Tips for Weathering the Winter

•Consider using non-toxic de-icing substances such as clean clay cat litter, sand, or fireplace/stove ash to prevent hazardous waste from chemicals. Chemical de-icers can be hazardous to your pets, your trees and shrubs, and the environment. Antifreeze that leak from car engines and chemical snow melters on driveways, roads, and runways can pollute surface waters and groundwater through the soil.
•Winterize your vehicle by checking your air filter and fluid levels, checking tires for tread wear and proper inflation, and checking the condition of your windshield wipers. Ensuring your vehicle is ready for weather changes will reduce damage, which prevents waste from broken parts, and will keep you safe on the road.
•If you have a wood-burning fireplace, save your ashes in a tin instead of throwing them away. Cold wood ashes can be mixed in your compost heap to create a valuable soil amendment that provides nutrients to your garden.
•Use electric snow removal products rather than gasoline-powered ones. While electric products consume energy, they do not emit greenhouse gases. As alternatives, use snow shovels, ice crackers, and brooms to clear snow from your sidewalk, porch, or driveway.
•If you have a manual thermostat or no thermostat at all, one way to save energy and money this winter is to install an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat. When installed and used with the four pre-programmed temperature settings for weekend and weekdays, you can save about $100 each year while staying comfortable. Before leaving for vacation, turn down your thermostat (or use a programmable one) so that you don't waste natural resources by generating unneeded heat. You can also buy outdoor and indoor lights with timers so that lights don't stay on all night.
•Close the recycling loop. Many articles of clothing, such as jackets, scarves, gloves, and boots, are now made from recycled materials. Most fleece products are made from recycled plastic soda bottles, and certain clothing and shoe manufacturers use recycled cotton scraps and rubber tires to make their products.
•Winter storms often cause power outages. Prevent waste by keeping rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones stored throughout your house with your flashlights. If you do use disposable batteries, prevent hazardous waste by buying batteries with low mercury content.
•Recycle old newspapers by making rolled paper logs for your fireplace. Roll newspaper sheets around a broom stick until your log is the desired size, then soak your log thoroughly in water. Dry the log overnight and use like ordinary wood. Always follow proper safety precautions when burning anything around your home.
•To make sure your heating system (boiler, furnace or heat pump) is operating at its most efficient, it is a good idea to have a contractor perform a routine check-up and any necessary maintenance on the equipment before freezing weather drives up your energy bill.
•If your heating equipment more than ten years old, it may be time for a replacement to a more energy-efficient unit. While initially an expensive investment, replacing old equipment with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment saves more energy and money in the long run.
 
See more energy saving tips from the EPA.

Green Holiday Gift Ideas

Looking to purchase green gifts for your friends or family this holiday season? For ideas, check out the websites listed in this brief article from Consumer Reports Greener Choices.

Kill A Watt Meters

The Mount Prospect Public Library is now offering Kill A Watt Meters for checkout at the Reference Desk on the second floor. These devices can be used to monitor the electricity consumed by household appliances and electronics on a daily basis. ComEd provided 2 of these meters to the library. Please ask for assistance at the Reference Desk. Loan periods are for one week.

Winterize Your Home

As the seasons begin to change your family migrates indoors for the winter, a lot of energy can be wasted to keep your family and your home comfortable. Between 40 and 70% of all home energy is wasted, but we could save about half of that by buying efficient appliances and taking energy-saving measures.

Cover your air conditioner: If you can’t remove your window unit, consider covering it both inside and out. Besides protecting your air-conditioning unit, these covers also help keep cold air from entering your home through the space around the air-conditioner and can be a great way to lower utility bills.

Caulk it: Small spaces and gaps around windows and pipes and wires entering the home create create energy wasting drafts that can cut the efficiency of your heating system. Most caulking products cost under $10; rope caulk, one of the easiest types to apply, sells for about
$4 for 40 or 50 feet.

Block drafts: Draft blockers are foam plates that fit behind light switches and electrical outlets to reduce drafts that enter through those spaces. You can get a packet of 10 for about $3 and they're easy to install with just a screwdriver.

