Post-Holiday Recycling!

By | |
Comments Off on Post-Holiday Recycling!

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! For information regarding Christmas tree recycling, how to safely recycle old Christmas lights, and wrapping paper recycling, see below!

Wrapping paper

Most gift wrap is recyclable, except plastic wraps or metallic papers. All cardboard and paperboard packaging is also recyclable. Please reuse ribbons and bows or discard in the trash.  If you do not have curbside recycling where you live, you may utilize the Town of Normal’s drop-off locations.

Christmas trees

Residents of Bloomington and Normal enrolled in those municipalities’ waste collection programs may dispose of their real (non-artificial) Christmas tree by placing it at the curb for collection on your regularly scheduled waste collection day. As these trees will be chipped into mulch, please be sure to remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, etc. Please do not put your tree or any other waste in the street.

For residents outside of Bloomington or Normal, please check with your local municipality for tree collection options. If you do not have tree collection service at your home or in your municipality, Twin City Wood Recycling will accept your tree for chipping into mulch at their facility at 1606 W Oakland Avenue in Bloomington at a cost of $2 per tree. Call (309) 827-9663 for more information and operating hours.

Christmas lights & other e-waste

Illinois law bans most consumer electronics from landfills–they must be recycled instead. Residents can recycle strings of Christmas lights, cords, and related electronic items, regardless of condition, at one of the many locations listed below.

Did Santa bring you a new TV? Note that only two local sites now accept the older tube-style CRT TVs and monitors for recycling. See “Items Accepted” for each of the e-waste recycling collection points below.

Location: Best Buy, 2103 N Veterans Pkwy Suite 200, Bloomington, 309-663-8090
Items Accepted: Computers, computer accessories, monitors, televisions up to 32″ (flatscreens up to 60″), all types of radios, VCRs, cameras, etc. Damaged or non-working items accepted. Customers are limited to bringing in 3 units per day per household.
Items Not Accepted: appliances, microwaves, TVs that are consoles, rear-projections, or DLPs or larger than 32″, items with freon such as air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators. No business generated waste.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 am-9:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am-8:00 pm

Location: Home Sweet Home Warehouse Operations, 1700 W Washington St., Bloomington, 309-828-1530
Items Accepted: Computers, laptops, printers, fax, scanners, copiers, peripherals, phone systems, all types of radios, VCRs,
Microwaves, toaster ovens, hair dryers, curling irons, cash registers, cameras, blenders, and other small appliances. Damaged or non-working items accepted. All types of cell phones, pagers, PDAs and their chargers, cables, and headset accessories
All of the small computer accessories such as MP3 players, iPods, digital cameras, hand- held scanners, handheld games and other connected devices. All forms of electronic media and their cases: diskettes, zip disks, CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs et al, game cartridges, DAT, DLT, and virtually all other type of computer tapes (ONLY at Mission Mart location)
Items Not Accepted: No CRT (tube-style) TVs or monitors, no VHS tapes or audio cassettes, no business-generated waste
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:00 am-4:00 pm, 24 hour drop-off

Location: Habitat For Humanity ReStore, 1402 W Washington, Bloomington, 309-454-6047
Items Accepted: Computers, laptops, printers, fax, scanners, copiers, peripherals, phone systems, all types of radios, VCRs, Microwaves, toaster ovens, hair dryers, curling irons, cash registers, cameras, blenders, and other small appliances. Damaged or non-working items accepted. All forms of electronic media and their cases: diskettes, zip disks, CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs et al, game cartridges, DAT, DLT, and virtually all other type of computer tapes. All forms of printer cartridges including both inkjet and toner. All types of cell phones, pagers, PDAs and their chargers, cables, and headset accessories. All of the small computer accessories such as MP3 players, iPods, digital cameras, hand- held scanners, handheld games and other connected devices.
Items Not Accepted: No CRT (tube-style) TVs or monitors, no VHS tapes or audio cassettes, no business generated waste
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00 am-5:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Location: Normal Public Works Garage, 1301 Warriner St., Normal, 309-454-9571
Items Accepted: Computers, laptops,televisions, monitors, printers, fax, scanners, copiers, peripherals, phone systems, all types of radios, VCRs, microwaves, toaster ovens, hair dryers, curling irons, cash registers, cameras, blenders, and other small appliances. Damaged or non-working items accepted.
All forms of electronic media: diskettes, zip disks, CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs et al, game cartridges, DAT, DLT, and virtually all other type of computer tapes. All forms of printer cartridges including both inkjet and toner. All types of cell phones, pagers, PDAs and their chargers, cables, and headset accessories. All of the small computer accessories such as MP3 players, iPods, digital cameras, hand- held scanners, handheld games and other connected devices.
Items Not Accepted: No VHS tapes or audio cassettes, no business generated waste
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 am-2:30 pm; the first Saturday of every month 8:00 am-12:00 pm
Summer hours 6:00 am-1:30 pm (Memorial Day through Labor Day)

For more information on recycling, hazardous waste disposal, and more, you can always consult other sections of this or call us at 309-454-3169.

