East Peoria Green Team held a glass recycling event on June 3, 2017 from 8:30 to 11:30 am. This event was held at the FOLEPI parking lot in East Peoria, IL. Starting at 8:30 am, the recycling-conscious public was lining up with their bottles and jars. There was a steady flow of cars all through the morning.

East Peoria Community High School had several members of the HOPE Club on hand to unload the glass items out of trucks and cars. Elena Wolff, Clarice Wolff, Ashlea Yoder, and Lexi Dorch were a lively group and a great help to the cause. Special thanks to Martin Hobbs, Science Department Lead teacher from EPCHS, for his ongoing efforts to inspire young people and to support recycling efforts of the East Peoria Green Team.

East Peoria Green greatly appreciates the support of East Peoria City officials for supporting this event. We would also like to thank Dave Schaab, of Waste Management, for their help in putting our glass recycling events into action. Many persons dropping off glass asked when the next collection would take place.

Thanks to Linda Tiller who arrived early to set up the event and Shelly Farmer who recently joined the group. Thanks to Lori Wolff, a long-time member, who made sure that the glass was not contaminated with unrecyclable items.

Very special thanks to Bob Jorgensen whose vision lights the recycling path for all of us to follow.

The East Peoria Green Team website is www.eastpeoriagreen.com and like us on Facebook “EastPeoriaGreenTeam”, this will allow residents to follow what the group is doing or join and be a part of this group.

The Energy Information Administration estimates that Illinois households burn an average of $2,693 a year on energy bills—with half going to heating and cooling costs.

This summer, how you manage your air conditioner could have a huge impact on your electric bills.

READ OUR TIPS

Adapted from a CUB’s Energy Efficiency Team email

Does the practice of burning yard waste in the City of East Peoria need to end? What are the reasons to stop this practice in our city? One reason is because the practice of outdoor burning of leaves, grass, and branches releases CO2 into the atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is causing the warming of the Earth. This is changing our climate causing weather to be more intense, making temperatures, rainfalls, and droughts, more extreme. Did you know that each of the last 16 months has been the warmest ever recorded? These are longer term affects of burning organic matter that could be used as mulch or making of helpful compost material. A more immediate effect of burning these materials is the adverse health issues it can cause for ourselves and our neighbors. The burning of yard waste causes smoke, some very dark and thick. This smoke causes soot and particulate matter or PM, to be released into the air because the leaves etcetera are not burned completely. These tiny particles can cause a number of health problems. They can reduce lung capacity and harm the lung’s ability to use the air. They trigger asthma attacks. They get into the blood stream through the lungs and increase the risk of heart problems for those that have heart issues. Naturally the people that are hurt the most are the young, with smaller lungs, and the old with lungs that have, over the years, breathed in smoke and chemicals from other sources in their lifetimes. Those that have developed problems like asthma, emphysema, or bronchitis are most at risk. In addition to particulate matter the smoke also contains dioxins, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and other volatile organic compounds. The smoke from open burning can be just as dangerous as the smoke from cigarettes. Even if you don’t worry about the problems that open burning causes, shouldn’t the city think of all its citizens? Please consider the health of the planet, children and the elderly, and your neighbors with respiratory problems. Please encourage the city to ban open burning.

Bob Jorgensen presents the first environmental scholarship at East Peoria High School to Hannah Schroer.

Bob Jorgensen with East Peoria Green, www.eastpeoriagreen.com., presented the first environmental scholarship at East Peoria Community High School. EP GREEN is made up of citizens and city staff. The members try to help our local government be as green as possible. East Peoria High School Teacher and Hope Club sponsor, Mr. Hobbs joined the  group about 5 years ago. Because of Mr. Hobbs, EP GREEN now had a connection to EPCHS’s Hope Club. Hearing about Hope Club activities and interests made us realize that EP GREEN needs to encourage environmental stewardship of the earth with the younger generation. Because of this it was decided to give a scholarship to an environmentally active member of Hope Club. Hannah Schroer was the recipient of the award this year. She has been a member of the Hope Club for four years and the president for the last two years. Through Hope Club she has taken part in the EPCHS recycling program, the Clean Water Celebration, Green Carnival, and the promotion of refillable water bottles to replace one use plastic bottles. She has helped  with some of EP GREEN’s events, like glass recycling. She has promoted environmental stewardship in her family, among her friends, and in the East Peoria Community. When she enrolls at Bradley University she plans to join the campus green club and keep growing in her mindfulness of ways to help our planet. East Peoria Green  proudly  awarded this $1000 Scholarship to Hannah Schoer. EP GREEN is looking forward to having Hope Club members of 2016 – 17 apply for the scholarship.