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Hello EAC Action News Readers!
Welcome to another edition of the EAC Action News, your local source for news and information on the environment. Check out our website, www.ecologyactioncenter.org, to contact us with any questions or comments you may have.
Help Protect Our Local Water Supplies
As the season
morphs into autumn, certain periodic practices can contribute to stormwater
runoff pollution, eventually contaminating area bodies of water, which may be
important for drinking water, recreation, or wildlife habitat. The Ecology Action Center urges area
residents to help protect our area water supplies by adopting some easy
practices.
Right about now, many homeowners are winterizing backyard swimming pools. Draining chlorinated pool water to the street
or one’s yard will often result in the pool water flowing into the storm sewer
system and ultimately contaminating creeks and streams, where the chlorine may
kill fish, plants, and insects. In order
to protect our local bodies of water, all swimming pool water should be completely
dechlorinated before draining. After
dechlorination, water may be drained to one’s yard, but per City of Bloomington
ordinance, the discharge point must be at least fifteen feet from the property
line.
For residents
of Bloomington and Normal, curbside pickup of leaves will soon be underway. Per
both municipalities, neither leaves nor brush should be raked into or piled in
the street. In addition to being a possible safety hazard, leaves and brush can
act as a stormwater pollutant. Washed into the storm sewer system and
eventually into creeks, streams, and lakes, the additional nutrients from the
massive amounts of leaves breaking down can remove oxygen from the water,
suffocating plants and wildlife and creating algae blooms. Residents can help keep our local waters
clean by either composting leaves and brush or piling them neatly near the curb
(but out of the street) for collection.
For more information, contact the Ecology Action Center at
(309) 454-3169 or via this link.
Proposed Eastside Highway Enters Environmental Assessment Phase
A meeting was held August 25, 2010, at Normal Community High
School to inform the public of the next phase of the proposed Eastside Highway
project. The project is entering the
federally-funded Environmental Assessment phase, which is expected to take up to
four years to complete. The initial step
involves forming a Community Working Group, which will be made up of citizen
volunteers. If you would like more
information about becoming a volunteer or the project in general, please visit
the website at www.eastsidehighway.com.
Plastic Garden Pot Recycling Needs YOU
 The local garden pot recycling program, known as the Illinois Plastic Pot Recycling Initiative (IPPRI) has survived recent hard times due to the perseverance of its dedicated all-volunteer team as well as the generosity of Youth Build McLean County, who has given the program a home.
Now the hard work begins anew - a serious backlog of plastic pots has accumulated. Your help is needed in the effort to get them sorted and ready for recycling. If you or your community group or organization are interested in helping out, please contact Michael Brown at the EAC at (309) 454-3169 or at this link.
WGLT & ISU Sustainability : Good To Go
 WGLT and ISU Sustainability are looking out for your health and our environment through Good To Go, a commuter challenge designed to get all of us out of our cars more and onto our bikes, rollerblades, buses, and more. You can save money and help create a healthier community by participating. The first event is September 13-17, but the idea is solid year-round! Grab a few coworkers or friends to form a team or enroll yourself and track your progress and benefits to you and the environment through the event website. Find out more information at http://www.wglt.org/goodtogo/commuter-challenge/.
Upcoming EAC Events
Labor Day Monday, Sept 6
EAC CLOSED
Green Drinks Tuesday, Sept 7, 5:30 PM Medici, Normal
Rain Barrel Workshop Tuesday, Sept 14, 5:30 PM
Family Eco Adventure: Garbage 101 Monday, Sept 20, 6PM
Freecycle Free-4-All Saturday, Sept 11, 9AM Anderson Park, Normal
Composting Workshop Monday, Sept 27, 5:30 PM
America Recycles Day Saturday, Nov 13 10 AM Children's Discovery Museum
For more information contact the Ecology Action Center at
(309) 454-3169 or via this link.
As always, we look forward to seeing you at the Ecology Action Center! Please stop by anytime Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call us at (309) 454-3169 for information on our latest programs and events or to get answers to questions on recycling, household hazardous waste, clean water, and more! The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit walk-in information and environmental education center with a mission to inspire and assist residents of McLean County in creating, strengthening and preserving a healthy environment.
www.ecologyactioncenter.org
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