Green to start at home in Island Lake

Island Lake isn't just telling its residents to be more environmentally friendly, it wants to start at village hall.

The village board agreed Thursday night to sign the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus' Greenest Region Compact, which lays out strategies for making village operations more ecologically responsible.

"The idea behind this, besides trying to do what we can to protect our environment ... it is also something that will benefit the village," Trustee Rich Garling said in introducing the measure.

The compact, signed by several Illinois communities, urges water conservation education, electronic waste recycling and CFL lightbulb distribution as high priorities, but also addresses other air, energy, land, waste and water changes.

"We have a plan of action (now)," Garling said, adding that Island Lake already participates in electronic and chemical waste recycling. "We're doing some of the things right now."

Other aspects to the plan include retro-fitting diesel engines in village vehicles so they pollute less. The village could also install LED traffic signals and plant more trees to meet some of the goals.

Garling suggested putting a video on the village's Web site that would give residents ideas on what they could do to be more environmentally friendly in their own homes. He said just turning off showers while you're shampooing saves water and money.

"There's a lot of little things we all can do," Garling said.

Trustees and village officials expressed approval for signing the Clean Air Resolution, despite its nonbinding nature.

"I think municipalities need to stand forward," Mayor Tom Hyde said. "It is our future."