If it’s made from paperboard, it must be recyclable, right? Not always! Frozen food boxes pose a challenge to the recycling process. Paperboard boxes that were designed for freezer foods, such as frozen pizza and entrées, are impregnated with a plastic polymer to protect against freezer burn. The plastic prevents the box from […]
Click here for more →Have a busted strand of lights? Cat attack the tree again? Before you send the strand to the landfill, consider visiting a recycling drop off location. The copper, metal, and plastic from the lights will be separated and recycled in these specialized processes. Due to the specific process needed, be sure to keep holiday […]
Click here for more →CCDES is a member of the Illinois Recycling Contamination Task Force, a group convened to handle the pressing recycling issues throughout the state. To answer specific recycling questions, the task force has launched the Dirty Dozen Campaign. Each month, a different recycling issue will be addressed. For November, we explore the plastic bag dilemma.
Plastic […]
Click here for more →Join Cook County in celebrating Earth Day at the following events:
April 16, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Domestic Violence Courthouse, 555 W Harrison St., 1st floor lobby. April 17, 8 a.m. – 10a.m. – Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St., 1st floor lobby April 18, 11:30 a.m – 1:30 p.m. – […]
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Want to save money on your utility bills? Are you a senior who lives in Berkeley? Join Cook County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Elevate Energy to learn […]
Click here for more →One of the best parts of the holidays are the decorative lights that adorn our homes, but those twinkly lights can come at a price. Holiday lighting in the United States alone uses enough electricity to power 200,000 homes for up to a year. If all the decorative […]
Click here for more →Matt Baker of Sustainable Chicago posted this blog (hyperlink http://www.sustainable-chicago.com/2016/10/05/whats-the-potential-for-solar-power-in-your-backyard/ )in Sustainable Chicago on October 5, 2016. This article highlights the work of Cook County and its partners in making the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy available to all County residents.
In 2015, Illinois added 11 MW of solar energy production, […]
Click here for more →The Cook County Department of Environmental Control will present a free Lunch & Learn Series.
Bring your electric bill, enjoy light refreshments and learn about:
New programs to save money and energy with your Smart Meter Home weatherization and energy efficiency programs Rebates and freebies on in-home devices and appliances How to spot issues or mischarges […]
Click here for more →Cook County is doing its part to help stem climate change.
The county is exceeding its target for reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from its buildings, the County’s 2015 Sustainability Report shows.
The County’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions have decreased by 11 percent since they were measured in 2010, an achievement that surpasses its target of […]
Click here for more →A Message from the President
I believe that Cook County should be 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 this work, I appointed Deborah Stone as the County’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, and as Director of the Department of Environmental Control. I also recognize that Cook County needs to share ideas and collaborate with a diverse group of community leaders and sustainability experts. In March 2012, I appointed the Cook County Sustainability Advisory Council to help lift our vision higher and give us access to best practices. You can meet the Council members and read more about their mission in the “Advisory Council” section of this website. Toni Preckwinkle,Cook County Board President
Contact Us
Cook County Chief Sustainability Officer
69 W Washington
Room 1900
Chicago, IL 60602
312-603-8200 (o)
312-603-9828(f)
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