The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

Green Riders cruise through Champaign-Urbana

With its commitment to sustainability, the University of Illinois has quickly tried to become an elite school when it comes to environmental-friendly policies. And with the current renovations being done to Lincoln Hall, it was an easy decision for sustainability enthusiasts, the Green Riders, to stop by on their tour.

The Green Riders are a brother-sister team traveling across the country on electric bicycles en route to Washington D.C. promoting eco-friendly practices. The pair hopes to meet with President Obama at the conclusion of the trip.

“My brother has been working with (electric bikes) for a couple years,” Green Rider Oliver Bock said. “I just said, ‘Let’s ride one of these things across the country. That would be fun.’ A couple weeks later, I asked my sister if she wanted to join us and she said, ‘Sure.’”

Bock’s sister, Catherine, said the bikes usually go about 20 mph, but can reach speeds up to about 30 with a helpful tailwind. She said the battery packs typically last 80 miles, but under stressful conditions like hills, the life is shorter.

The duo had a busy day Thursday, which began with a trip to the Business Instructional Facility. They received a tour of the building that has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating of Platinum — the highest rating a green building can receive.

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After that, they toured the Gable Home, a house on campus that relies solely on solar power and received second place in the 2009 Solar Decathlon.

After a trip to a grass test field, the Green Riders set up their bikes outside of the YMCA, where local bicycle enthusiasts viewed and tried out the electric-powered machines.

Lincoln Hall’s lead architect, Ron Harrison, also stopped by and met with the Green Riders and spoke with the members of the community.

“I really admire their efforts,” Harrison said. “I think they started out wanting to take a trip, but they turned it into something more. They have used their trip to raise awareness about environmental and sustainability issues.”

Oliver and Harrison believe restoring older buildings by adding in new features like low-flow water and better ventilation systems is much more efficient than constructing entirely new buildings. They believe the Lincoln Hall project is a step in the right direction.

“Building a sustainable future is just the right thing to do,” Harrison said. “It can’t possibly hurt us to use less energy, whether you believe in global warming or not.”

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