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.

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.

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.

Join us at our upcoming rain barrel workshop on Thursday, September 27, 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

  

  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.

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.

This workshop has already occurred. Please refer to our BN Green Events calendar for upcoming rain barrel workshop dates.

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

  

  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.

Illinois is the “Prairie State” but most people have misconceptions of what an actual prairie is. Hill prairies are more than just “prairies on a hill” and because of their landscape position and past land usage, they are one of the most common remnant prairie types left in central Illinois. John Wilker will share with us the many factors affecting development of these rare unique ecosystems. He will tell a compelling story of how they developed, why they are still on the landscape and what they mean for conservation in Illinois.

Presenter Bio:

John Wilker has Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale (SIUC) and a Master’s Degree in Plant Biology also from SIUC. He is currently employed as the Natural Areas Program Manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with over 22 years of experience managing and conserving natural communities. John is also an adjunct instructor of Biology at Lincoln Land Community College with 15 years of experience teaching biology and field ecology at Lincoln Land and University of Illinois at Springfield.