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Glen Ellyn Green Initiatives

The Village of Glen Ellyn has long been a leader in fostering environmental stewardship and incorporating green principles into the community and the municipal workplace. The Village is proud of its environmental efforts, and as such, has taken an inventory of the environmentally friendly activities and programs that demonstrate our commitment to sustainability.  Please find a list of these activities and programs below. 

Our work as a Village and as a community is never complete with regards to environmental efforts, however. The Village can always implement new and more efficient ways in which to positively affect the environment that surrounds us.  The information below will be continually updated with new, environmentally friendly initiatives the Village implements in the months and years to come. 
Community-Wide Activities
  • Weekly curbside recycling program.  Transitioned from recycling bins to carts in 2009 to promote additional recycling among residents.
  • Seasonal yard waste, branch and brush collection program.
  • Silver-level member of Clean Air Counts.
  • Annual Recycling Extravaganza event, in addition to the 2009 electronics recycling.
  • Annual Environmental Newsletter sent to all Glen Ellyn residents.
  • Environmental Commission that provides environmental stewardship and education.
  • Annual Joe Wark Environmental Award to recognize environmental awareness in building design & construction.
  • Annual Commercial Recycling Award Program to reward Glen Ellyn businesses for their environmentally friendly recycling practices.
  • Rain Barrel Reimbursement Program to provide grants to Glen Ellyn residents to assist in the purchase of rain barrels - promotes water conservation.
Vehicles & Fleet Management
  • Use of diesel vehicles that run on biodiesel fuel.
  • Increased use of hybrid vehicles (currently four in operation).
  • Recycle and reuse long-life engine coolant. 
  • Recycle used engine oil and solvents.
  • Recover, recycle, and reuse R134A refrigerant.
  • Drain and dispose of used filters to eliminate oil leeching into landfills.
  • Increased use of alternative fuel vehicles (E85).
Recreation Department & Village Links
Habitat & Native Wildlife Development: 
  • Maintenance of bird feeders and selection of native plants as natural food sources for songbirds.
  • Conversion of existing areas from non-native invasive plants to native plants.
  • Creation of brush piles to provide habitat for small mammals.
  • More than 50 nest boxes maintained for native cavity nesting birds including Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Black-capped Chickadees, Wrens and Wood Ducks.
  • More than 95% of newly planted trees and shrubs are indigenous native plants.
Environmental Protection: 
  • Maintenance of pond buffer zones to reduce fertilizer/pesticide runoff.
  • Spoon-feeding of fertilizers - a slow release variety to prevent excessive nutrient loading.
  • Limited use of phosphorous fertilizer dependent upon soil conditions.
  • Protection of land banks from erosion via riprap and fabric.
  • Control of aquatic weed growth with biological controls and Amur carp.
  • Maintenance of irrigation pumps and sprinklers to ensure efficient use of water.
  • Reduction of noise pollution near residences through the use of an electric mower for daily early morning greens mowing.
  • Recycled storm runoff water is the primary irrigation source.
  • Recycling of Food Service cooking oil.
  • Recycling of landscape debris and use of it on Recreation Department property. No landscape waste leaves the property.
Integrated Pest Management:
  • Golf course turf grass varieties are maintained at optimal health to avoid unnecessary chemical inputs.
  • Insects, weeds and diseases are not treated unless they exceed predetermined economic thresholds.
  • Pesticides are chosen based on their effectiveness and their least impact on the environment.
Public Outreach & Education:
  • Sponsor of the Glen Ellyn Backyard Wildlife Program to inform interested residents of departmental environmental activities and provide advice regarding individualized projects.
  • Participation in the North American Bird Watching Open.
  • Provision of Environmental Speakers Bureau.
  • The Village Links was the first public golf course in the world to be certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary by Audubon International. 
 
Office & Village Facilities
Heating & Air Conditioning:
  • Reduced electrical energy usage through high-efficiency air conditioning and dehumidification systems.
  • Utilization of thermostats with digital calendars to allow adjustments when buildings are not in use. 
  • Utilization of external duct insulation for smoother airflow and lower electrical usage.
Lighting Design:
  • Reduction in the required number of light fixtures through installation of more modern lighting, and utilization of whiter light product.    
  • Replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs. 
  • Installation of several dozen switches to automatically activate with a motion sensor, where appropriate.
  • Installation of dimmer devices that reduce lighting output of the fixture proportionally to the amount of sunlight sensed in the space.   
Refuse and Recycling Practices:
  • Recycling program in place for aluminum, glass, plastic and paper used in the workplace.
  • Recycling program in place for ink jet and laser jet print cartridges.
  • Encouraging the use of double-sided copying to save paper.
  • Movement towards providing digital handouts and forms available on the website to avoid paper usage. 
  • Encouraging the use of email correspondence to avoid paper usage.
  • Movement away from styrofoam cups to paper cups.
Facility Maintenance Practices:
  • Incorporation of green chemicals and cleaning products into routine maintenance supplies.
  • Incorporation of green cleaning equipment (vacuums, mopping systems, carpet machines) into maintenance inventory.
  • Incorporation of energy saving design elements in the Civic Center Gymnasium.
Planning & Development Department
  • Requirement of tree protection plan during construction.
  • Watering requirement during demolition to reduce dust and airborne debris.
  • Silt fencing requirement during construction to mitigate erosion.
  • Adoption of 2006 ICC International Energy Conservation Code.
  • Compliance with the DuPage County Stormwater Ordinance and Best Management Practices.
  • Encourage use of stormwater holding tanks and drywells. 
  • Requirement of use of high efficiency furnaces.
  • Encourages the use of manufactured materials in lieu of wood, earth cooling systems and on-demand boilers.
Public Works Department: Maintenance & Operations
  • Use of traffic safety arrow boards and radar trailers with solar power.
  • Provide & maintain commuter-parking facilities to encourage use of public transportation.
  • Provide & maintain bike racks to encourage reduction of vehicle use.
  • Conversion of the majority of traffic signals to LED lighting.
  • Automated spreading of road salt and anti-ice solutions, reducing the negative impact of chloride entering the Village's stormwater.
  • Recycling of wood into usable mulch.
  • Recycling of scrap metals, tires and other materials.
  • Designation of Tree City USA for 25 consecutive years.
  • Comprehensive forestry management program:
 
  • Systematic tree maintenance and new plantings.
  • Community education regarding tree care.
  • Diversified planting program.
  • Tree preservation plans required for building permits & large projects.
  • Registration of tree care companies required.
 

The Village of Glen Ellyn   535 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn IL 60137  (630) 469-5000