So you likely have heard us talk about a potential future permanent Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Facility which would take the place of our semi-regular annual or every other year HHW collection events. This would greatly reduce the barriers to access the critical service of proper disposal for Household Hazardous Waste products that many of us use daily in our homes.
We've been working towards the possibility of a local HHW facility for about 10 years now. During that time there have been significant fluctuations in the economy as well as multiple changes in leadership at the Illinois EPA, a critical partner in this process; both of these factors have delayed down our efforts. Pursing a local HHW facility was made a high priority for our community in the 2017 solid waste plan the EAC developed on behalf of McLean County, the City of Bloomington, and the Town of Normal, with the boards of all three governments voting to adopt that plan as written.
Late last year the EAC completed a feasibility study to determine the need and the costs for a possible HHW facility in McLean County. The summary report of the findings is now available on our website. The report strongly demonstrates the need and benefits for a HHW facility, which could be the first such site in central Illinois. However, capital costs for property and construction as well as operational costs both present new challenges to moving forward. With recent economic changes, our local governments and the State of Illinois are all tightening their budgets. This combined with the very recent cuts in federal grants available means we need to be looking hard for funding opportunities to make this happen.
We had hoped that a bill in the Illinois General Assembly introduced by Representative Chung and Senator Koehler would help address capital and operational costs through a system known as "extended producer responsibility" or EPR. This would follow the model of the existing statewide Illinois E-waste recycling program which has been very successful. Unfortunately this bill did not pass during the current session but hopefully will get more support next session.
If YOU believe that a permanent McLean County Household Hazardous Waste collection facility would be beneficial, we would be grateful for your support. Please help spread the word and please donate to our HHW Facility Fund. As always, donations to the EAC are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.
Donor & Board Member Spotlight!
Few names are as deeply woven into the history of the Ecology Action Center as Myra and George Gordon. Their involvement traces back to the early days of the organization (then known as Operation Recycle) in the 1970s, and their commitment to environmental advocacy continues to this day—even after their recent move to western Massachusetts in 2023.
Myra’s journey with Operation Recycle began in 1972, shortly after marrying George and moving to Normal, Illinois. George introduced her to the monthly drives when he decided to recycle his growing stack of old newspapers. Myra was quickly drawn in. She started by recruiting local churches and synagogues to help with the events, then volunteered at the drives, later organized them, and soon joined the organization’s small but mighty board.
At the time, Operation Recycle was powered entirely by volunteers. Any profits generated went right back into the community—supporting local environmental efforts like trail building at the Lake Bloomington Girl Scout camp, town beautification with planters, and tree planting at the new park being built around Evergreen Lake.
When Mid Central Community Action offered Operation Recycle a chance to become a full-time recycling center, Myra was hired as Recycling Coordinator. Under her leadership, services expanded to local businesses, educational programming for youth was introduced, and recycling rates in Bloomington-Normal grew substantially.
As municipal recycling services were eventually adopted by the cities, Operation Recycle transitioned into the Ecology Action Center, continuing its mission through education and broader environmental advocacy. George, a retired professor of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, served as the McLean County Board’s liaison to the EAC and chaired its Land Use and Development Committee for many years, bringing valuable insight and influence to environmental policy.
Even in retirement, both Myra and George have continued to give back. Myra went on to serve as Executive Director of the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, and together, the Gordons have united their passions by creating an Endowment Fund at the Foundation to ensure the EAC’s work can thrive for generations to come.
Their dedication is far from symbolic—they remain active supporters and board members of the EAC from afar. Myra also played a pivotal role in the creation of the EAC’s Tree Corps initiative, helping plant tens-of-thousands of trees in McLean County.
“We love the environmental strides that the citizens of Bloomington and Normal, together with the municipal and county governments, have made through the years, thanks to the EAC,” the Gordons shared. “We want to make sure that it will continue far into the future. Thank you, Michael Brown and the EAC.”
