Sustainability
The Village of Lindenhurst has been recognized for its environmental consciousness with the following awards:
- Tree City USA Growth Award 2021
- Tree City USA since 1998
- 2019 ComEd Green Region Grant
- ComEd Energy Efficiency Grant
- Illinois Clean Energy Grant
The Village of Lindenhurst has further demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through its various programs, policies, and partnerships. Please expand the categories below to learn more about the Village's sustainability efforts. Additionally, please use the side navigation links to visit our pages for recycling programs and 50/50 programs.
Sustainability Programs & Policies
The Village endorsed the Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region in 2021. The CAP is a collaborative regional plan that was developed by the Chicago Metropolitian Agency for Planning (CMAP), Metropolitian Planning Council, Metropolitian Mayors' Caucus, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and more. The CAP focuses on two main goals: mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
In 2023, the Village Board endorsed their support for the Greenest Region Compact. This plan was developed in 2018, and has a total of 144 communities participating. The Greenest Region Compact is specifically tailored for municipalities to take action on climate change and sustainability by providing a detailed framework that covers 10 different sustainability categories. Within each sustainability category, the compact has goals and initiatives that help municipalities accomplish said goals. The Village uses the Greenest Region Compact as a guidebook of implementing goals that best suit our resources and priorities.
The Village has adopted a policy to identify and prohibit invasive species from landscape plans of commercial developments and common areas of large residential developments within Lindenhurst. The prohibition on invasive plantings does not apply to single-family residential properties; however, residents may wish to review the list of non-native and invasive species for guidance on appropriate species to include in their home landscaping.
The Village uses two references to regulate what species may not be included in commercial landscape plans:
The Village uses two references to regulate what species may not be included in commercial landscape plans:
The Village was one of 26 public agencies from northern Illinois to receive an environmental grant from ComEd and Openlands of $9,000 through their 2019 ComEd Green Region Program. The Village used this grant to create public access to Hastings Lake Preseves by constructing a connective trail from Hazelwood Drive to the forest preserve. This pathway into the forest preserve is bordered by native plants which promote pollinators, birds, and wildlife.
In 2009, the Village passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of fertilizers containing phosphorus. Similarly, the state of Illinois also has a phosphorus ban. When fertilizing, the chemicals used often get washed away from rainfall and end up in local watersheds. This can result in reduced dissolved oxygen caused by minerals and organic nutrients, leading to fish kills. Prohibiting phosphorus is designed to protect local water quality in lakes, streams, and ponds. The Village ordinance on banning the use of fertilizers containing phosphorus can be found in the Village code.
In addition to policies that were adopted, Village operations also strive to implement sustainability measures. During the snow season, Public Works reduces salt usage in snow operations and utilizes Beet-Heat, which is less corrosive than salt. The Village also invests in pedestrian facilities, native/forestry plantings, and LED upgrades for street/interior lighting.
At the Village Board meeting on February 27th, the Village Board approved an agreement with Mc2 to restart the Village’s Municipal Aggregation Program. Similar to the Village's 2014 aggregation program, the municipal aggregation program is an "opt-out" program that allows residents to decline to be a member of the program and return to the current ComEd rate. This is a 14-month program, beginning in June 2023 through August 2024, and offers residents a cheaper rate of electricity than the current market ComEd rate. The Village’s program also includes 25% renewable energy, which benefits our environment.