"We are prone to
judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our
automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service relationship
to humanity."
~Martin Luther King
|
Mission
Statement
The Environmental
Defenders of McHenry County is a citizen organization dedicated
to the preservation and improvement of the environment. We are
committed to building sound ecological relationships between
people and the natural world that supports all life.
To achieve the aim of environmental
preservation and improvement, we provide the community with
educational programs and volunteer action on pollution
prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource
conservation.
We advocate policies which protect
drinking water supplies and conserve land for open space and
agriculture. We demonstrate waste reduction through recycling
drives and reuse centers. We encourage natural resource
protection through native landscaping and stream protection
programs. |
What's important to you?
Through the years, the Defenders have had many successes in
helping to make McHenry County a healthier place in which to live. From
the formation of the McHenry County Conservation District to curbside
recycling, from the regulation of gravel mining to the passage of the
Illinois Groundwater Protection Act, the Defenders have been at the
front line, working closely with local, municipal, and county government
while advocating for a healthy environment.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry
County has
active committees that meet each month.
Committees plan actions and events to address issues facing our
natural areas, water resources, and open spaces, as well as addressing
decisions being made by our county and city officials. Volunteer
opportunities abound.
Click Here and email or fax
to us.
Whether you are a Defenders member or not
(and of course we would love to have you
join), we want to know how you feel about the
things that are going on in our community.
Click Here to let us know what you’d like to see on website.
Click Here to become an Environmental Defenders of McHenry
County Member.
Upcoming Events and
Announcements:
(also see Calendar link
above)
Office Hours: Monday
through Thursday, 10 am - 4:30 pm
Defenders’ Opinions Requested!
The Defenders’ board has started work on a new Strategic
Plan. This plan is needed to guide our organization into the future and
to help us obtain funding. As members of the Defenders, your input will
be extremely important in the preparation of this plan.
We need your opinions about our services and activities!
A brief survey has been prepared for you as well as other members of
your family to complete. It can be accessed
by clicking HERE. If
you are unable to complete the survey online, you may call the office at
815-338-0393 and have a paper form mailed to you. Please complete the
survey by Valentine’s Day, February 14th.
Thanks so much for doing this. Your help with this
process is invaluable!
Defenders' McHenry &
Woodstock Recycling Drives
Our next household battery, fluorescent tubes, and CFL
collection will be in Woodstock on Saturday,
February 13, from 9 am until noon. Click the link below for the
address and more information.
read more...
Defenders' Annual Meeting
Our Annual Meeting and
World-Renowned Potluck Supper is set for Saturday, March 13,
5:30pm at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in McHenry.
McHenry County Groundwater Contamination
Issues
The
Illinois Department of Public Health is advising Union area residents
who rely on private wells to get them tested for possible groundwater
contamination.
Click here for the NW Herald article.
IEPA requires Crystal Lake & Fox River
Grove to notify public water supply
users about groundwater contamination: Read the CL press release
here, and the FRG press release
here.
State Investigating Former Toastmaster Site in Algonquin:
Recently, a
meeting was held in Algonquin with IDOT & IEPA regarding the Former
Toastmaster property contamination. In the process of looking at the
Toastmaster property while considering the Rte. 31 by-pass, IDOT found
groundwater and surface contamination. 30 -40 monitoring wells were
scattered around the site (which is between the bike path, Rte 31, the
town park & Crystal Creek). Ground water showed contamination and IEPA
has determined some VOCs in groundwater have evaporated to the surface.
Concern is with these leaking into homes, St. John Lutheran School and
businesses. Weston is the contractor that will conduct soil gas
sampling in December. IDOT plans to buy the building and remove it and
the contamination (probably next summer).
The Algonquin
library is the repository for related info. Our county health
department has a copy also. The study and follow up materials may
become available on line in the future.
Residents and
business people who were at the meeting were interested in the health
aspects, techniques for managing the vapor intrusion and the cost of
remediation.
Read more:
Northwest Herald article
HERE and TribLocal
HERE.
The Defenders' Store
- Now you can support the Defenders with your purchases through Amazon.com. Go to our
"Defenders
Store" page, and search Amazon through our search box, or choose one of
the items recommended by other Defenders. We'll receive between 4 and
10% of the purchase price, even on gift cards!
On sale at the office
- Conscious Cup travel
mugs now on sale $5. Styro packing peanuts $5 a bag.
GoodSearch.com
will donate money to the Defenders every time you use their search
engine. Go to
www.GoodSearch.com and find Environmental Defenders of McHenry
County in the "who do you goodsearch for" box. And if you need to shop,
a percentage will be donated to us when you shop through
GoodShop
link!
Find us on FaceBook!
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County | Promote Your Page Too
|
Environmental
Defenders of McHenry County 