Upgrade your thermostat: Changing your thermostat to a programmable one allows you to control the temperature in your home at different times of the day without you being home. Keep the heat off when you're out of the house and set it to turn back up before you get home. Some also have a second set of settings for weekends, when people usually spend more time at home. The thermostats range from $90 to $175, but can save 12% or more on your energy bill and pay for itself within three years.

http://www.earthshare.org/2008/09/button-up-your.html

Thermal Detection Devices

The Mount Prospect Library is now offering thermal detection devices for checkout.  These "Minitemp Noncontact Thermometers" are designed for detecting heat leaks around doors and windows. Now that the colder weather has arrived, these devices are useful for determining where to add weather-stripping or if a new window is necessary to conserve heat.

The thermal detection devices are available at the Reference Desk on the second floor. They can be borrowed for one week.

These devices are made possible through the Mount Prospect Sustainability Education Program, presented in partnership with the Village of Mount Prospect and the Mount Prospect Public Library and funded through the U.S Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG).

 

Have a Green Halloween

Make your own costume from things around the
        house - old clothes, game pieces, sport team items, something from the
        recycling bin, etc., or purchase items from a resale shop. 
 
 If make-up is used instead of a mask, purchase non-toxic or
        hypoallergenic cosmetics.  
 
 When buying candy, look for treats with minimal packaging - or give
        pencils, erasers or money. 
 
 Send your children out with a reusable bucket, canvas bag or pillowcase. 
 
 Don't be a litter bug, dispose of candy wrappers in your bags, buckets or
        trash cans along the way. 
 
 Stay local to trick-or-treat, bike, wagon or carpool. 
 
 Use rechargeable batteries in your flashlight for trick-or-treating. 
 
 Don't throw away the pumpkin seeds - bake and eat, or put outdoors for
        the birds and animals.  
  
 As your pumpkin grows old, put in your yard for animals to eat, or put
        into compost pile.    
 
 Keep Halloween decorations from year to year so you don't need to
        purchase new ones each season. 
 
 If you are hosting a Halloween party, used reusable dishes, tableware,
        cups napkins, etc.  Instead of paper invitations, send an electronic
        invite to your guests.

Illinois to Repair Roads by Reusing Shingles

Illinois will soon be using recycled shingles to help repair damaged roads throughout the state. This will help to reduce the environmental impact of road repairs while helping the state save money. Governor Quinn estimates the state will save around 8 million dollars annually.

For more information visit the Illinois General Assembly Bill Status for HB1326 or Earth911.com

Keep Your July 4th Green

This 4th of July, when planning your holiday gatherings, making the effort to do a few things mindful of your environmental impact will help keep our nation and the planet more beautiful.

• Use reusable dinner/flatware and eliminate the waste from paper and plastic products.
• Buy local produce from your farmer's market.
• Use a chimney starter instead of lighter fluid when you light your charcoal grill.
• And of course, don't forget to recycle your party waste.

Have a very happy, safe and GREEN July 4!

 

Electronic Recycling Event for Mount Prospect Residents

The Village of Mount Prospect in association with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) is providing a one day collection event for residents to drop off electronics at Mount Prospect's Public Works building on Saturday, June 18 from 9am to 1:00pm

Only residentially generated equipment will be accepted (see list below). Businesses, school districts and governmental institutions are prohibited from participating in the event, but are encouraged to visit  www.swancc.org for local recycling info.

Acceptable Items:* 

Computer Monitors
Computers - PCs/Laptops    
DVD/VHS Players 
Fax Machines
Mobile Phones
MP3 Players
PDAs
Peripherals - mice, keyboards, zip drives       
Printers
Scanners
Televisions
Video Game Consoles

*If your item is not listed above it will not be accepted.

Please contact the Public Works Department (847-870-5640) with any questions. For more info: Public Works to Host Electronic Recycling Event

 

Best Green Careers

 
Best Green Careers by Learning Express

Explore Opportunities in this Rapidly Growing Field
Are you interested in learning about green careers, or considering changing from your current career to pursue a green career? If so then check out Best Green Careers. This book contains information ranging from a brief history of the environmental movement to government policy and incentives. You will also find information on the various "green industries," how/where to begin your green education, and even tips for writing your resume and going on job interviews.