The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) anticipates residents will spend more money heating their homes this coming winter. Nearly half of U.S. households heat their homes with natural gas, and the EIA is estimating they will pay 30% more this winter on average. Residents with electric heat could see an increase of around 6% in heating costs. The Ecology Action Center is here to help you keep those cost increases down. Contact Larissa (larmstrong@ecologyactioncenter.org or 309-454-3169 x15) to sign up for a low-cost home energy audit (we offer in-person and virtual audit services), and our staff can help identify areas to increase your home's energy efficiency and keep those energy costs low.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day - October 23, 2021
Our prescription medicines keep us healthy, but they pose harmful risks to the environment if not disposed of properly. When consumers flush expired or unwanted prescription medications down the drain, the active ingredients in those medications end up in our water systems. Wastewater treatment plants cannot filter out medications completely, so a portion of the active ingredients will make its way into our lakes, rivers, and streams. These active ingredients can harm aquatic life in our waters.
To dispose of your pharmaceuticals and protect our aquatic ecosystems, bring your prescription drugs to a designated drop-off location on
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On Saturday, October 23 you can find convenient drop-off locations in your community where you can dispose of your prescription drugs safely.
Check out these drop-off locations on Saturday, October 23 from 10:00am-2:00pm and participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day:
Normal Police Department, 100 E. Phoenix Ave, Normal, IL 61761
Lexington Police Department, 329 W. Main St, Lexington, IL 61753
LeRoy Police Department, 110 S. East St, LeRoy, IL 61752
Stanford Police Department, 206 W. Main St., Stanford, IL 61774
Chenoa Police Department, 201 Green St, Chenoa, IL 61726
The Many "C"s of COVID-era Recycling
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented impacts on every aspect of our lives, including waste management and recycling. As much of the global population stayed home, commercial and industrial waste generation decreased. However, while many municipalities were limiting collection in order to safely and efficiently operate with a reduced workforce, residential waste generation skyrocketed. In many cities around the globe, this combination overwhelmed residential trash collection efforts and severely curtailed recycling. Worldwide, some locations saw three-fold increases in illegal waste disposal, while others reported a four-fold rise in plastic waste alone. With strains on the manufacturing workforce and record demand for online shopping, the market value of cardboard increased so much that some locations worldwide are reporting piracy of sorts, as cardboard intended for recycling is stolen and illegally sold to recyclers.
Community Trends
Cleaning and Convenience
In McLean County, as elsewhere, single-use plastics dominated trash bins as residents turned to carryout meals and disposable PPE. Intensified cleaning routines likely drove a rise in the generation of hazardous waste, and use of other disposable items such as cleaning wipes. Although commercial/industrial waste volume tended to decrease, use of cardboard and plastic rose sharply as residents opted for delivery and online purchasing rather than making excursions to the store.
Composting
Residents across the USA cooked more and spent time on yard work while at home, and nationwide food and yard waste trended up. At the same time, McLean County restaurant business plummeted, and so did composting of restaurant food waste. As this was happening, public works staff were assigned to smaller teams for safety reasons, and residents were encouraged by the municipalities and the Ecology Action Center to compost yard waste to ease the burden of reduced collection schedules. Although restaurant waste typically comprises a major portion of our area’s food waste, reduced yard waste collection schedules and an increased focus on backyard composting may also have contributed to the significant decrease we measured in recovery of food and yard waste. Home composting is not included in the data, so it is possible the county’s overall rate of composting remained steadier than the numbers reflect.
Containers
Because residents have likely been consuming more food and beverages at home, significant increases were also expected in recycling of metal, glass, and plastic containers nationwide. These trends may have been stymied by interruptions in collection and in the workforce, and were not reflected in McLean County statistics.
County-Wide Successes
Carrying the Torch
While some municipalities worldwide diverted recyclables to landfills in early stages of the pandemic, haulers servicing McLean County continued to pick up recycling throughout 2020. Bravo!
Cars
Figures for automotive fluid reclamation suggest a significant reduction in the number of miles motor vehicles were driven.
Cardboard
Cardboard and paper recycling increased significantly, suggesting that online shoppers were diligent about recycling boxes.
Consistent Progress
Preliminary data suggest changes in our region’s recycling were consistent with national and global deviations that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a slew of changes and interruptions, our community has continued to reduce overall solid waste, and McLean County remains ahead of reported national averages for recycling.
Continuing the Trend
Many of the above changes are temporary, yet some will persist at least through this season. Here are a few things we can all do to keep our community on the leading edge of recycling trends:
Opt for reusable cleaning cloths and masks when possible.
When ordering carryout, ask that disposable extras like napkins and plastic forks be omitted from your order.
If ordering online, group items for the fewest shipments.
Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps (our workshops provide backyard composting best practices which can help you avoid incubating invasive worms!), and/or sign up for our BN Community Compost Program.
Meet the EAC's New Staff Member!
The Ecology Action Center is happy to introduce our newest staff member, Riley Francis. Riley’s work at the EAC will focus on educating children in
McLean County about our local water system and recycling, completing the EAC's Community Energy Strategic Plan, and working to promote clean air, clean water, and smart waste disposal in our community.
Riley is passionate about renewable energy, recycling, greenhouse gas tracking and reporting, and serving the community. Before joining the EAC, Riley worked for a local solar energy company. Riley has experience working on greenhouse gas inventories for nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and she coordinated her college’s recycling program.
When Riley is not at the Ecology Action Center - you can find her at the library, on her bike, or baking and decorating cookies at Grove Street Bakery. Join us in welcoming Riley to the Ecology Action Center team!
