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Sustainable
Cook
County

   News from the Cook County Sustainability Office
        and Department of Environmental Control
Cook County Cook County Ahead of Target in Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Fighting Climate Change

Cook County is exceeding its target for reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from its buildings, the County's  2015 Sustainability Report shows. Greenhouse Gas Emissions have decreased by 11 percent since they were measured in 2010, an achievement that surpasses its target of an 8 percent reduction from 2010 through 2014.
Environment and Emergency Management Team up to Keep Public, First Responders Safer from Liquid Hazardous Waste
 
From left to right: Raymond Kay, Intelligence s
Specialist, MABAS-Illinois; Deborah Stone, Director, Cook County Department of Environmental Control; Gene Ryan, Director of Planning, Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Kevin Schnoes, Deputy Director, Cook County Department of Environmental Control. Photo credit, Jeff Rodriguez
An ordinance approved by the Cook County Board will require businesses that store hazardous chemicals such as acids, solvents and other highly toxic chemicals to report the type and location of the chemicals and how they are stored. 

The information collected will be kept by the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and will be available to first responders.

Also supporting the ordinance was Raymond Kay, intelligence specialist for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System of Illinois, a statewide mutual aid cooperative that includes all fire departments within Cook County.  More details. 
County Announces Multi-Site Construction With Major Energy Savings

Another important energy milestone: 
Cook County's Residential Treatment Unit (RTU) recently received LEED Silver Certification. (Photographer: Darris Lee Harris)
Construction is under way for $44.2 million in Cook County building improvements under guaranteed energy savings agreements awarded in June 2015. These energy efficiency projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and upgrade lighting infrastructure, aging mechanical systems and temperature controls. The expense savings will fund these improvements over time.

This work is part of the Cook County Sustainability Plan which aims to reduce carbon emissions from County facilities by 80 percent over the coming decades. Through the efforts of its Green Leadership Team, the County's focus on integrating energy-efficient and green practices into day-to-day operations resulted in Cook County being recognized among the recipients of the Governor's Sustainability Awards, presented by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in November 2015.

 Achieve your Goals in the Forest Preserves




Want to Save on your Electric Bill?  Join our Lunch & Learns






January is Radon Awareness Month:   Test, Fix and Save a Life



USEPA Official Lauds Suburban Cook Company for Addressing Food Waste




Tell Cook County how to improve North Avenue



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Our Mission

The Cook County Department of Environmental Control follows Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's directive that our County become a world-class model of sustainability. We are working not only to boost sustainability practices throughout County government, but also to join forces with local governments, nonprofits and business, to accomplish more than we could separately in making each of Cook County's communities sustainable. To further communications about our work, we have developed this
 e-newsletter, along with our two websites. 


February, 2016