Government Conservation Practices
The state of Illinois has on-going efforts in preventing pollution and conserving natural resources in state government operations. Jeri Knaus of the Waste Management and Research Center is a leader in promoting these sustainable practices in government. She has taken her sustainable practice experiences to another level by promoting energy efficiency and recycling to local governments, schools, and business. Over the past year she has traveled the state, giving presentations that provide knowledge and training on how to save energy in schools, businesses, offices, park districts, and churches. She has assisted in writing successful grant applications for energy efficient lighting upgrades in schools and park districts; and recycling grants in county offices. In addition to her outreach efforts, Knaus obtained a recycling grant of almost $50,000 that will be used by four DNR parks in Southern Illinois.
Knaus this year requested from all DNR sites an inventory of used tires that have been dumped or drifted upon site from waterways. She then submitted this inventory to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for pick-up and recycling of more than 1,500 used tires. The Used Tire Management Fund pays for the project. This is not a one-time project, as IEPA has authority to pick up tires from state and federal sites as needed and as money allows. With the ongoing threat of West Nile Virus, this will allow sites to get rid of the tires that would be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
This year, Knaus also met with IEPA's Pollution Prevention Office to demonstrate energy efficient, color-balanced T10 fluorescent lighting and discuss using Occupancy Sensors. As a result, the IEPA retrofitted the entire Springfield office building with T10 lamps and occupancy sensor for energy savings.
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