 Solar on Brownfields Conference
Attend an innovative and illuminating two-day Solar on Brownfield Event in Chicago June 12-13
Engineering and construction management firm TRC will power up the first national solar on brownfield networking event dedicated to developing solar energy on brownfields, landfills and other underutilized real estate. This is a must attend conference for property owners and those directly involved with rural or urban development and keen on developing solar power on marginal lands, as well as solar developers seeking land or interested in breaking into the brownfield space.
Educational opportunities are designed along two separate tracks. Landowners will discover how to convert contaminated, blighted and marginal property into clean energy assets, while solar developers will learn to navigate the land recycling landscape. And because innovation is opening new opportunities on small urban sites, there will be a half day urban track devoted to building solar energy in inner cities.
This two-day, limited seat event will be convened in Chicago where brownfield/landfill owners and renewable energy developers from across the country will connect and discuss the creation of the next generation of clean power projects to build a new and productive future using our most underutilized lands.
Location: 610 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605
Dates: June 12 - 13, 2017
Visit the event website for complete agenda details and to register.
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Smart Growth America takes a look at what six US cities are doing to build diverse and durable economies
Amazing Place: Six Cities Using the New Recipe for Economic Development looks at how six cities are using smart growth and placemaking strategies to gain a competitive edge. Smart Growth America's case study examples-Boise, ID; Denver, CO; Greenville, SC; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville, TN; and Pittsburgh, PA-represent a diversity of geographies, locations, population sizes, industries, and development challenges. Despite their differences, all of these cities are using smart growth development to successfully attract new companies and new residents.
Communities everywhere and of all sizes can learn from these examples. This new approach to economic development can help communities create diverse and durable local economies that last beyond the lifecycle of any one employer. As this report shows, there are many ways to create vibrant walkable neighborhoods and regional centers. Cities that want to compete in today's economy can and should use many of these strategies to create places that are unique to their community.
This report was published last year and remains a timely exploration of proven economic development strategies being put into practice today. For more information and to download a copy of the report, visit the publication's webpage.
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Mill Creek becomes the 23rd Chicago area community to participate in residential food scrap composting
Mill Creek residents now have the opportunity to include food scraps in with their yard waste. This additional service is being offered at no additional cost by the current waste and recycling hauler, Advanced Disposal. This program is completely voluntary and people can participate if they so choose, provided they have a yard waste cart.
The pilot program was approved by the County Board on May 9th, 2017. This makes Mill Creek the 23rd community in the Chicago region to participate in residential food scrap composting. Like many of the other communities that have the same sort of "ride-along" program, residents will be able to separate their food scraps from their garbage and layer them in with yard waste in the organics carts, where they ride along to the compost processing facility.
Residents who have an organics/yard waste cart will be allowed to simply layer the food scraps with the yard waste during the collection season - April through November. Advanced Disposal will deliver the material to Compost Supply, a permitted compost processing facility, where it will be turned into compost.
If you already subscribe to the two-cart service (trash and recycling cart), you can upgrade to the flat rate three-cart service (trash, recycling & yard waste cart) for just $2.60 per month - less than the cost of one sticker ($2.85)! Nearly 1500 homes already have the two-cart service. If you are one of those households, getting a yard waste cart will save you money and enable you to join in the food scrap composting program! The yard waste carts are 64 gallon carts and will hold the equivalent of about two Kraft-bags-full of material. That means, if you fill it and place it out weekly, you save as much as $25 per month!
Why is composting important?
The composting process breaks down organic material (basically anything that was once alive), turning it into a nutrient rich soil amendment that looks like and smells like dirt. Composting both yard waste and food scraps saves resources by reusing the materials for a better purpose rather than entombing the nutrients in a landfill, or sending them down the disposal for treatment at the wastewater treatment facility.
For complete details on the Mill Creek composting program, read a recent article in Kane County Connects, or contact Kane County Recycling Coordinator, Jennifer Jarland.
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Cultural Corridor Consortium
Creative placemaking grants available
After working closely with Nashville, Portland and San Diego over the last few years, Transportation for America is seeking to award $50,000 (each) to creative placemaking projects in three new cities that engage residents, attract the attention of local public works and transportation agencies, and spark new conversations that bring more people to the table to plan and implement new transportation investments. T4A is especially committed to funding collaborative projects that expand transportation opportunities and local control for low-income people, recent immigrants, and people of color living in communities that have experienced disproportionate disinvestment and disconnection.
The application deadline for this opportunity is Friday, June 2, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Late submissions will not be accepted.
There are two ways to apply: (1) Via email, by completing the PDF application form and sending via email to 3Cgrant@t4america.org, or (2) by using our web-based form. If using the online form, we recommend having all of your information compiled before beginning this application: incomplete applications cannot be saved, and you will not be able to come back to an incomplete application at a later time.
For complete details and to apply online visit the grant webpage or download a full PDF version of the application.
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