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August/September
2009 |
Green Bulletin
Upcoming Environmental Events |
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This newsletter was created by SCARCE and funded by the DuPage County Board.
Robert Schillerstrom, Chairman
DuPage County Environmental Committee Members:
Jeff Redick, Chairman -- Linda Kurzawa -- Michael McMahon
Debra Olson -- Rita Gonzalez -- Anthony Michelassi _________________________________________________________________________ |
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Summer Latex Paint Recycling Program Ends Aug 14
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Dupage County Public Works
Woodridge
ends
Aug 14
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Last Chance To Drop Off or Pick Up Latex Paint
Do you need free latex paint? Usable latex paint is dropped off by residents and then is filtered & re-blended into five gallon buckets of recycled paint. High quality paint is available in a variety of colors, types and finishes. Clean out the garage and drop off your usable latex paint this week. This is your last chance, because the program ends for the summer on August 14th..
You can drop off or pick up paint at DuPage County Public Works Water Treatment Facility located at 7900 S. Route 53 in Woodridge. Hours are from 8 am to 2 pm, excluding holidays and they will be open on Saturday, Aug. 8th. For more info, go to Village of Downers Grove.
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LEED Green Building Operations & Maintenance Workshop
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Dupage County Bldg - 1st floor auditorium
Wheaton
Aug 25
8:30 am to
5:00 pm
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Green Building Operations & Maintenance Workshop
Are you a building owner, operator or maintenance professional? Then this is the workshop for you. Learn how to implement LEED standards for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance.
The workshop will walk through the phases of a typical project, using case examples and implementation strategies throughout to reinforce learning and encourage students to apply knowledge to real-life situations. Participants of this workshop will have with familiarity of the LEED for Existing Buildings. For more information, go to U.S. Green Building Council Chicago.
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Carbon Day - a New Illinois Holiday on September 15
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Sept 15
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 Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Carbon Day believes that everyone should
"PLAY A PART" and work towards the goal of reducing each person's
carbon footprint.
There are many things each of us, as individuals and organizations, can do to reduce our carbon emissions.
September 15th has been designated as the official
Carbon Day Holiday. If you would like the opportunity to
create an event, large or small, in your own community to educate about energy efficiency and how to reduce our individual and
collective Carbon Footprints, log onto CarbonDay.com and get details on how to register, set up an event and obtain assistance and materials.
Many other helpful tools & links are available on site as well. Let us know at SCARCE if you participate in any Carbon Day events.
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Clean Up the World Weekend
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All Around the World
September 18 - 20
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 Communities Uniting
to Combat Climate Change
Become a part of this international event whose main cause is to better the world around us by cleaning up or organizing/participating in an environmental activity on a local level. Community clean ups and events, though local, can be felt nationally and even internationally whether we see the effects of our efforts or not.
So, join in and be a part of the solution. Log onto the Clean Up the World website for ideas and to register your group.
To join the 2009 campaign and put your group and its activities on the Global Environmental Map, visit the Clean Up the World Activities Website.
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World Water Monitoring Day - September 18
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All Around the World
Sept 18 (or before Dec 31)
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Order Your Water Monitoring Kits Now!
This international event is designed to teach people how to monitor the water sources in their areas and to raise the awareness of the public in protecting that water.
Over 5,000 results were reported from around the world last year. Monitoring may take place between March 22 & December 31 - the official World Water Monitoring Day is actually September 18, but your monitoring does not need to be done on that exact day.
Log onto the World Water Monitoring website for details, to order test kits and to read about other people who are participating.
Kudos to PerkinElmer located in Addison whose parent company is one of the sponsors of this important activity!
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Wheaton Document Shredding Event
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Corner of Liberty & Carlton
Wheaton
Sept 19
9am - noon
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DuPage County is funding a DOCUMENT SHREDDING EVENT- up to 3 boxes/grocery bags of personal
documents securely shredded while you watch. It's the safe, quick way to protect your identity & critical
information. All shredded paper will be recycled.
Staples and paperclips do not need to be removed. Binders, hard or plastic covers or cardboard NOT accepted. NO business documents.
Compost Bins On Sale At Event!
Compost bins, from Whole Foods, will also be available at the event to purchase for cash only. Residents who buy a compost bin will pay, place an order and pick up the bin from one of the 3 area Whole Foods stores (Wheaton, Willowbrook or Naperville) on a designated date & time. To purchase your compost bin that day, look for the SCARCE table, or call us for more details at 630-545-9710.