The Ecology Action Center is deeply grateful to Myra and George Gordon for their decades of unwavering commitment, generous spirit, and inspiring vision for a sustainable future. Can’t contain your love for EAC? Send our Development Coordinator Deborah your thoughts to be published in our newsletter dpitcher@ecologyactioncenter.org
Earth Month Events!
Have you checked BN Green Events lately? If so, you might have seen that the EAC is busy with lots of workshops, programs, and volunteering opportunities. Check out below all the cool things going on at the EAC!
YARD SMART WORKSHOPS!
• Rain Barrels: Spring time means rain which means it is a great time to start collecting rain water to be used on your garden later in the season. This will put less strain on your wallet and on our municipal water system. The EAC’s rain barrel workshops start in April and run through fall. Rain barrel workshops last about an hour and cost $55 ($45 for EAC Members). At the end of the workshop you will have all the necessary tips, tricks, and tools to start harvesting rain water in your very own rain barrel! Visit ecologyactioncenter.org/workshops to sign up. • Backyard Composting: It is getting to be planting season for central Illinois. It might be too late to make your own compost for this planting season but it is a great time to start your pile to put on next year’s crops. The EAC’s backyard composting workshops run spring to fall and cost $35 ($25 for EAC members) for the workshop and compost bin and $110 for the workshop, compost bin, stirrer, and thermometer. For $120 ($100 for EAC members) attendees receive best practices information and a 275-gallon MEGA Composter made from a repurposed food-grade “tote” with durable plastic cube supported by heavy metal cage. Wooden slates added to help stir and remove compost. Visit ecologyactioncenter.org/workshops to sign up! • Vermicomposting: Wanting to make compost in time to put on your fall crops? Try vermicomposting! Similar to backyard composting, vermicomposting uses red wiggler worms to produce compost fast in the comfort of your own home. The EAC’s vermicomposting workshops run spring to fall and cost $35 for the workshop and vermciomposting bin with hundreds of your new worm friends. Visit ecologyactioncenter.org/workshops to sign up!
PROGRAMS! • Rivian 5k, April 26 (10:30-2:00pm): Want to exercise to make a difference? Then participate in the third annual Rivian 5k/1 mile walk to help benefit the EAC and Friends of the Constitution trail. This event is taking place at Heartland Community Center and is $15 for a runner with family discounts available. Sign up to race at runsignup.com/Race/IL/Normal/Rivian5k.
• International Compost Awareness Week Programs, May 4-10: Learn about commercial, backyard, and vermicomposting in these hour-long programs available at the listed McLean County libraries. Registration may be required, please visit the libraries website to learn more. o El Paso District Library, May 5 (6:00-7:00pm) o Carlock Public Library, May 6 (5:30-6:30pm) o Gridley Public Library, May 7 (6:00-7:00pm) o Normal Public Library-Tour of ISU Farm, May 9 (10-11:30am)
• Bloomington Public Library History Reads Book Club: Living Downstream, May 6 (7:00-8:00pm): Sandra Steingraber, biologist, poet, and survivor of cancer in her twenties, brings all three perspectives to bear on the most important health and human rights issue of our time: the growing body of evidence linking cancer to environmental contaminations. Living Downstream is for all readers who care about the health of their families and future generations. Sandra Steingraber’s brave, clear, and careful voice is certain to break the paralyzing silence on this subject that persists more than three decades after Rachel Carson’s great early warning. Learn more at mchistory.org/events/history-reads-book-club-living-downstream2025-05-06. • Illinois Prairie Wild Ones Native Plant Sale, May 17 (8:00-1:00pm): Available for sale will be a variety of central Illinois native plants that will provide blooms for the entire growing season! These plants will help support hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and more. More information and a tentative list of plants for sale is available at illinoisprairie.wildones.org/nativeplantsale/.
