Sustainable Development

In Suburban USA

The focus of this presentation lies in the state of Illinois, in the Midwestern United States.

The Midwest

The “Heartland” of America

Although the Midwest is home to some large cities such as…

Most associate the Midwest with its

prairies,

cornfields,

and friendly inhabitants.

But there also exists another way of life…

Somewhere between the sprawling metropolis and the countryside.

Established in 1873. Lies conveniently along a

Chicago railway, 18 miles west of the city.

A typical upper middle class American suburb.

Population 7,700.

Unfortunately, Clarendon Hills hasn’t developed entirely in accordance with the idea of environmental sustainability.

The conventional American suburb has been criticized for its land and natural resource consumption, generation of waste, and its dependence on cars.

I have determined that modifications in the following key areas could transform Clarendon Hills into a more environmentally sustainable place:

Transportation Waste Management Water Conservation

These modifications would require:

More sustainable community planning

Communication and promotion of sustainability measures

Resident cooperation and lifestyle changes

To encourage citizens to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, school programs should be installed into the curriculum of this district.

Earth Day (April 22) is a good opportunity to teach children about environmentally sustainable habits and choices, but it’s not enough.

Communication could begin in the schools.

TransportationTo consume less petroleum and combat air pollution, the most important goal is to reduce dependence on cars.

Clarendon Hills is a lovely place to ride a bicycle.

Village ordinance 42.4 states that bike riding on the sidewalks here is prohibited at all times.

The problem arises when one enters the business district.

Article 42.4 also states that bicycles must not be parked along buildings or interfere with walkways or roadways.

“Downtown” Clarendon Hills

While there are plenty of parking spots for cars, these regulations do not leave room for bicycles.

In fact, they discourage the use of bicycles as an alternative means of transportation.

Possible SolutionOne thing not lacking in Clarendon Hills is space...

Bicycle lanes and racks could easily be installed within the business district.

Brick bicycle lane in Germany Urban bike rack in Philadelphia

School Buses The high school bus system could also be improved in two key ways to reduce morning traffic.

There are 19 routes that cover the entire school district. They begin before 7 AM, over a full hour before school begins.

Not surprisingly, school buses are significantly less crowded in the mornings compared to after school on the way home.

Many high school students either get a ride from their parents, or they drive themselves to school.

•Pushing back the morning bus schedule to a more practical time.

School Buses

Two simple solutions could encourage bus use:

•Charging a fee for a school parking permit.

Waste

Providing incentives to produce less garbage and to recycle.

Installing more public recycling receptacles.

Encouraging composting for organic waste

Clarendon Hills should focus on the following goals:

WasteClarendon Hills issues its residents two garbage cans for refuse. It also supplies them with recycle bins.

Stickers must be purchased and placed on yard waste bags and extra refuse containers.

Monthly Garbage Service Rates

Rates can be adjusted each year to regulate quantities of waste.

There is no charge for the town’s recycling service.

Composting is a great way to deal with yard waste and other organic waste.

Disposing of yard waste with a compost pile is more efficient than bagging it and having it picked up and taken away.

Composting

Composting City code article 39.5 states that composting is permitted if carried out according to Clarendon Hills regulations.

The practice could be encouraged by:Raising awarenessProviding special

compost bins to participating residents Compost bins

are the easiest way to introduce the practice.

Water

Only permitting lawn and garden watering on even or odd days, depending on location.

Requiring immediate reparation of any leaky plumbing by property owner.

Connections and taps must comply with the American Water Works Association regulations.

Water is used too freely in the suburbs. Thankfully, Clarendon Hills village ordinance 9.18 concerns “Water consumption conservation measures,” such as:

The city building code specifies which types of plumbing fixtures shall be allowed.

The 3.5 gallon maximum for toilets in Clarendon Hills is far higher than the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons per flush (EPA).

Special water conserving fixtures need to be promoted.

WaterSense is a partnership program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that is dedicated to offering simple ways to conserve water with water-efficient products.

ToiletsAccording to the EPA, “recent advancements have allowed toilets to use 1.28 gallons per flush or less while still providing equal or superior performance. This is 20 percent less water than the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons per flush.”

“The average family can reduce water used for toilets by 20 to 60 percent—that's nearly 13,000 gallons of water savings for your home every year! They could also save more than $110 per year in water costs, and $2,200 over the lifetime of the toilets” (EPA).

Promoting WaterSense products to the people of Clarendon Hills would only require the effective communication of the convincing combination of environmental and economic incentives.

Faucets “Faucets account for more than 15 percent of indoor household water use-more than 1 trillion gallons of water across the United States each year.” Water efficient sink faucets can reduce a sink’s water flow by 30% or more without sacrificing performance (EPA).

“Showering accounts for approximately 17 percent of residential indoor water use in the United States-more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water consumed each year.” High-efficiency shower fixtures for around $10 to $20 a piece can achieve water savings of 25-60% (EPA).

Showerheads

All of the sustainable development measures proposed here are very feasible.

All we need to make a difference is the will to change our town for the better.

Sources-American Water Works Association. http://www.awwa.org/

-Clarendon Hills City Code. http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=948

-Hinsdale Central High School. http://central.hinsdale86.org/services/Bookstore/Documents/Hinsdale%20Central%20Bus%20Routes%202012.2013.pdf

-US Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/