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Lombard Recycling Extravaganza
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Lombard Village Hall
255
E Wilson Ave
Sept 19
9am-3pm
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- Books (for exchange, donation or recycling)
- Cells phones, batteries & chargers
- Car, truck, marine, RV, sump pump, computer back-up & light utility batteries
- Electronics - computers & peripherals, office equipment (phone systems, answering machines, typewriters, calculators, fax machines, adding machines, copy machines, shredders, postage machines), TVs, VCRs, DVD/CD players, stereos, cameras, camcorders, video game players, humidifiers, power tools, small appliances
- Scrap metal
- American flags - for VFW
- Eyeglasses & Hearing aids - for Lions Club
- Bicycles - for Working Bikes Cooperative
- Non-motorized wheelchairs & crutches - for Working Bikes Cooperative
- Shoes - gently used (no high heels) - for Share Your Soles
- Flower pots - for Glenbard East High School
NOT Accepted: Household batteries, air conditioners, microwaves, furniture, paint, freon appliances, lumber/particle board, propane tanks
More questions? Call Lombard Public Works 630.620.5740 or click on the link Lombard Recycling Extravaganza for a complete, detailed list of item.
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Hanover Park Recycling Event
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Hanover Park
Village Hall
2121 W Lake St
Hanover Park
Sept 19 8am-Noon
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- Document Shredding -up to 3 boxes/grocery bags of personal, confidential documents (no business documents) - staples & paper clips do not need to be removed
- Bicycles
- Cell Phones & Palm-sized Inkjet Cartridges
- CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs)
- Electronics - TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cameras, computers/laptops, copiers, cords,
discs, electric typewriters, fax/adding machines, hard drives,
keyboards, mice, monitors, PDAs, printers, scanners, small kitchen
appliances, radios, speakers, stereos, telephones, zip drives.
- Eyeglasses & Hearing Aids (Lions Club)
- Tattered Flags
- Keys (Lions Club)
- Used Oil for recycling
- Scrap Metal - old metal patio furniture & swingsets, pots & pans, metal hangers, metal hardware (screws, nuts, bolts, etc),
- SLA Batteries (car, sump pump, marine, RV, motorcycle, etc)
For more information, check the Hanover Park website.
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Lombard Prairie Days
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Terrace View Park
Greenfield & Elizabeth
Lombard
Sept 20
11am-3pm
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Come join a fun day out on the prairie! Terrace View Park is the
location for an ongoing prairie restoration project.
Co-sponsored by
the Lombard Park District, the Lombard Garden Club and the Historical
Society, this event showcases the prairie-building progress around the
park and its pond, as well as encourages residents to incorporate
native plants into their own backyards. Last year, over 600 local
residents attended to participate in children-friendly activities and
educational programs.
Need more details? Log onto Lombard Garden Club.
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Green Fair at Cantigny Park
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Cantigny Park
1S151 Winfield Rd
Wheaton
Sept 26
10am-4pm
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Join in the Family Fun at the 1st Annual Event!
You are invited to be a
part of the first annual Green Fair at Cantigny Park! The fair will
celebrate the things that make our environmental future a hopeful one! This is an exciting opportunity to see over 100 green booths & vendors who are making a difference with the products & services they offer.
Join our GREEN community on Saturday, September 26th from 10am to 4pm and enjoy the fun!
Just a few things you will be able to enjoy:
- The Giving Tree Band live performance
- "Fashion EcoNista Show" with celebrity MC, Kristin Hassan, from Bravo TV's The Fashion Show
- Recycled Art Contest with cash prizes & Honorable Mention Awards
- Local/Organic Farmers Market & Wine Tasting
- Recycling Extravaganza Event - collecting electronics, scrap metal, cell phones, bicycles, eyeglasses, hearing aids, inkjet cartridges and flags to be properly retired
- Cooking Demonstrations
- Recycled Papermaking, Energy Bike, Composting, Solar Oven
- and more...
The Green Fair is FREE to the public - a $5.00/vehicle parking fee is charged at the entrance gate.
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Downers Grove Recycling Extravaganza
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Belmont Train Station in Parking Lot H
Downers Grove
Sept 26
8am-2pm
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The Downers Grove Park District, in partnership with the Village of Downers Grove, will host a Recycling Extravaganza on Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Belmont Road Train Station in Parking Lot H. The event is in advance of Amnesty Day and gives residents of DuPage County an opportunity to recycle or donate items that may otherwise end up in a landfill.
