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February 2009
FEATURED GROUP This issue’s featured group is The Freecycle Network TM. The Freecycle NetworkTM is a grassroots and nonprofit community gifting movement made up of thousands of entirely local and individual city groups that promote reuse through local gifting among their members. It is a place to give what you have and don't need and receive what you need and don't have -- a free cycle of giving which keeps stuff out of landfills. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Although the types of items gifted are up to the gifter to decide, goods exchanged typically include items such as computer equipment, electrical appliances, leftover building supplies, furniture, and other household goods. Each group is run by a local moderator and membership is free. Their mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources, and eases the burden on our landfills while enabling members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.
The Freecycle Network TM was founded in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson’s downtown area and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. It has grown significantly since its inception and now has over 3,500 community groups and millions of individual members representing over 70 countries across the globe. In 2007, The Freecycle Network TM was ranked by Yahoo as the third most searched environmental term on the planet following only “global warming” and “recycling.”
The Wauconda group currently has 480 members. Visit www.freecycle.org for more information or to find the Freecycle group in your community.
If you know of a business, organization, or individual who’s doing a great or unique job of “keepin’ it green,” let us know. We’d love to have them included as our Featured Group of the month. Write us at waucondagreenteam@gmail.com to let us know. We’ll be in touch!
TIPS Heating and Cooling If you move your home’s thermostat down 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer, you will prevent 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air each year. In the summer, keep your thermostat as high as tolerable. In the winter, set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees. Save energy and money by using ceiling fans to help cool and heat your home.
A 2 degree adjustment on the thermostat can save you $98 per year on your electric bill. For each degree above 78, you’ll save 6-8% on cooling costs. Programmable thermostats are more expensive up-front, but can save you up to 20% on your electric bill. (source: Half Price Books)
Carpooling and Walking Ride-sharing can reduce exhaust fumes and frequency of trips to the gas station and keep dollars in the bank. Travel in groups. Carpool. Travel for multiple purposes. Condense your errands into one trip. Some cities and states offer travel benefits for low emissions or “clean air” vehicles and high-occupancy vehicles during rush hour. Walking, however, is the greenest from of transportation.
Carpooling with friends and co-workers conserves fuel, currently saving about 790 pounds of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year. Every mile that you walk is estimated to add 20 minutes to your life. Health experts recommend that we walk 10,000 steps a day (roughly the equivalent to 5 miles) to maintain good health, so grab a pedometer and step your way to your destination when possible. (source: Half Price Books)
RE-USABLE NEWS
Earth Hour Earth Hour 2009 is scheduled for March 28, 2009. Residents in the Chicago region will join millions of people around the world to voluntarily “turn off the lights” for an hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to make a bold statement about climate change. Earth Hour is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund. For more information, visit www.earthhour.org.
Rain Barrel Sale
A good formula to remember: 1 inch of rain on a 1,000 sq ft roof yields 623 gallons of water. Calculate the yield of your roof by multiplying the square footage of your roof by 623 and divide by 1000.
The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District is currently accepting orders for rain barrels. The deadline for orders is May 1, 2009. The 2009 sale will include grey and terra cotta color 55 gallon rain barrels, along with 55 gallon black tumbling composters. Questions regarding the sale can be directed to the District Office by phone at 847-223-1056 or by email lcswcd@sbcglobal.net.
Fat Trappers
SWALCO In addition to Mobile HCW Events held around Lake County from spring through fall, residents can schedule an appointment to dispose of their household chemical waste (HCW) at SWALCO’s permanent facility located in Gurnee at 1311 N. Estes St. Drop-off events are offered year-round, multiple times per month, including the second Saturday of each month. Appointments are required. Make your appointment online at www.swalco.org or call 847-336-9340.
SWALCO directs and sponsors the Reuse-A-Shoe gym shoe recycling program for Lake County. With help from NIKE, old athletic shoes of any brand, are collected, processed and recycled into a material called “Nike Grind” that is used to create sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds. In 2008, Lake County exceeded its goal of 10,000 shoes and collected 27,000 shoes for the program. SWALCO is looking for more communities and community groups to participate. To learn how to become involved, contact Merleanne Rampale at mrampale@swalco.org or 847-336-9340 x004.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
LINKS
Here are some interesting websites to look at to get more facts, tips, or to learn about what’s going on in our area:
National:
www.thedailygreen.com http://becomegreen.info/
For Kids: www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Green www.epa.gov/students
Our Area: http://www.lakecountyil.gov/STORMWATER/default.htm united partnership - keepin it green
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Did
you know…Residential irrigation can account for 40% of domestic
water consumption in a given municipality? Rain barrels not only
store water, they help decrease demand during the sweltering summer
months. Only 1/4 inch of rainfall runoff from the average roof will
completely fill the typical barrel. Collection of water from
rooftop runoff can provide an ample supply of this free "soft water"
containing no chlorine, lime or calcium. Because it tends to have
fewer types of sediment and dissolved salts than municipal water,
rain water is ideal for a multitude of applications, including
biodynamic and organic vegetable gardens, raised planter beds for
botanicals, indoor tropical plants like ferns and orchids,
automobile washing, and cleaning household windows. Saving water in
this manner will reduce you demand for treated tap water, and save
money by lowering your monthly bill. 
Are
you pouring your cooking grease down the drain? Cooking grease and
used cooking oil should never be poured down the drain. Doing so
can cause grease blockages in your home’s plumbing or in the public
sewer collection system. The Village Environmental Quality
Department has a supply of Fat Trappers available FREE to Village
residents. A Fat Trapper is a plastic container that comes with a
re-sealable foil lined bag. Simply pour your grease into the bag,
close the top, and place the bag into your Fat Trapper. When the
bag is full, simply place it in with your regular garbage.
Replacement bags can be obtained from the Village for no charge. 
Compact
Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) are all the rage. Free CFLs are
available to Village of Wauconda residents at the Village Hall, the
Environmental Quality Department, and at the Public Works
Department. ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs use up to 75% less energy
than incandescent light bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer.
Used CFLs can be recycled, but should not be placed with other
household recyclables. Drop off locations for used CFLs have been
set up at the Wauconda Village Hall and Public Works facility. To
learn more about CFLs and their benefits, please go to