McHenry County Blog

A ress release from the Village of Lakewood:

Christmas Light Recycling

Don’t throw away your tangled, frayed or burned-out Christmas lights this year!

In support of the Strategic Plan goal to be “green” mindful and sustainable, the Village will offer recycling of Christmas tree lights and extension cords.

A receptacle will be available inside Village Hall at 2500 Lake Avenue through January 31, 2013. Items may be dropped off during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Acceptable items are:

• Mini-lights (also known as Italian lights)
• C7 lights
• C9 lights
• Rope lights,
• LED lights
• Extension cords

Special thanks to Elgin Recycling for partnering with the Village to promote sustainability in the community. For further information contact Village Hall at (815) 459-3025.

A press release from State Rep. Mike Tryon:

State Rep. Mike Tryon Named to Task Force on Advancement of Materials Recycling

Mia Jayor chats with State Rep. Mike Tryon at his Huntley Fish Boil. Baby Angela was the youngest Republican in attendance.

SPRINGFIELD…..State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) has been named to a 21-member Task Force on the Advancement of Materials Recycling.

Tryon, who has a college degree in Environmental Science, was named to the task force on August 1 by House Republican Leader Tom Cross. The task force was created through a new law signed by Governor Quinn last week which amended the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act.

“I look forward to serving with the other members of the task force as we review the status of recycling and solid waste management planning for our State,” said Tryon. “We intend to investigate and provide recommendations for expanding waste reduction, recycling, reuse, and composting efforts in Illinois in a manner that protects the environment, as well as the public health and safety of its citizens.”

The task force’s work will include a review of:

• County recycling and waste management planning
• Current and potential policies and initiatives in Illinois for waste reduction, recycling, composting and reuse
• Funding for State and local oversight and regulation of recycling activities
• Funding for State and local support of projects that advance solid waste reduction
• The proper management of household hazardous waste

The review will also include an evaluation of the extent to which materials with economic value are lost to landfills, and the group will recommend ways to maximize the productive use of waste materials through materials recycling and composting.

The task force will prepare a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study, and the report of the task force’s findings will be submitted to the Governor and to the General Assembly within the next two years.

Mike Tryon passed a bill to force producers and distributors of plastic bags to start a re-cycling program.

He got spanked by the Chicago Tribune in late April for “heaping regulation” on us, the consumers.

In view of the email I received today, it is no accident that the bill was supported by the companies it would regulate.

June 6th, the Chicago Tribune ran a big article on Mike Tryon’s plastic bag regulation bill.

They obviously viewed it more favorably than the alternative–an outright ban.

Now comes an email, forwarded by Change.org, from Amy Goldberg of Grayslake.

Abby Goldberg of Grayslake holds up a white plastic bag with the word “NO” written on it.

“I never expected that a school project would make me an enemy of giant plastics companies. After all, I’m only 12.

“But when my friends and I learned that Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags every year, causing huge amounts of litter and pollution, we knew we had to do something. Cities like Austin and Los Angeles have made a huge dent by banning plastic bags, so we started a school project to ban plastic bags in our town, Grayslake, Illinois.

“Things were going really well… until the plastic industry started lobbying for a bill that would prevent people like me in every town in Illinois (except Chicago) from taking actions to reduce plastic bag litter. Seriously?? These corporations have no business telling towns like mine that we can’t make decisions for ourselves.

“The bill — SB 3442 — has already passed the Illinois House and Senate. Our last chance to stop it from becoming law is to convince Governor Pat Quinn to veto it.

“That’s why I started a petition on Change.org asking Governor Quinn to veto SB 3442, the bill that would prevent towns from passing plastic bag bans. Click here to add your name.

“One thing that makes me especially angry is that the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which represents the companies that manufacture plastic bags, has said that SB 3442 could be ‘a model bill’ for all states. That means that they could push their corporate interests all over America, preventing kids like me and towns like mine from taking action to stop pollution.

“Well, the corporations may be afraid of me, but I’m not afraid of them. I know that if thousands of people sign my petition, Governor Quinn will see that the public doesn’t want these big corporations telling our towns what we can and cannot do. And when we win, that veto will be a signal to Big Plastic that they had better not expect to take their bill to other states without a fight.

