Think small changes to make a big impact this Earth Day
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Maintaining a Green Power Community and Tree City USA Designation are just two of the ways Buffalo Grove works to create a sustainable and environmentally-friendly community
April is Earth Month—a time for us to come together to consider how we can make our planet a better place to live. The Village takes great pride in being an environmentally-friendly community, and there is something everyone can do to help get involved in the effort.
The Village of Buffalo Grove is no stranger to sustainability. Buffalo Grove has been a member of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact since 2007. This compact lays out 49 high-level goals to encourage local municipalities to strive for vibrant, sustainanable communities throughout the Chicagoland region.
In 2018, the Village adopted a new, comprehensive Environmental Plan, which guides efforts and initiatives in the village ranging from water conservation, to waste disposal and recycling, to energy efficiency. Other initivates dedicated to protecting the environment the village participates in include being a part of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, which lays out goals and strategies of protecting the Monarch Butterfly and other important pollinators, as well as work undertaken by the Village’s Environmental Action Team.
While smaller, day-to-day actions may not feel like they have as much of an impact on the environment as things like transportation policies or programs and regulations that protect and improve water quality, the Village takes these actions on everyone’s behalf. The Village seeks to promote our community’s health and wellbeing and take steps to protect our assets and the environment long-term.
What can you do at home to protect our planet?
Together, we can continue to help make Buffalo Grove an environmentally-friendly place to live and contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of our Planet Earth. Individuals, households and businesses can take actions to help create a more sustainable community. Some ideas are listed below:
- Properly dispose of household hazardous waste. Use WM’s At Your Door program!
- Consider active transportation for your local and even regional trips. The local trail systems are well connected!
- Utilize native plants for landscaping. Turn the lights off when you leave the room or use timers which automatically save you energy when you’re not there.
- Practice proper recycling techniques. Recycling has changed over the years, and WM makes it simple for you to remember what you can and cannot recycle in your curbside cart. Just follow the three rules: