composting at the dining centers, but the Sustainability Strategic Plan hopes to expand composting to other areas of the University as well.

“[We looked into] other areas that we can compost or divert food waste on campus, so that is something that we’re looking to grow,” Reed said. “We’ve already done that a little bit by adding compost kiosks to campus. Maybe expanding that by adding composts to different events as well.”

ISU has already worked on reducing single-use plastics by offering paper straws and various compostable products in dining halls and in restaurants located in the Bone Student Center.

Reed said the plan had its challenges but she was inspired by the group’s efforts to spread sustainability.

“[The plan] was just a big undertaking,” Reed said. “I think it was a challenge just because there’s sustainability everywhere, so there’s a lot of information and a lot to explore. It was really inspiring to work with so many people from across campus. They brought their own perspective and passion to what we were doing too, so that was very exciting.”

MEGAN SPOERLEIN is a News and Features Reporter for The Vidette. Spoerlein can be contacted at mkspoe1@ilstu.edu. Follow Spoerlein on Twitter at @meganspoerlein.   

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The Office of Sustainability has been working to make Illinois State University a zero-waste…

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