A message from Mayor Tony Arredia
As an environmental proponent, I am pleased to be able to report
on efforts being made by the City of Des Plaines to help reduce our
impact on the environment. This is the beginning of an ongoing
process of looking at our activities and engaging with our citizens
on ways that we can cost-effectively "go green."
On many levels, this is nothing new for the City of Des Plaines.
In the past few years, the City has undertaken a number of projects
designed to enhance the environment while providing residents with
new programs, services and opportunities. For instance, Des Plaines
is already part of the "Clean Air Counts" program, a partnership of
the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and United States EPA which
encourages businesses, other organizations and private citizens to
voluntarily reduce smog-causing pollutants from unregulated sources.
Now, we are stepping up our efforts in collaboration with
neighboring communities to play our part in addressing this
important issue. But it will take the concerted effort of all our
citizens to make a difference. I look forward to working with my
fellow elected officials, our business and community leaders and the
50,000+ residents of Des Plaines to make this a more eco-friendly
place to live, work and play!
Des Plaines Signs Greenest Region Compact
On November 5, Mayor Tony Arredia signed the Greenest Region
Compact, an effort initiated in 2006 by the Metropolitan Mayor’s
Caucus to engage with community leaders to improve the environment
in the Chicago region.
By signing the compact, Des Plaines is uniting with many
neighboring Chicago communities to lead the way in environmental
stewardship for the region. Participants agree to initiate
environmental programs that provide economic and quality of life
benefits such as reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air
quality improvements, and improved transportation choices.
"By signing the Greenest Region Compact, we intend to demonstrate
that environmental concerns are a priority in our community, and
that they are also fiscally responsible," said Mayor Arredia. "We
call on our residents and businesses to join us as environmental
stewards to preserve our resources, climate, and economic viability
of our region for future generations."
The compact outlines a number of cost-effective environmental
sustainability measures that enhance health and safety, reduce the
consumption of energy and fossil fuels, conserve water, and reduce
hazardous and solid waste, and air pollution emissions. In
connection with this program, the City of Des Plaines will be
receiving several thousand energy-efficient CFL light bulbs, which
will be made available to residents through a bulb-exchange program
planned for sometime after the first of the year.
To view the city’s resolution and strategies
recommended by the Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus, visit
www.cityofdesplaines.org.
Enlightening Audit
In September, DEEP GREEN set up a meeting between representatives
from Philips Lighting, an international leader in energy efficient
lighting, which offered to conduct a free lighting audit of City
Hall and the Des Plaines Public Library. Through the free audit, the
City will learn how it can save energy and taxpayer dollars by
updating existing lighting fixtures and introducing more energy
efficient light bulbs. The audit will outline the total savings to
the City of implementing any changes. Stay tuned for more news on
this effort!
DEEP GREEN Committee Update
DEEP GREEN is an ad hoc committee formed by Mayor Tony Arredia
and chaired by 6th Ward Alderman Mark Walsten that is working
collaboratively with city government, local businesses and
educational institutions to promote the community’s environmental
efficiency. The committee meets every few weeks to provide
information on environmental issues to City Government and help plan
educational activities for the community.
"People in our area, like everywhere else, are asking what they
can realistically do to address climate change and other
environmental problems. We started DEEP GREEN to provide an
opportunity for citizens to work with their city leaders to help
move our community’s environmental program forward," said 6th Ward
Alderman Mark Walsten, chairman of DEEP GREEN. "We hope to involve
as many local residents and businesses as possible in these efforts
and welcome their support for these programs."
DEEP GREEN Committee Members
- Mark Walsten, 6th Ward Alderman, Chairman
- Rebecca Brink
- Ed Hanna
- Celeste Karan
- Kyle Palmer
- Deborah Popely
- Mary Rohde
- Kristi Ryken
- Leslie Vaughn
If you’d like to join DEEP GREEN or find out more about our
activities, contact Mary Rodhe 847-803-6912.
DEEP GREEN EVENTS
The DEEP GREEN committee is planning a series of educational
events aimed at helping local residents and businesses learn how
they can save money while they save the planet. Here’s a list of
past and future events:
Building, Designing and Remodeling Your Home Green
October 24, Des Plaines Public Library
Energy-Saving Tips
January, 2008, Des Plaines Public Library
Green Business Expo
March, 2008, Oakton Community College
For more information, contact Green2B/Green2C Marketing at
847-827-8456 or by email.
Do you have any suggestions for topics or programs that DEEP
GREEN could address? Let us know by contacting Mary Rodhe at
847-803-6912 or by email.
GOING GREEN AT HOME AND WORK
SAVING MONEY AND ENERGY AT HOME
Did you know that residential power use is one of the biggest
sources of greenhouse gas emissions? The average Illinois household
spends nearly $1400 each year on its utility bill. Unfortunately a
large portion of the energy purchased as electricity, natural gas,
and propane is wasted due to inefficient windows, inadequate
insulation, unsealed air ducts, or leaky building shells.
Electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more
carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. The good news is
that there is a lot you can do to save energy and money at home and
in your car. You can make a difference even by making a few small
changes like those listed below.
Tips to Save Energy Today
Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy.
- Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and
comfortably high in the summer. Install a programmable thermostat
that is compatible with your heating and cooling system.
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying
cycle.
- Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power
strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use
(TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
- Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.
- Take short showers instead of baths.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
- Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid
acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances and
products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines
set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Energy.
FROM: Energy Savers, Tips for Saving Energy and Money at Home,
published by the US Department of Energy. The booklet contact tips
that can help you cut your energy use up to 25% and can be
downloaded or printed out free at this website.
DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME ENERGY AUDIT
If you want to go further – and save more energy and money on
your utility bills this winter – consider performing a complete home
energy audit. You can locate a qualified auditor through the
Illinois
Energy Raters Association; or you can do it yourself using
THE HOME ENERGY SAVER,
a free tool available, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) as part of the national ENERGY STAR Program.
HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?
There’s no single way to define a "green business,"
but there are some general concepts that environmentally responsible
businesses should understand. You can take a simple 20-question
online quiz offered by the Illinois Green Government Coordinating
Council that can give you an idea where your business stands.
Easy Ways to Go Green at Work
- If you have to print a document or email, just print the text
you need.
- Put on more clothes rather than turning up the heat.
- Turn off your monitor when you go for lunch, a meeting or
coffee break.
- Turn off your PC if you're not going to be using it for a few
hours.
- Use timer switches to turn off vending machines when the
office is closed.
- Make the most of natural lighting - open the blinds
- Use hand-dryers rather than paper towels.
- Use a laptop and projector to run meetings electronically.
- Mark junk mail 'Return to sender' or ask to be removed from
the mailing list.
- Use (or install) video-conferencing to save travel for
meetings.
- Reuse and recycle paper and other office items
To find out more about how to green your business and locate
partners and suppliers who can help you do it, plan to attend The
Green Business Conference and Expo planned for March, 2008 at Oakton
Community College. For more information, contact Green2B/Green2C
Marketing at 847-827-8456 or
send an email.
Developed by
Green2B/Green2C Marketing,
The Green Marketing and Communications Specialists 1523 Oakwood
Des Plaines 60016
847-827-8456