Sugar Creek Stewards Workday

Come join us for our November workday along Sugar Creek! We need help improving Sugar Creek in designated areas throughout Bloomington and Normal, by clearing invasive plant species and managing the non-invasive plants. scs logo

Volunteers must be 18 years old or older (or 14 and accompanied by a parent or guardian) and be able to hike along uneven terrain and safely use basic hand tools such as loppers and bow saws. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring your own work gloves and (reusable) bottle of water.

The Sugar Creek Stewards is part of the Ecology Action Center’s Clean Water programming, and is supported by the City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal. For more information, contact us.

barry-mantis

 

Details on worksite location will be provided to registered volunteers prior to the workday. To become a regular EAC volunteer and be automatically contacted for future Sugar Creek Steward workdays and other volunteer opportunities, register at EAC-Volunteer. Otherwise, please fill out the registration form below!

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainable Gourmet [sold out]

 

The Ecology Action Center invites you to attend the thirteenth annual Sustainable Gourmet  on Thursday, November 8, at 5:30 p.m. This year’s event will feature artisanal local foods hors d’oeuvres prepared by the culinary team at Reality Bites, a sampling of sustainably produced wine from Uptown Normal’s Stave Wine Bar, and locally crafted beer from Keg Grove Brewing Company and Destihl. Destihl is providing a one-of-a-kind brew as one of their selections and Keg Grove’s offerings will include a unique new brew, “Forage”, made with locally collected wild ingredients, brewed specially for this event.

This popular fundraiser for the EAC includes a silent auction with fabulous items from local businesses, organizations, and individuals.

This year attendees also have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to experience an evening of fun for four at the new secret supper club by Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group. The winner will enjoy elevated snacks, shared platters, and chef-driven libations with three of their friends at Bakery & Pickle!

Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the Ecology Action Center and its important environmental sustainability efforts in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County.  As part of this event, the Ecology Action Center will announce the 2018 recipients of the annual McLean County Green Awards, recognizing efforts to improve our local environment.

Sustainable Gourmet will be held at Reality on Monroe at 111 E. Monroe Street in Bloomington. Reality on Monroe is the beautifully renovated event space for Reality Bites.  Tickets must be purchased in advance; the ticket sales deadline is November 2 or when tickets are sold out, whichever comes first. This event has sold out the past five years in a row so attendees are encouraged to buy tickets early. For more information, contact the Ecology Action Center at (309) 454-3169.

This event is sponsored by Straight Up Solar, Dr. Matt Fraker & Dr. Sherri Thornton, Stave Wine Bar, Keg Grove Brewing Company, Reality on Monroe, and WGLT.

Sorry!  We’re sold out!  Tickets are not available at the event.  Please join us next year!

 

 

America Recycles Day 2018 Update

By | |
Comments Off on America Recycles Day 2018 Update

Due to changes in certain recycling systems in Illinois, some of our historically successful recycling programs that have taken part in America Recycles Day are no longer practical to implement in the same way. These changes have imposed local limitations that will affect our ability to continue these events moving forward. As a result, we have come to the unfortunate decision to discontinue fall America Recycles Day and spring MEGA Recycling events. We sincerely thank our recycling partners for their assistance over the years and their ongoing dedication to providing these services to our community.

Please be on the lookout in November as we continue to highlight our community partners who provide these recycling services. Remember that items previously collected at these events may be dropped off year round at the appropriate locations. If you have questions regarding recycling options in McLean County, please visit RecycleBN.org or download the RecycleCoach app. For additional questions, you may contact the Ecology Action Center at 309-454-3169. Please note that this does not include Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events which will continue under the McLean County HHW Fund. Our next anticipated HHW event will likely be in Fall 2019. For more information check out HHWMcLean.org

Rain Barrel Workshop

Join us at our upcoming rain barrel workshop on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 6:00 p.m., where YOU build your own water-saving rain water collection and storage container.

Workshop prices are $45 ($35 EAC member price).

  • A reused, 55-gallon, food-grade, heavy-gauge plastic barrel (non-food-grade, MSDS datasheet provided)
  • A flexible plastic elbow to direct rain water from your downspout to your rain barrel. Fits 3″ downspouts.
  • A 6″ heavy duty screen to prevent entry of mosquitoes and leaves
  • High-quality fittings for long life
  • Overflow hose and fittings with mosquito barrier

    rain-barrel2

    55-gallon, food-grade barrel

  • Instruction and use of all tools needed for the project
  • Workshop excludes installation materials for your specific home which may include concrete blocks, hacksaw, screwdriver, sheet metal screws, etc.

The fine print: The construction process can get a bit messy so wear clothes that can get dirty. The barrels measure 25″ x 35″ and weigh 25 pounds. Bring an appropriate vehicle to transport your barrel home. There is a limit of one rain barrel per household per workshop. For safety reasons, all participants must be 18 years or older.

