Buffalo Grove Illinois
Buffalo Grove Illinois


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Going Green
How Your Household Can Go Green
Going Green is something that everyone can take part in. Daily activities, from driving your car to cleaning your home, add to the release of smog forming ozone emissions. Ozone is an air pollutant that is hazardous to human health and the environment in general. By using the tips below you can help to reduce the factors that damage our environment everyday. Remember, maintaining the environment is everybody’s responsibility. 

Tips For Going Green



Limit Your Driving

Heavy usage of automobiles is linked to emission of volatile organic compounds that contribute to the air pollutant, smog. In order to reduce air pollution try to:

• Drive less and walk or bike whenever possible

• Carpool and use public transit 

• Invest in Low emission vehicles and hybrids 

• Combine multiple errands into one trip 

• Frequent nearby shops

• Group your family’s appointments together. 

• Avoid busy traffic times.



Use Energy-Saving Appliances and Light Bulbs 

Operation of traditional light bulbs and appliances requires a large amount of fossil fuels to be burned in order to supply energy. This adds to air pollution and the depletion of our fossil fuels. To combat these problems you can:

• Use fluorescent light bulbs or rely on natural daylight

• Try energy efficient models when investing in new appliances.

* ENERGY STAR® is a leading manufacturer of energy-saving appliances and is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency*

For more information on ENERGY STAR® energy saving appliances click on the link. ENERGY STAR

Schedule Your Lawn Care Wisely

When the burning gas from a lawnmower is combined with the hot sun a reaction occurs that creates volatile organic compounds which contribute to the creation of smog and bad ozone. To combat this you can:

• Wait until the sun is going down to mow your lawn

• Use an electric or manually operated lawnmower

* By retiring 1,000 gasoline-powered lawnmowers the region would be spared approximately 26 tons of VOCs emissions*

Use Air-Friendly Cleaning Products

Traditional cleaning products emit toxic, ozone forming chemicals that pose health risks to you and your family. On the other hand Air-Friendly Cleaning products:

• Protect the health and safety of users

• Reducing/eliminate dangerous chemical emissions

• Are multi-purpose and can replace several specialized products.

* Air-friendly products are usually labeled as “green” or “eco-friendly”.


Think Green While Remodeling

Traditional paints contain high amounts of volatile organic compounds(VOCs). The VOCs are a primary contributor to the creation of smog and ozone. Switching over to low and zero-VOC paints will:

• Result in limited fume release

• Reduces ozone production

• Alleviate headaches, eye irritation, and respiratory irritation associated with the chemicals  in traditional paint fumes.
Use Natural Landscaping

Natural landscaping uses native plants, wildflowers and grasses to landscape instead of planting traditional turf grass. Because natural landscaping is adapted to the geography, hydrology and climate, it can:

• Improve air quality through reductions in usage of pesticides

• Minimize the need to mow the lawn which lowers air polluting emissions

• Reduces the amount of watering necessary for plants which conserves our natural resource of water