“Click here to sign my petition asking Governor Quinn to veto the bill that would prevent towns like mine from banning plastic bags.

“Thanks for helping me with my project — and helping all towns fight pollution.”

A press release from the Defenders:

DEFENDERS’ RECYCLING DRIVE IN MCHENRY September 10th

Recycling Drive accepts fluorescent tubes, electronics, Styrofoam™, more!

McHENRY – On Saturday, September 10th, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will conduct a recycling collection for

• fluorescent tubes,
• Styrofoam™,
• electronics, and
• batteries

from 9 a.m. until noon at the Metra Station parking lot, 4005 Main Street, in McHenry. They continue to collect certain items which would be harmful to the environment if put in a landfill, and which are not taken by curbside programs.

Defenders picked up trash at the end of the 2010 Labor Day Parade in Lake in the Hill.s

The Defenders’ Recycling Drive accepts rechargeable batteries, car batteries, lithium and button batteries. The Defenders also collect fluorescent tubes, clean white Styrofoam™, VHS & Cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, packing peanuts and re-usable, unpopped bubble wrap. A donation is requested for fluorescent bulbs and batteries that are brought in to offset the costs involved in processing these items. Electronics such as computers, phones, printers, and electronic toys, are accepted. TVs and computer monitors will be accepted for a donation. At the McHenry collection, the Defenders also accept and pay for aluminum cans.

The Defenders hold a recycling drive on the second Saturday of each month, alternating between McHenry in odd-numbered months and Woodstock in even-numbered months. Area residents may drive up and drop off their recyclables with Defenders’ volunteers, who help to unload and sort the materials.

For more information about the recycling schedule and the types of materials accepted at each location, visit the Defenders’ website at www.mcdef.org or phone 815-338-0393.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 41-year-old citizen-based, 501c3 not-for-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation.

A press release from Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore:

Electronic Recycling Event a Success

By Linda Moore, Grafton TWP Supervisor

“I have saved this truckload of electronics in my basement for 25 years.

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to dispose of it for free and without putting it in our landfills.”

A steady stream of recyclers came to the Grafton Township Garage.

This was the comment from one of the first participants who dropped off their waste.

About 30 Com 2 employees and volunteers worked steadily from 10 am to 2 pm to unload cars and trucks.

None of the participants waited in line.

As an added bonus, everyone received the Grafton Township Supervisor’s newsletter detailing township services and township calendar of events.

The total weight of the donated items was 48,278 lb.

There were 63 pallets filled with electronic waste.

EleConcerns about privacy protection were quickly allayed when residents were shown what a shredded hard drive looked like after Com 2 used their special machine to destroy them.

To view pictures of this event visit the township website here. 

Volunteers from the Huntley Lions Club, Sun City Computer Club, Huntley Trinity Lutheran Church, Huntley Historical Society, Huntley High School Honor Society and the Grafton Township Board all worked together on a beautiful Saturday to serve the local community. Tovar Snow Plowing donated safety vests for the volunteers. Another recycling event will be scheduled this fall. Thank you to everyone who donated or volunteered.

I have always been amazed at how many people are employed collecting garbage in Chicago.

Didn’t there used to be four men on each truck?

Now there are three. Mayor Richard Daley talked earlier this year about cutting the number to two.

Why not one?

I don’t remember garbage trucks out here having more than one person, even before the machines were attached to lift the containers automatically. Maybe two when someone was being trained.

One morning I saw two MDC garbage trucks going in different directions.

One was picking up garbage, the other recyclables. The recycling containers now have yellow lids.

I don’t know why the guys in the picture on Douglas Street were out of their trucks. In the middle photo, you can see that for an ordinary pick-up, they don’t have to.

That proves it can be done.

When you see Daley announce one man per truck, you’ll know he’s serious about saving money.

The trucks from from EDC Environmental Services, which used to be called MDC Marengo Disposal Company. They now say “MDC” on the trucks.

I’m driving on Spruce Lane after taking my son to South Elementary School and you see above what I saw.

It struck me as humorous enough to go home and get my camera.

If a casino can name itself “Circus Circus,” why can’t my message of the Day be “Recycle, Recycle?”