Do you have confidential documents lying around? Then come on out to Shred Fest and see them shredded before your very eyes! This event is free for residents. Bring unwanted confidential documents to be shredded and sent for recycling.
Shred Fest is happening on October 28 from 9am to 12pm at the Midwest Fiber Facility, located at 422 South White Oak Road in Normal. This event is brought to you by COPS Paper Shredding who is celebrating their 20th anniversary at Shred Fest!
Fall in Love with Leaf Management Practices
According to the fall color report, Central Illinois will soon become a painting. Hues of orange, yellow, and purple from the maples, oaks, dogwoods, and hazelnuts will paint the trees. Peak leaf change is set to happen in late October. Although fall brings this wonderful color change, cooler temperatures, and the infamous pumpkin spice latte, it also brings raking.
Raking, while annoying for those without children to bribe, can also be harmful. When leaves are incorrectly raked into the street, they block water from entering the drains, causing street flooding. Some of those leaves also wash down the drains and become a storm water pollutant. It may sound odd that something 100% natural like leaves can be a source of water pollution. However, when large amounts of them enter creeks, streams, and lakes unnaturally, through storm drains, they decompose, increasing nitrogen levels, and removing oxygen from the water. When oxygen is removed, plants and wildlife can suffocate. Additionally, decreased amounts of oxygen in waterways create algae blooms which result in bad odors, unpleasant tastes in local drinking water, and can lead to harmful bacteria growth. To avoid this, make sure that you rake your leaves to the curb, not the street, let them stay where they fell, or compost them!
Letting the leaves stay where they fall is really beneficial for our lawns, gardens, and for biodiversity! Leaf litter is an important component of healthy soil because it releases nutrients into the soil and keeps it moist as it decomposes. Leaves also serve as great nesting material, hiding places, and protected spots for animals. Dead organic material provides the perfect habitat for a plethora of organisms including worms, snails, spiders, bees, and microscopic decomposers like fungi and bacteria. Leave your leaves where they fall, rake them into garden beds to serve as natural mulch, or rake them into small piles in more hidden areas of your yard, like behind the garage or along a fence line. If you have too many leaves for this method, you can mow some of the leaves into the lawn to break them into smaller pieces. They will no longer be a great space for nesting animals, but will still provide natural nutrients for your lawn.
No matter the color of your leaves, they are a fantastic source of nitrogen and an important component to a healthy compost pile. Composting is a great way to utilize your leaves, reduce your waste, and keep local waterways clean. Plus, leaves generate free fertilizer for your lawn and garden. If you want to start composting visit CompostBN.org to find some helpful instructions and tips. When you keep your leaves in your yard, either through composting or leaf litter, you keep the organic material on-site, rejuvenating your soil and completing nature’s nutrient cycle.
Don’t Let Your Energy Bills Scare You
The amount of money we spend on energy in our homes can be downright ghastly, and the thought of making energy efficiency upgrades can be daunting. Do not be afraid! The Ecology Action Center is here to help you battle your energy demons.
You probably have vampires in your house. Energy vampires. That phone charger plugged into the wall but not charging a phone, laptop chargers plugged in even when the computer battery is full, or televisions with the little standby light on. These items suck up electricity you aren’t even using. Not to worry, you can slay these energy vampires easily, no wooden stakes needed. If an electronic item is not in use, unplug it! Can't unplug? Use power strips or smart strips than can easily be switched off to reduce idle time of "sleeping" computers, TVs, and video game consoles.
There is a reason people are scared of basements - they are full of energy monsters! Evil air leaks eat away at your energy bill. Old inefficient furnaces, boilers, and water heaters clang and hiss! Fortunately, the EAC staff is not afraid of basements (just spiders) because we know how to tame these monsters.
Air-seal around wall penetrations in exterior basement walls (where pipes and cables come in) to reduce air leaks. Have your HVAC equipment serviced annually to ensure it is functioning properly, and change the filter on your air-handler at least every three months.
Think you home needs an exorcism because you’ve noticed dark streaks on parts of your walls? This kind of ghosting can be busted without a team showing up to your house in a souped-up hearse. Thermal tracking is a dark build-up along stud lines caused by particulate matter in the air sticking to condensation on colder parts of the wall. This means there is too much moisture in the home, maybe too much particulate matter (pet hair, dust, soot from candles), and not enough ventilation. If you see this a lot in the winter along with condensation on your windows, the humidity level in your home is likely too high.
