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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 and grow. Some of
these achievements include: opening the first recycling center in
the County and
working to require recycling for
residential customers, formation of the McHenry County Conservation District,
defeat of the County’s 2020 plan, preventing landfills on permeable
soils, regulation of gravel mining in McHenry County, passage of the
Illinois Groundwater Protection Act and the Solid Waste Management Act,
and protection of many natural areas, such as Volo Bog. Over
the years, The Defenders have won several awards, including the
Illinois Environmental Council's Environmental Organization of the
Year, the Governor's Hometown Award, and the McHenry County
Outstanding Recycler Award. The Defenders work closely with other
local and regional environmental groups and work with
local, municipal, and County government while advocating for a
healthy environment.
The
Environmental Defenders of McHenry County
has several 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 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.
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A note about our name change...
The McHenry County Defenders is changing its name to The
Environmental Defenders of McHenry County to better reflect who
we are and what we do. Just as
organisms evolve with the changing ecosystem, the Defender’s Board
modified the organization’s name to accurately describe the mission
of the organization: to be a citizen organization
dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment.
The membership will
be voting on this at our annual Corn Roast, Sunday, August 17th,
2008. All members current on their dues are allowed to vote, and we
encourage all to attend!
The Environmental
Defenders of McHenry County is proud to serve the natural world, to promote citizen involvement in
the environment, and to continue its work to provide for a healthier
future for everyone. |
Defenders'
Upcoming Events and Announcements:
The Defenders' Store
Now
Open! 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 on of the items
recommended by other Defenders. We'll receive between 4 and 10% of the
purchase price.
And
remember that we also have composters, chico bags, and solar ovens for
sale at the office.
2009 Entertainment
Books - $20
Now available at the office! The Entertainment coupon
book is your ultimate source of coupons and printable savings for
restaurants, travel, hotels, movie tickets, entertainment, attractions,
shopping and services in our area. You can also enjoy coupons at top
travel destinations like Las Vegas, Hawaii, Orlando, Orange County, San
Diego or New York.
$20 in coupons for Dominick's or Meijer's groceries pays
for the book. Lots of Buy One, Get One Free coupons and money off deals.
Coupons are good through November 1, 2009!
From pizza joints and sushi restaurants, to fast food and carryout,
Entertainment coupon book savings are waiting for you. Entertainment
will also let you compare room rates for luxury hotels to budget
lodging. It will even show you where to find coupons for the best retail
stores and other shopping destinations. And for a night out,
Entertainment will lead you to the cheapest movie tickets discounts and
more.
The more books we sell, the more we earn, so tell your friends and
neighbors.
McHenry County Fair
A huge
Thank You
to our wonderful volunteers for making this another successful fund
raiser!
Used Book Sale!!!
Thanks to our generous landlord here
at the office, we will have use of the retail space down the hall to do
our used book sales. (Woo Hoo!!!) We are looking for books in good
condition - if you have some to donate, you can bring them by the office
during regular office hours (Monday through Friday, 10-5. Please call
first to be sure someone will be here)
Sales will be starting in September,
on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 am until 2 pm.
Defenders'
McHenry
& Woodstock Recycling Drives
Our next drive is
Saturday,
August 9th, 2008.
The
Woodstock collection takes place on the second Saturday of each even
numbered month,
and
will be held in front of the Farm Bureau, 1102 McConnell Rd in Woodstock,
from 9 AM until noon.
Click Here for what we accept.
Partners for Parks and Wildlife coalition
On August
14, the Partners for Parks and Wildlife coalition will host a
meeting at Starved Rock State Park to mobilize organizations and
individuals who oppose the recent $14M cut to the already strapped
Illinois Department of Natural Resources. They will be giving an update
on recent media events across the state and weighing options for moving
a constructive agenda forward. Everyone who is interested in reversing
this trend of cuts to DNR is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Click Here for more
information.
Waste
Not Barn Sales
Through the generosity of a
Defenders' member, we will have the use of a barn to do
monthly garage sales this summer. The address is 8118 Rte 31 in
Richmond, right across from Richmond-Burton High School. These sales
generate a substantial amount of money for the Defenders, and we
appreciate your help either by donating items, working the sales, or
buying at the sales.
Drop off Day -
Saturday,
August 9th
Next Sale dates are
Friday, August 15th and Saturday, August 16th, from 10 until 3.
We can accept goods on the drop off
day or during the sales. This is a
private residence, so please do not bring anything except on
designated days. We need help
cleaning, pricing, displaying, and selling. Call the office
if you can help. CLICK HERE for more info.
Annual Corn Roast & Potluck Supper
All members and friends are
invited to join us on Sunday, August 17th at 4 pm for our
annual Corn Roast & Potluck Supper at
Alice & Bill Howenstine's Pioneer Tree Farm.
Members will be voting on our
name change at 5 pm.
Illinois Renewable Energy Fair
The seventh annual
Illinois
Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair will be held on
Saturday, August 9 and Sunday, August 10 at the Ogle
County Fairgrounds, in Oregon, IL.
The Fairgrounds will open at 9:00
a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Jewel
Shop and Share Days
August 18-20. Jewel-Osco
Stores will donate a percentage of purchases made using our coupon.
CLICK HERE for a printable coupon.
Shred
Fest!
Amcore Bank in
Woodstock
is holding a Shred
Fest on Saturday, August 23
from 9 am to noon in back of the bank building
(Farmers Market will be on the Square). Amcore has
partnered with Paper Recovery, a local document
destruction company.
Everyone can bring documents to be shredded. One
does not have to be a member of the bank to
participate. One does not have to be a resident of
Woodstock, and there is no limit to the amount of
documents. Documents will be shredded off site.
Donors will be given a Certificate of Destruction.
Questions? Call 1-888-4-AMCORE
CFL Recycling Now at all
Home Depot Locations
"The Home Depot, the world's largest home
improvement retailer, today expanded its long-term commitment to the
environment and sustainability by launching a national in-store,
consumer compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb recycling program at
all 1,973 The Home Depot locations. This free service is the first
such offering made so widely available by a retailer in the United
States and offers customers additional options for making
environmentally conscious decisions from purchase to disposal."
Click Here to read the press release.
Many Ace Hardware stores will also
accept CFLs and household batteries for recycling. Contact your
local store.
"OMG! I broke a
CFL! It's got mercury in it - now what do I do?!?!"
Don't Panic!
Click Here for the answer.
GET
INVOLVED - MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
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Environmental
Defenders of McHenry County 
