Naperville looks at a deeper shade of green

Naperville already has a number of environmentally friendly initiatives in place but is looking for ways to be even more green.

The city held an open house Monday to discuss its vision for environmental sustainability and get feedback from residents. Developing such a vision is one of the city council's strategic goals.

"There's always room for improvement, there's always new technology, there's always new possibilities," said Michael Bevis, chief procurement officer. "We need to explore them all the time, and we need to get input from these groups to find those new opportunities and those new ways to do things."

Among the city's current initiatives are using the Internet instead of paper when possible, reducing fuel consumption, using LED lights in traffic signals, monitoring water distribution, offering park-and-ride services to Metra stations, installing a pedestrian bridge over Route 59 and providing residential curbside recycling and a recycling drop-off center. It is also completing a study of its greenhouse gas emissions.

"We're very active," Bevis said. "We have a lot of creative people who are doing programs that are very responsible both fiscally and environmentally."

Resident Mary Finn applauded the city's recycling programs but would like to see more green buildings and open space. She said the city's vision statement should include not only the city itself but also businesses, schools and individual residents.

"I grew up in Naperville when houses were small and cars were small, so in that sense we've gone in the wrong direction, not only in Naperville but the whole country, so I think that's probably the biggest challenge," Finn said.

Alton Mitchell agreed the city is doing well but that there is more it could do. He suggested incentives to motivate people to bike or walk to stores and restaurants.

"Everyone talks about Naperville being a trendsetter and everyone wants to be the best city," Mitchell said. "They always compete with people in Colorado and ... they (judges) always point out some of the environmental factors in why places in Colorado and Minnesota win."

Other suggestions from residents Monday included encouraging planting, using more local supplies, installing solar panels and banning plastic water bottles and grocery bags.

Kate Schrank from the Environmental Law and Policy Center was also at the open house asking residents to sign a petition to encourage Illinois lawmakers to pass more strict emissions laws. Stricter standards would ultimately make it easier for people to purchase cars with better gas mileage and less emissions, she said.

"These cars are already being made; we just don't get them because we haven't said we want the California emission standards, which is more stringent than federal law," Schrank said.

The city will continue to ask for residents' input on its environmental vision through January and bring its recommendations to the city council at a workshop in the winter or spring.