VOLUNTEERING! • Tree Corps: Tree-Corps is the EAC’s initiative to plant 10,000 trees in McLean County annually. Tree Corps prep and planting days are happening most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in March and April. Check out Tree-Corps.org for more specifics and to sign up to volunteer. • Earth Day Constitution Trail and Sugar Creek Clean Up: On April 26 from 9-12pm help pick up trash around Sugar Creek with the Ecology Action Center and friends of the Constitution Trail. Trash pickup will be happening on the trail from the Chateau west to Audubon Gardens. All participants must sign up at ecologyactioncenter.org/volunteering. • Sugar Creek Stewards: Help to improve Sugar Creek by clearing out invasive plant species and managing non-invasive plants in designated areas throughout Bloomington and Normal. This volunteer opportunity occurs on the third Saturday of every month. Learn more and sign up at ecologyactioncenter.org/volunteering.
Watch Your Lawn, John! By: EAC Intern, Keara Gray
The grass is getting greener! As we begin to push through the rest of the Midwest cold, spring is right around the corner. That means it’s time for yard maintenance and beautifying the exterior of your home. But wait just a second. Have you ever reflected on the environmental impacts of mowing your lawn? Many stay on top of grass cutting simply because they desire a manicured look. Unfortunately, this can contribute to issues such as noise and air pollution. Loud mowers can negatively impact wildlife by disrupting their breeding season and reducing their habitat for necessities such as nesting or pollination. Plus, no one likes the neighbor who mows at 6 a.m. in the morning! Over 580 gallons of gas are used annually for power mowers, which requires a large consumption of fossil fuels. A California study on air pollution found that mower emissions per year equaled that produced by 3,500,000 cars that had each drove 16,000 miles!
A better alternative to gas powered mowers would be reel mowers (aka push mowers) which are powered manually and have the least impact on the environment. However, there is still maintenance. Instead of replacing a starter or winterizing your mower, you will need to maintain a sharp the blade. The EAC’s Lawn Mowing pamphlet at YardSmart.org has suggestions on local places to help! If you are limited based on ratio of yard size to physical ability, electric mowers are a less demanding option which avoids usage of fossil fuels, require minimal energy to use, and are much quieter.
Get no enjoyment from cutting grass? Well, did you know that grass really hates to be cut. According to Cornell University’s turf grass expert, Norman Hummel, mowing grass is the violent cutting of living tissue from each stalk, causing it to be deprived of its ability to make food (photosynthesis). When we chop the blades off our grass, this creates ports of entry for disease such as powdery mildew and brown patches. To avoid this, cut no more than 1/3 of the blade at a time to minimize the tissue damage. Short clippings return nitrogen to the soil without choking out the lawn. Leaving your yard “mow-free” can be beneficial in many ways for the environment. Some Instead of decapitating grass, choose low maintenance grass types specific to your local conditions that are resistant to pests, weeds, and drought. popular varieties include: chewing fescues, tall fescues and perennial ryegrasses. Not sure which to choose? Be sure to consult with organic lawn-care books or local experts on the best variety for your yard.
Yard Smart Certification Reminder!
Is your yard certified as being Yard Smart? If so, please let us know! The EAC is working on confirming and updating our list of local Yard Smart certified yards. Please fill out this form so that you make the list!
Wanting your Yard Smart certified yard to be featured in this years Yard Smart Garden Walk? Please email kvogler@ecologyactioncenter.org to start the process. Wondering what a Yard Smart yard is? Learn more and get your yard certified by visiting YardSmart.org.
Coming Soon: State of the Environment
Most of our supporters are very aware of the new threats to the environment by the current administration in Washington. This includes rollbacks of important environmental protections, cuts in funding to address disproportionate impacts of pollution on low income communities or communities of color (including one of EAC's USEPA grants), and much more. It's hard to stay on top of it all as the threats keep coming, seemingly faster and faster. If you follow us on Facebook you will see some occasional updates on this topic there but we will try and give you some updates in our email newsletter going forward.
.png)
.png)