Pre-2011 EAC rain barrels:

If you built or bought an EAC rain barrel during or prior to 2011, please check to see if the lid of your barrel fits properly and there are nor holes or gaps that would allow mosquitoes inside the barrel; they can fit through very small gaps or cracks. If your rain barrel seals poorly or has noticeable cracks/gaps – you can attend a new workshop and replace your old barrel for a new one with a secure lid at a reduced price (see that option on the registration form below)

Mega Rain Harvester

275gal mega rain harvester

*Note: If you are interested in a 275 gallon mega rain harvester (measure about 4′ x 4′ x 4′ and weigh 50 pounds), we are not building 275-gallon mega rain harvesters in this workshop, but they are available for purchase and delivery. They are $100 or $90 for EAC supporters plus tax. We can also deliver in Bloomington-Normal for $25 and in the rest of McLean County for $50. Please contact the Ecology Action Center if you are interested in a mega rain harvester 309-454-3169.

Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0 Solar Power Hour

Thinking about going solar?

Residents throughout McLean County have an opportunity to participate in Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0, a grassroots program combining volume purchasing with community education to make solar more accessible and affordable. Property owners and renters alike may participate in this program!

Regardless of where you live in the county, you can participate in any of the free informational Solar Power Hours. You’ll learn about the basics of solar, its financial implications for a household, and how the solar group buy program works. After the session, get a free, no-obligation site assessment from the competitively selected installer. You have until October 31, 2018, to decide whether to get solar through the program.

Visit http://solarbloomingtonnormal.com for more information.

 

Propagating Natives from Seed

This program will discuss the ins and outs of collecting seed from native plants, the best ways to store them, and how
to get them to grow. We will take a particularly close look at how to break seed dormancy, perhaps the most
challenging and poorly understood aspect of propagation. But, by following a few simple protocols, you will find that
most species can be cultivated quite readily.

Presenter Bio:

Ed Cope is a Restoration Ecologist working for the Natural Land Institute, a land trust operating in northern Illinois.
Propagating native plants has been a labour of love for Ed, and he has accrued over a decade of experience planting
and stewarding prairie restorations. Among his favorite pursuits is cultivating rare and difficult-to- grow species.

Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0 Solar Power Hour

Thinking about going solar?

Residents throughout McLean County have an opportunity to participate in Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0, a grassroots program combining volume purchasing with community education to make solar more accessible and affordable. Property owners and renters alike may participate in this program!

Regardless of where you live in the county, you can participate in any of the free informational Solar Power Hours. You’ll learn about the basics of solar, its financial implications for a household, and how the solar group buy program works. After the session, get a free, no-obligation site assessment from the competitively selected installer. You have until October, 31 2018, to decide whether to get solar through the program.

Visit http://solarbloomingtonnormal.com for more information.

Employment Opportunity: Part-time Program Coordinator

By | |
Comments Off on Employment Opportunity: Part-time Program Coordinator

Program Coordinator – BNCESP

The Ecology Action Center is seeking a part-time Program Coordinator. The main responsibility of this position is coordinating the development of the Bloomington-Normal Community Energy Strategic Plan (BNCESP).  This is a short-term (approximately 4 months to 8 months), hourly position with no benefits.  The position is contingent upon program funding.

Major Responsibilities

  • Development of effective framework and realistic timeline for plan development process
  • Communication with stakeholder/focus groups
  • Preparation of initial materials for distribution to stakeholders defining roles, explaining process, identifying priorities, possible strategies, to include research into success emissions reduction strategies in other communities and summary of 2015 GHG Inventory findings
  • Creation of detailed written plan for municipal/public dissemination
  • Inclusion of NAAQS/ozone attainment status as a high priority objective within the BNCESP

Skills and Qualifications

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree.  Preferred course of study in Energy, Environmental Health, Environmental Studies or other environmental sciences major.
  • Understanding and ability to articulate energy issues, greenhouse gases, climate, etc.
  • Ability to quickly become familiar with relevant ICLEI GHG inventory protocols, & USDOE CESP standards
  • Excellent communication skills–both verbal and written
  • Ability to distill technical information and explain in layperson terms
  • High comfort level with learning/using new software (ClearPath from ICLEI)
  • Excellent organization skills
  • Familiarity with MS Excel, MS Word, MS Publisher

Equal Opportunity

The EAC is an equal opportunity employer for all qualified employees and applicants. All decisions regarding employment are made without regard for race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or physical and/or mental disability unrelated to ability.

Ecology Action Center

The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit environmental agency with a mission to inspire and assist residents of McLean County in creating, strengthening and preserving a healthy environment.  The EAC acts as a central resource for environmental education, information, outreach, and technical assistance in McLean County.

To Apply

Send a resume with a completed EAC Employment Application and cover letter to Executive Director Michael Brown at [email protected] or Ecology Action Center, 202 W College Ave, Normal, IL 61761.  Position open until filled; please submit an application by Wednesday, October 17 2018 to be considered for the initial round of interviews.