Don't throw out that light bulb -- recycle it in Barrington

Add Barrington to the list of communities going green.

The village announced this week it's among 19 communities participating in a new recycling program for compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Sponsored by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, the program was created to help area residents properly dispose of burnt-out bulbs.

With the new environmentally friendly bulbs becoming more popular, the agency wanted to establish a proper way to dispose of them from the start said Mary Allen, recycling and education director for SWANCC.

"We thought this was a good time to begin this," Allen said. "We wanted to be proactive."

Unlike regular light bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs must be disposed of properly because of the small amounts of mercury they contain, Allen added.

Each has about five milligrams sealed in glass tubing, SWANCC officials said.

Allen said that since mercury poses potential health risks, the bulbs should not be simply tossed into the garbage.

Barrington offers three sites for CFL recycling.

Bulbs may be dropped off at Village Hall, 200 S. Hough Street, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; the public works building at 300 N. Raymond Avenue between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and the public safety building at 400 N. Northwest Highway 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

According to Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, CFL's use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.

The Illinois Bureau of Energy and Recycling estimates that if each household in the state replaced one incandescent bulb with one 18-watt CFL, the results would be equivalent of removing 294,000 tons of carbon emissions from the air.

For information, visit Barrington's web site at ci.barrington.il.us.

Chili time: With bone-chilling weather outside, the Barrington Area Unit District 220 Educational Foundation recently spent time trying to warm everyone up.

The Foundation, a not-for-profit organization of volunteers who develop private funding for learning initiatives in the school district, recently hosted a Chili Party fundraiser at Millrose Restaurant and Brewing Co. in South Barrington.

The event featured a live auction, music and plenty of food -- and it raised $37,000.

The money will be used to help fund the April 4 appearance by author Madeline Levine. She will discuss her book "The Price of Privilege."

Since its creation in 1999, the foundation has raised more than $1.5 million for numerous projects, including equipping all kindergarten through third-grade classrooms in the district with sound amplification systems and the permanent installation of the BHS-TV student production studio and classroom at the high school.

For information, visit 220foundation.org.