2. The focus of this presentation lies in the state of
Illinois, in the Midwestern United States.
3. The Midwest
The
“Heartland”
of America
Although the Midwest
is home to some large
cities such as…
4.
5. Most associate the Midwest
with its
and friendly
prairies, inhabitants.
cornfields,
6. But there also exists another way of
life…
Somewhere between the sprawling metropolis and the countryside.
7. Established in 1873. Unfortunately, Clarendon
Lies conveniently along a Hills hasn’t developed
Chicago railway, 18 miles entirely in accordance with
west of the city. the idea of environmental
sustainability.
Atypical upper middle class
American suburb.
Population 7,700.
8. The conventional American suburb has been
criticized for its land and natural resource
consumption, generation of waste, and its
dependence on cars.
I have determined that modifications in the following key areas could
transform Clarendon Hills into a more environmentally sustainable place:
Transportation Waste Management Water Conservation
9. These modifications would
require:
More sustainable community
planning
Communication and promotion of
sustainability measures
Resident cooperation and lifestyle
changes
10. Communication could begin in the schools.
Earth Day (April 22) is a good
opportunity to teach children
about environmentally
sustainable habits and choices,
but it’s not enough.
To encourage citizens to live an
environmentally friendly
lifestyle, school programs
should be installed into the
curriculum of this district.
13. The problem arises when one
enters the business district.
“Downtown”
Clarendon Hills
Article 42.4 also states
that bicycles must not be Village ordinance 42.4
parked along buildings or states that bike riding on
interfere with walkways the sidewalks here is
or roadways. prohibited at all times.
14. While there are plenty of parking spots for cars,
these regulations do not leave room for bicycles.
In fact, they discourage the
use of bicycles as an
alternative means of
transportation.
15. Possible Solution
One thing not lacking in Clarendon Hills is space...
Brick bicycle lane in Germany Urban bike rack in Philadelphia
Bicycle lanes and racks could easily be installed
within the business district.
16. School Buses The high school bus system could also
be improved in two key ways to
reduce morning traffic.
There are 19 routes that cover
the entire school district.
They begin before 7 AM, over
a full hour before school
begins.
Not surprisingly, school buses are significantly less crowded in the mornings
compared to after school on the way home.
17. School Buses
Many high school students either
get a ride from their parents, or
they drive themselves to school.
Two simple solutions could
encourage bus use:
•Pushing back the morning
bus schedule to a more
practical time.
•Charging a fee for a school
parking permit.
18. Waste
Clarendon Hills should focus on
the following goals:
Providing incentives to
produce less garbage and
to recycle.
Installing more public
recycling receptacles.
Encouraging composting
for organic waste
19. Waste
Clarendon Hills issues its
residents two garbage cans
for refuse. It also supplies
them with recycle bins.
Stickers must be purchased
and placed on yard waste
bags and extra refuse
containers.
20. Monthly Garbage Service Rates
Rates can be adjusted each
year to regulate quantities of
waste.
There is no charge for the
town’s recycling service.
21. Composting
Composting is a great way
to deal with yard waste
and other organic waste.
Disposing of yard waste
with a compost pile is
more efficient than
bagging it and having it
picked up and taken away.
22. Composting City code article 39.5 states that
composting is permitted if carried out
according to Clarendon Hills regulations.
The practice could be
encouraged by:
Raising awareness
Providing special
compost bins to
participating Compost bins are
residents the easiest way to
introduce the
practice.
23. Water is used too freely in the
Water suburbs. Thankfully, Clarendon
Hills village ordinance 9.18
concerns “Water consumption
conservation measures,” such as:
Only permitting lawn and
garden watering on even or
odd days, depending on
location.
Requiring immediate
reparation of any leaky
plumbing by property owner.
Connections and taps must
comply with the American
Water Works Association
regulations.
24. The city building code specifies
which types of plumbing
fixtures shall be allowed.
The 3.5 gallon maximum for toilets
in Clarendon Hills is far higher than
the current federal standard of 1.6
gallons per flush (EPA).
25. Special water conserving fixtures need to be promoted.
WaterSense is a partnership
program by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) that is dedicated to
offering simple ways to conserve
water with water-efficient
products.
26. Promoting WaterSense products to the people of Clarendon Hills would
only require the effective communication of the convincing
combination of environmental and economic incentives.
Toilets
According to the EPA, “The average family can
“recent advancements have reduce water used for
allowed toilets to use 1.28 toilets by 20 to 60
gallons per flush or less percent—that's nearly
while still providing equal or 13,000 gallons of water
superior performance. This is savings for your home
20 percent less water than every year! They could
the current federal standard also save more than $110
of 1.6 gallons per flush.” per year in water costs,
and $2,200 over the
lifetime of the toilets”
(EPA).
27. Faucets “Faucets account for more than 15
percent of indoor household water use-
more than 1 trillion gallons of water
across the United States each year.”
Water efficient sink faucets can reduce a
sink’s water flow by 30% or more without
sacrificing performance (EPA).
Showerheads
“Showering accounts for approximately
17 percent of residential indoor water
use in the United States-more than 1.2
trillion gallons of water consumed each
year.” High-efficiency shower fixtures for
around $10 to $20 a piece can achieve
water savings of 25-60% (EPA).
28. All of the sustainable development measures proposed
here are very feasible.
All we need to make a difference is the
will to change our town for the better.
29. Sources
-American Water Works Association. http://www.awwa.org/
-Clarendon Hills City Code. http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=948
-Hinsdale Central High School.
http://central.hinsdale86.org/services/Bookstore/Documents/Hinsdale%20Central%20Bus
%20Routes%202012.2013.pdf
-US Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/
