Resources
Events
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Calendar
July 19
9am-12pm
Storm Drain Stenciling
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Matt Garmon at (708) 828-1448 or via email.
July 22, 5:30pm
Rain Barrel Workshop
WORKSHOP FULL
July 26, 10am
Rain Barrel Workshop
WORKSHOP FULL
July 26, 1pm
Rain Barrel Workshop
WORKSHOP FULL
August 4, 7pm
Rain Garden Workshop
by Stacy James, Water Resources Scientist with the
Prairie Rivers Network.
Normal Public Library Community Room
Living Choices
Transportation
- Choose a place to live that decreases the need to drive.
- Think twice before purchasing another car (so you’re not tempted to
drive more).
- Choose a fuel-efficient, low-polluting car (suitable for typical, not
extraordinary needs. Consider a low- or zero-emission vehicle).
- Set concrete goals for reducing your travel (use your odometer to check
your progress).
- Whenever you can, try to walk, bike or use public transportation.
Food
- Eat less meat (even shifting to dairy products helps).
- Buy certified organic produce, which is generally grown in a more
sustainable fashion, with less mechanization and better crop rotation, and
doesn't create water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides.
- Pack school lunches with less packaging and waste. For ideas click here.
Household
- Recycle, recycle, recycle. For every ton of recycled material, 1.24 tons of carbon monoxide
are prevented from being emitted.
- Reward green, climate-saver enterprises by purchasing from them when possible.
- Choose your home carefully. Don't move into a home that's too big and will
require more to build and heat. Avoid new developments.
- Look for insulation, efficient windows, heat-recovery ventilation and other improvements if you
do buy a new home.
- Reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water. Install efficient
hot water heating.
- Choose natural gas or an electric heat pump.
- Turn down the thermostat, insulate, seal the windows and upgrade windows and doors for
energy-efficiency.
- Consider a solar collector and extra large storage tank for water, if you have an electric water heater.
- Request a free home energy audit.
- Install efficient lighting and appliances. Buy the most energy-efficient
refrigerator, only as large as you need. Look for energy labels.
- Wash clothes in cold water when possible.
- Try compact fluorescent bulbs which last ten times as long and use one-fourth the electricity.
- Choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy (to reduce the
amount generated through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal).
- For more energy saving ideas please visit the
Energy section of our website.
Additional resources can be found at:
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