If you are still feelings spooked by all of this, who you gonna call? The EAC! We can come do a full inspection of your home, and help you identify some energy savings tricks that are a real treat. You can use the money you will save on energy costs to buy more candy next year! Register for an energy audit at bnenergybright.org, or contact Larissa at 309-454-3169 x15 or larmstrong@ecologyactioncenter.org.
Happy Halloween!
The Ecology Action Center is looking ahead to the future!
Most of the funding to pay for the Ecology Action Center's critical environmental work comes from contracts with the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, and the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. These contracts are largely focused on meeting environmental mandates or other initiatives. However, mandate-driven funding is not sufficient to facilitate meaningful long-term change. The Ecology Action Center is dependent upon membership contributions and private donations from our community, and grants to supplement local government funding to better meet the environmental needs of our community.
In June of 2022, the EAC Board of Directors established a new revenue source to provide more long-term income, the 2071 ENDOWMENT FUND. They chose that name because the year 2071 will be the Ecology Action Center’s 100th year of service to our community. The objective of this fund is to generate annual interest to supplement other funding sources; this will allow for long-term stability and financial viability, will reduce dependence on public funding and serve as a safety net for unanticipated economic downturns.
Community members interested in learning more about contributing to the 2071 Fund should contact our Development Coordinator, Deborah Pitcher at dpitcher@ecologyactioncenter.org, or call her at (309) 454-3169 x17. Contributions can also be made online at ecologyactioncenter.org/2071fund.
EAC’s Financial Resources Committee practices prudent financial management of all donated funds with attention to environmental, social and ethical investment platforms. As the EAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. The 2071 Endowment Fund also accepts donations in the form of IRA required minimal distributions, stocks and charitable gift annuities.
Don’t be Spooked by Composting This Year
Come November the only spooky thing on your front porch is that rotting jack-o-lantern. Instead of throwing it in the trash, compost it! Having pumpkins rot in the landfill is terrifying! When they decompose they release methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. There are many fun and easy ways to make sure that your pumpkins stay out of the landfill. So once they start looking peaked try doing one of these four things:
Compost in a backyard compost pile! If you are starting composting from scratch check out CompostBN.org or call 309-454-3169 for advice. Fifty-five-gallon composting bins are available for purchase at the Ecology Action Center.
Compost with the BN Community Composting Program*! This program allows you to compost more than just pumpkins. You can also compost your meat, dairy, bones, prepared foods, pizza boxes, and BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certified compostable containers. Learn more about Community Composting and get started today by visiting BNCommunityComposting.org.
Compost through ISU Sustainability’s Annual Pumpkin Compost Drive! For the entire month of November, you can drop off pumpkins and gourds anytime in the green bins outside of the Office of Sustainability located at 305 North School Street in Normal.
Compost at the 2023 Radar Farms Pumpkin Smash on November 4th from 10-2pm! More information about this event can be found at raderfamilyfarms.com
Please note that pumpkins with paint or glitter are not accepted for composting. Please remember to remove stickers and any other decorations before composting.
*putting the pumpkin in a compostable bag still required. Break it into smaller bits, or buy some 5gal bags at the EAC
I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair, But Not Down the Drain!
Did you know that 1 in 5 households have a septic system for waste water? Here in McLean County, most residents living outside city limits use one. Septic systems work by collecting wastewater from drains and toilets. The solids and scum are collected inside a septic tank while the liquid is pumped into the septic drain field. There, bacteria break down the wastewater pollutants. The treated discharge is then returned to the soil and groundwater.
If your home is on a septic system, it is important to remember not to strain your drain, as efficient water usage helps to improve it's operation. This means not only conserving water, but also not running your dishwasher, laundry machine, and shower all at the same time. Additionally, it is important to get your system regularly inspected by a reputable service provider.
Whether you use a septic system or are on city waste water, it is important to know what you should and should NOT put down your sinks and drains.
Do not pour grease or fats in their liquid or solid form down the drains. Even if grease is poured down drains in its liquid form, it will quickly harden clogging both septic and municipal systems. Instead, grease that does not have food particles in it can be disposed of at Team Automotive and Tire, 1223 S. Adelaide in Normal.
Do not dispose of chemicals or medications in drains or toilets. These materials pollute local waterways. Instead use the Recycle Coach app or RecycleBN.org to learn how to properly and safely dispose of these items.
Please remember that your toilet is not a trash can! The only things that can be flushed are human waste and toilet paper. Things like paper towels, baby wipes, thick facial tissue, and feminine products should never be flushed down the toilet. Other products labeled “flushable" are not - this is false marketing! These products do not break down or disperse in septic or municipal systems like toilet paper does. Instead, they clog the systems which can lead to expensive repairs.
