Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of a monthly column written by the city of DeKalb’s Citizens’ Environmental Commission that focuses on increased awareness of issues such as promoting projects and ordinance changes involved in recycling, reducing energy consumption, and planting native habitat.
In our third installment about the Sustainability Plan of DeKalb, the Citizens’ Environmental Commission would like to invite all DeKalb citizens to our first presentation of the year: The Sustainability Plan – Original and Future Goals Feb. 24.
We have reserved the Yusunas Meeting Room at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24. As statistics have shown that the incidence of COVID-19 is decreasing in Illinois, it was reasonable to schedule an in-person meeting. If conditions change, however, please see the city of DeKalb website (cityofdekalb.com) if the program must be canceled or rescheduled.
Here are some considerations to prepare for this meeting. What would you like to see in your city’s Sustainability Plan?
Please note the emphasis: the health and well-being of you, your family and perhaps your grandchildren. If DeKalb becomes the city of everyone’s dreams, your ideas should be a part of it. Everyone will want a clean environment (suggest a zero-waste plan?), or a limit on vehicle emissions due to idling, or maybe perks or recognition for driving an electric vehicle or carpooling. If you’re interested in preserving local species of flora and fauna, how about a limit on night lighting that may disturb or damage the natural rhythms of nature?
Ideas like this were considered a decade ago, but we have a more urgent call to address them as predictions of climate change have become reality.
As this revision is expected to be a year-long process, this first presentation will only be a starting point, explaining the original plan in detail to highlight completed points and reveal omissions.
Public input will determine the direction and goals of the new plan. You do not need to have any previous knowledge of the original plan or even a well-formed suggestion for improvement. The Citizens’ Environmental Commission will take any ideas and do the research to refine them.
The CEC commissioners are dedicated volunteers who want to make a positive impact on DeKalb for everyone’s benefit. While a city commission cannot change or enforce an ordinance, its members can provide information on best practices to the City Council.
This first presentation will be an opportunity for anyone to request information on any of the following topics already covered in the original plan: city operations, air quality, green economy development, alternative energy, food security and healthy living, natural environment, housing and urban design, solid waste, transportation and water resources.
Has something been left out that you want added? Already, we plan to add climate justice.
As Northern Illinois University was an invaluable resource for the first edition of the plan, it will provide devoted student workers for the revision. A senior level class in Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organization Studies plans to canvas the city in pursuit of input from all neighborhoods. The CEC will then work with NIU students who are working on a Sustainability Plan for the university to help clarify these ideas and format a comprehensive and polished document.
We look forward to your participation!
Clare Kron is the chair of the city of DeKalb’s Citizens’ Environmental Commission, an advisory committee for the DeKalb City Council and city staff. The commission examines, studies and identifies issues related to the environment.