One way for volunteers to help is to join one of the seven subcommittees that the GSTF has established.
CARBON REDUCTION - The objective of this subcommittee is to guide the Village in making energy-efficient choices and educate the community concerning how each of us can make a positive difference in the move away from hydrocarbon fuels and adopt lifestyle changes to reduce greenhouse gases and our overall carbon footprint. We will do this by:
- Developing a baseline data set of our individual and community carbon footprint to measure progress against
- Developing educational programs to inform residents and businesses on steps that they can take to reduce energy consumption and adopt renewable energy use
- Developing specific actions that the village, schools, park district and library can undertake to impact energy use and renewable energy adoption
- Evaluating potential ordinance changes that will help drive energy conservation and renewable energy adoption
Eco-Landscapes - The Eco-Landscape subcommittee's objectives are as follows:
- Significantly decrease the use of treated water, chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and gas-powered equipment in the community
- Significantly increase the use of native plant species, including grasses, and the “rewilding” of private and public spaces
- Significantly reduce the presence of non-native/invasive plant species
- Introduce and enforce policies and practices to significantly reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and gas-powered landscaping equipment in the Village.
PUBLIC AWARENESS - This subcommittee works to help create awareness of the GSTF as well as support all the GSTF initiatives to inspire action within our community. We do this through social media, Village email distribution lists, D35 newsletters, our online blog, public signage, new resident Welcome kits, and ongoing and annual events. The subcommittee meets regularly once per month to evaluate task force needs and to see how we can improve our task force visibility throughout the community.
WATER, RAVINES AND TREES - The Water, Ravines and Trees team works with local and regional government, and private stakeholders to define the issues surrounding maintaining a healthy ravine system, promote water conservation and encourage best practices regarding the protection of our heritage trees. Specific actions have included:
- Maintaining contact with the Lake County Storm Water Management Commission as they develop the Lake Michigan Watershed Ravine Management Plan as well as seeking their guidance on the condition and needs of the Glencoe ravine system.
- Preparing for distribution of a ravine management educational brochure for ravine property owners. This effort is part of our ongoing project to finish work initiated several years ago to establish a ravine alliance to get owners vested in the stewardship of the ravines.
- Evaluation of tree protection ordinances from surrounding municipalities and the Morton Arboretum and supplying recommendations to Village staff on “best practices”
RECYCLING & WASTE REDUCTION - Sustainability is the care and respect of all things, and within the Waste Reduction and Recycling subcommittee our efforts concentrate on actively engaging the care and respect needed for Glencoe to live, work and play using the 4 Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). The proliferation of disposable masks, single-use plastics and solid waste during COVID-19 has further highlighted the necessity of embracing sustainable materials and reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills. Through collaboration with the various community bodies, active education and events, we hope to achieve our goal: that the residents of Glencoe live by the 4Rs as second nature, thus helping the world with its ever-growing waste problem.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS – The objectives of the Sustainable Business Subcommittee are as follows:
- Position the STF as a resource to assist Glencoe’s businesses in becoming more sustainable
- As a partner, not a “watchdog”, encourage, support and recognize local businesses in their adoption of more sustainable practices
- Help local businesses help Glencoe residents become more sustainable (through such things as their product offerings, bag use, utensils)
- Attract, retain and help grow sustainable businesses and non-profit organizations in Glencoe as an “incubator”/“magnet” for those types of businesses/organizations
- Determine the next steps in the business program in terms of policies, incentives, programs.
Need Help? info@villageofglencoe.org | (847) 835-4111