Project to Monitor Air Quality in the Community
The Ecology Action Center is excited to announce the new Bloomington-Normal Community Air Research and Education project also known as, BN-CARE. The funding for this program has been awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, through the Air Quality Monitoring for Communities grant. The grant is part of the America’s Rescue Plan (ARP) funding.
BN-CARE aims to increase awareness and understanding of the relationship between local air quality and public health. The project will also facilitate partnership-building and collaborative efforts to improve air quality in our community.
Three stationary air quality monitors will be installed in areas that experience disproportionate impacts of pollution, also known as environmental justice areas. These areas are in southwest Bloomington and northwest Normal. The monitors will measure particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They will provide real-time data, accessible to the public. BN-CARE will also have nine portable air quality monitors to measure short-term hot spots, and to train and educate community members and students. Data collection will take place over the course of three years.
Another element of BN-CARE is to increase tree equity in the environmental justice areas, where tree canopy coverage is lacking. Trees were already planted at Heartland Community College and the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District through the Ecology Action Center’s Tree Corps program. Over the course of three years, the BN-CARE program hopes to plant 7,000 trees. On average, the trees will sequester nearly 433 tons of CO2 each year.
Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks to health. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that poor air quality is responsible for more than 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poor air quality can exacerbate health conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease.
Exposure to air pollution can vary widely within communities due to factors like proximity to industrial facilities and highways, and tree density. Currently, there is only one air quality monitoring site in Bloomington-Normal. It is located on the Illinois State University campus and does not provide an accurate picture of the air quality in the community. Increasing air quality monitoring capacity in Bloomington-Normal is necessary to capture more inclusive data that will better guide efforts to reduce exposure. BN-CARE will help accurately quantify the air pollution in our community, improve awareness of air pollution and its related health effects, support local action to find solutions, and help mitigate the risks from exposure.
The Ecology Action Center is partnering with other local organizations including Illinois State University’s Department of Health Sciences, the Bloomington-Normal NAACP, the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District, the Town of Normal, City of Bloomington, and McLean County. Be sure to watch for upcoming updates as the program gets up and running!
Free Trees for West Bloomington Properties
As part of the Tree Corps 10,000 trees per year initiative for Bloomington-Normal and McLean County, the EAC is proud to announce a new tree planting program for income-qualified residents of West Bloomington. Native trees are now available upon request for residents of West Bloomington to have planted at their properties while supplies last.
According on environmental and socio-economic indexes available from the US EPA EJScreen tool at epa.gov/ejscreen, West Bloomington has an Environmental Justice area where there are disproportionate rates of exposure to environmental pollution. By planting native trees in this area, we can work to improve local air quality and public health for residents of West Bloomington. Trees are a simple and inexpensive strategy to help remove air pollutants and sequester carbon emissions while also cooling temperatures in urban areas.
Please help us spread the word on this opportunity to West Bloomington residents, property owners, landlords, or small businesses. Please contact the EAC Tree Coordinator Jake Mehalic at 309-454-3169 x18, jmehalic@ecologyactioncenter.org, or visit Tree-Corps.org/freetree. If you would like to volunteer during upcoming tree planting efforts, sign up below. Many hands, make light the work!
New Recycling Facebook Group for Members of McLean County
Do you find recycling to be confusing? Have questions about what is or is not recyclable? Then join the Ecology Action Center’s new Facebook group titled Reduce, Reuse, Recycle WHAT?! In McLean County, Illinois. This group is open to all McLean county residents who want answers about the recyclability of products and information on proper disposal of household waste. The group is moderated by Ecology Action Center employees to ensure that all information shared is accurate. Go on facebook.com/groups/mcleancountyilrecycling to join today!
material, hiding places, and protected spots for animals. Dead organic material provides the perfect habitat for a plethora of organisms including worms, snails, spiders, bees, and microscopic decomposers like fungi and bacteria. Leave your leaves where they fall, rake them into garden beds to serve as natural mulch, or rake them into small piles in more hidden areas of your yard, like behind the garage or along a fence line. If you have too many leaves for this method, you can mow some of the leaves into the lawn to break them into smaller pieces. They will no longer be a great space for nesting animals, but will still provide natural nutrients for your lawn. 
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jack-o-lantern. Instead of throwing it in the trash, compost it! Having pumpkins rot in the landfill is terrifying! When they decompose they release methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. There are many fun and easy ways to make sure that your pumpkins stay out of the landfill. So once they start looking peaked try doing one of these four things:
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indexes available from the US EPA EJScreen tool at 