Items Accepted
- Electronics:
TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cameras, computers/laptops, copiers, cords,
discs, electric typewriters, fax/adding machines, hard drives,
keyboards, mice, monitors, PDAs, printers, scanners, small kitchen
appliances, radios, speakers, stereos, telephones, zip drives.
- Furniture: cribs and dressers
- Lead acid batteries: car, motorcycle, boat, lawn mower, truck, sump pump, RV and all sport vehicle batteries
- CFL Lightbulbs
- Ink jet cartridges
- Cell phones
- Hearing Aids and Eye Glasses
- Select Medical Supplies: Gently used wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches
To volunteer or if you have questions, call Jamie Belongia at 630.434.5652.
Log onto Downers Grove for complete details.
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16th Annual National Public Lands Day
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Sept 26
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If you like to work outside and want to help maintain the beauty of our country, consider participating in National Public Lands Day. This day was begun 16 years ago to build upon the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps who worked diligently to help build our national trails and parks.
For more details, to register your event or to find one in which to participate, log onto the National Public Lands Day website.
Several events are listed in the Chicagoland area including the Lincoln Marsh Natural area in Wheaton.
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Save The Date - Green Building Expo in DuPage County
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DuPage County Bldg - Auditorium
Wheaton
Oct 23
8 am to noon
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Learn About Green Building Design at this free event!
 DuPage County presents an opportunity to visit with expert green building exhibitors and learn about green building products & services.
Presentations from Wight & Co, U.S. Green Building Council, Hitchcock Design and DuPage County Stormwater. For more info, go toSCARCE website
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Every Drop Counts!
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We Can Help to Conserve Clean Water
As the world struggles to find clean water, there are things we should know and actions we can take to make a difference.
- Less than 1% of the world's fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use.*
- 884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people.*
- Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease.*
- An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.*
Simple things like
- turning off the water when we do the dishes or brush our teeth (the average person uses 2 gallons of water to brush their teeth)**
- taking 5 minute or less showers (saves about 1,000 gallons of water per month)**
- Waiting until you have a full load to run dishwashers/washing machines**
adds up to a huge water savings.
An article in "Smart2BeGreen", gave some other great ideas discussing ways to use our water more wisely, plus links to even more sites. Check it out at Smart2beGreen Tips.
*Facts taken fromwww.water.org.
**Facts taken from Shedd Aquarium Water Facts
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Businesses & Organizations Making a Difference!
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We Want to Know About Environmental Caretakers
in Your Area!
We want to acknowledge those businesses, organizations, municipalities, etc. who are taking the time to care for the environment and to implement practices in that direction. If you know of anyone who deserves that credit, whether you know them, work for them or have seen their efforts put into practice, let us know. Someone else's idea may be just the thing to help another organization make changes - PLUS, it could be one step on the road to earning an EARTH FLAG!
Here are some examples of the things we want to acknowledge:
- Wheaton Public Works adapted a large tank to act as a rain barrel to collect rain runoff which will be used for watering city-owned flowers & plants around town.
- Whole Foods Markets no longer use plastic bags
- Fruitful Yield bags are actually made from corn plastic & are fully compostable!
- The Forest Preserve District of DuPage, since 2001, has been replacing its fleet of vehicles & equipment with clean burning alternative fuel & technology powered ones to lower its carbon footprint & preserve the environment.
To find out more about earning an EARTH FLAG, log onto the SCARCE website or contact SCARCE at ecoed@sbcglobal.net or call 630.545.9710. |
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Pocket Guide for Trees
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Arbor Day Foundation has a New Book
If you've had trouble identifying trees in the past, this book will help. Lots of illustrations and descriptions to guide you through your efforts to tell one tree from another.
Need the guide on your mobile device, log onto arborday.org/smarttree.
For more information or to order log onto the Arbor Day Foundation site.
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Contact
Us |
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Our Team
Kay McKeen, Director
Steve Kenny * Linda Knapp * Shefali Trivedi * Katie O'Brien
Kris Salmen * Carol Richart * Sue Tripp * Sam Knapp
Environmental Education Programs are operated
by SCARCE
(School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education)
website: www.s-c-a-r-c-e.org
The mention of a specific product or company is not an endorsement by DuPage County's Environmental Education Program.
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