Conservation 101: 5 Tips to Save Energy, Water and Money

Saving energy and water starts at home. Here are some simple tips to help you get the ball rolling.

Look in the mirror. Repeat this mantra: The fight to conserve energy and natural resources starts at home. Following are some Conservation 101-type classroom tips that will help you reduce your carbon footprint and save money, many of the common-sense variety courtesy of John Schaefer, director of public works in the Village of Homewood: 1. Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The CFLs produce the same amount light, but use about one-quarter of the electricity and they last longer. This is simple and effective. How much difference will you notice? According to studies, electric lighting consumes up to 25 percent of the average home energy budget. If you’re going to be out of the room for more than 5 …

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Open Session

Would You Like to See a Wind Turbine Next Door?

Orland Park is considering new regulations that would require homeowners and business owners to put such plans before the public.

Think a towering wind turbine in your back yard will be just the thing to lower your energy costs? Village planners are working on an update to the Orland Park Land Development Code that will include rules for renewable energy sources, including solar panels, geothermal systems and wind turbines. This code will be the guideline for anyone who wants to add these systems onto any building in town, whether it's a house, office, store or warehouse. Village planners presented the code addition during the Aug. 16 meeting of the Development Services and Planning committee, but trustees on the panel want the guidelines rewritten because the tall wind turbines might affect home values. Where this started: The idea for this code change came last …

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