|
EESP-Related Events and Activities
2011: Environmental & Sustainability Actions
- February 8, 2012, Wednesday, 8:00 am - Next Core Committee Meeting 5533 N. Broadway, Conference Room
- Electronic Waste and Recycling Event - Co-sponsored with 48th Ward. The date and time is to be determined but the law effective 1/1/2012 requires specific handling of Electronics. This event will allow drop off of electronic material such as computers and cell phones. In addition it is planned to accept other items such as eyeglasses, CFL bulbs, etc. More info to come.
- Vegewater Vegetable Garden - Troy McMillan(ENN,FOTP)heads the team to develop garden plots on Loyola's 15,000 foot lot located at the northwest corner of Rosemont and Broadway. A two year agreement was reached with Loyola and Edgewater appreciates their community spirit. The Vegewater Garden group will work on development of water access, building of the raised beds, rules for individual and community group useage and cost of plots are still being worked out. Watch for future announcements.
- Chicago Green Mission Join with this new chapter that is working to certify the entire city of Chicago as a Community Wildlife Habitat(tm) in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation which would make Chicago the largest such community in the United States! EESP supports their very exciting initiative and we hope Edgewater residents will join this movement.
- Objective The objective of the Chicago Green Mission is to get city residences, businesses, schools, community spaces, balconies, places of worship, etc. certified to promote wildlife habitats, sustainable gardening practices, soil & water conservation, native plants, and more.
- Information on How to Become Certified Go to The National Wildlife Federation website at gardenforwildlife</p> This has continually-updated info and resources for habitat projects, along with a wealth of other information on wildlife and wild places. Self-certification is also available via their website.
- Local Edgewater resources and information Take this link to learn what is available for help locally: [1]</p> Email The Chicago Green Mission team can be contacted via email at chicagogreenmission@gmail.com
|
|
Links
From the Toxics Forum Water and Air Resources
- PowerPoint [Here]
- Forum Handout - URL's and Information [Here]
- The toxicity of a range of substances [Here]
- City of Chicago 2009 Water Quality Report [Here]
- Chicago Water-Full Chemical Analysis, Fall 2010 [Here]
- Cancers and their Occurrence in Males & Females [Here]
- Some Class I Carcinogens [Here]
- Illinois Fish Advisory [Here]
_________________________________________
From the Renewable Energy/Solar Forum
Solar Photovoltaic
- Solar power is the common term for this technology.
- Photovoltaic is commonly referred to as "PV".
- PV cells or solar power panels are used to collect energy from the sun.
- PV panels consist of semi-conductor cells which convert the sun's energy into electrical energy.
Solar Thermal
- Solar thermal panels collect the energy from the sun as heat, usually in water.
- The major applications are heating water for domestic use, and for space heating of buildings.
Offshore Wind
- The wind energy available offshore on Lake Michigan is among the highest in the nation.
Utility scale wind turbines placed 8 miles or so offshore will
be away from bird migration routes and may
be the most cost-effective form of
renewable energy in the region.
The technology is well-tested & is now in use
in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic.
However, the Lakefront Protection Ordinance needs
to be modernized and the public given verifiable
information to gain support.
Electric Car Charging Stations
- Reducing carbon emissions is also an important goal of using renewable energy.
ChargePoint has charging stations in the Chicago
area at Walgreens, iGO locations, and some parking lots.
Links to Renewable Energy Resources & Information
Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA)
Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA)
Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Wind
|
|
ENERGY SAVING TIPS
US DoE - Energy Savers
Cold Weather tips
Cold-Climate Windows
- You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months.Remember, the plastic must be sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
- Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
- Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.
- Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter sun.
- Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have weatherstripping at all movable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more energy. Double-pane windows with low-e coating on the glass reflect heat back into the room during the winter months.
Transportation
Transportation accounts for 67% of U.S. oil use—mainly in the form of gasoline. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to improve gas mileage.
Winter Driving Tips
- Idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. No more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days is needed. Anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emissions.
- Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower your highway gas mileage 33% and city mileage 5%. Also, think safety and moderate your speed on snow and when conditions are icy.
- Avoid high speeds. Above 60 mph, gas mileage drops rapidly.
|
![[Here]](/images/b/bc/Chicago_Water_Full_Analysis10.jpg){kind=link}