Barb Day is Chairman of the Waste Reduction Committee, one of the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County (better known as The Defenders) committees.

One of our Board Members, Ken Santowski, is collecting political signs after the election and sending them to New Vision Renewable energy, www.nvre.org.

Santowski writes,

“Starting tonight there will be a 24 hour bin behind my warehouse at 501 Davis road in Elgin to allow any and all candidates to properly and responsibly recycle their unwanted signs.

“We will also take the metal stakes and poles used to secure them. If they have any questions they can call or email me atken@chicagologisticservice.com or call 847-429-1926.”

Candidates taped their signs to the windows of the Republican Headquarters next to Joseph’s Market.

New Vision Renewable Energy, a nonprofit organization based in Philippi, West Virginia, has distributed solar LED lights in over 28 countries around the world.

Ruston Seaman, president and CEO of New Vision Renewable Energy, noted that the light panel is created, in part, from recycled political signs and assembled by disadvantaged students in West Virginia.

We hope you will take a look at their website to get a more complete understanding of what New Vision Renewable Energy is about. (The information about the portable solar panels can be found here.)

A bit about the program follows:

Campaign sign cardboard ends up in small solar panels like these.

A 21st century solution is a simple combination of a small 10 watt solar panel, a compact 2V/9Ah lithium polymer battery and a set of super bright LED lights that provide the light for a family to enjoy some of the quiet hours at night.New Vision has developed a portable solar power pack and light that will allow families to harness electricity every hour of a sunny day to be used at night.

Amazing what a change it can make into the educational development and personal safety of families simply to have a renewable light that can charge cell phone or run other small devices as well as provide a portable light that can be used every night.

If you do not plan to re-use your signs following the election, we hope you will consider donating them to this organization.

Your signs may be brought to the Defenders Recycling Drive in Woodstock on April 9, from 9 AM to Noon, at the Soil and Water Conservation District building, located at the southeast corner of Route 14 and Dean Street.

If that opportunity does not work for you, signs may be delivered to Ken’s business, Chicago Logistics Service, 501 Davis Road, Elgin, Illinois, any time at the back of the building.