Calendar

June 28, 9am-11:30am
Yard Smart Garden Walk

June 28 9:00am-1:00pm
P2D2 Green Day
Prescription drug disposal program at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center

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

Sustainable Living

Adopting a sustainable lifestyle means living with the lightest possible impact on the environment so that resources will not become depleted, leaving them in tact for future generations. From transportation to grocery shopping, everyone can start to live a more sustainable lifestyle by taking a few simple steps at a time.

Seven Rules for Responsible Consumption

• Give special attention to major purchases.
• Become a weight watcher (heavier things have more impact).
• Analyze your consumption quantitatively.
• Don't worry or feel guilty about unimportant decisions.
• Look for opportunities to be a leader. Being an early adopter helps spread the word if you make it visible – in consumption, at work, participating in politics or joining organizations.
• Buy more of the things that help the environment, such as microwave ovens which use less heat, recycled products which complete the cycle of re-use, telecommuting needs, water-saving faucets / toilets / showerheads, etc.
• Think about non-environmental reasons for reducing consumption, to step back from the focus on materialism and money-making, and have time for what's more important, such as children, community, etc.

Excerpted from Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice From The Union of Concerned Scientists © 1999 Michael Brower and Warren Leon.