NEST to present Sustainable Naperville 2036 plan to city council Aug. 31

Deadly flooding in Tennessee, record-setting heat, smoke from forest fires spreading across the country: Climate change is a global issue, but a group of Naperville residents is following the wisdom of the late House Speaker Tip O'Neil: All politics is local.

"That means, no, we can't solve all the world's problems, but Naperville can be a leader, just as the leaders of this city have been innovative for almost 200 years," said Jodi Trendler, founder of NEST (Naperville Environmental and Sustainability Task Force).

On Aug. 31, at 6 pm in the city council chambers, NEST and city staff will seek approval to begin the implementation process for the ambitious, detailed plan called "Sustainable Naperville 2036." More than a vision statement, the document calls for specific actions that will have measurable results. Examples include:

• Increasing energy efficiency measures and renewable energy;

• Supporting the transition to electric vehicles;

• Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and developing the circular economy; and

• Maintaining and increasing the urban tree canopy and native plantings.

Efforts to protect the environment are sometimes viewed as bad for the economy, but the NEST plan turns that concern on its head, focusing on how sustainability can enhance, not hinder, prosperity. "For decades, Naperville has been a center for technologically advanced business and industry, while has attracted thousands of high-paying jobs," Trendler said.

But many of those businesses have changed or left the community - think Bell Labs and Amoco, among others - which provides an opportunity to transition to the new technology that the future requires. This means jobs in clean transportation, energy and services.

At the Monday workshop, NEST will be providing information, answering questions and soliciting input from City Council members. Members of the public will also be able to comment and ask questions.

NEST became an official City task force in 2019. The organization includes several committees: Energy; Transportation; Waste; Natural Resources; Building & Planning; and Community Engagement. "We have a wonderful group of talented, dedicated volunteers who make the organization a success," Cathy Clarkin, NEST co-chair said.

For more information, visit www.sustainnaperville.org/2036. Email info@sustainnaperville.org. Call or text 630/621-6176.