Plans this year
- Advocate for bold actions to implement the Wilmette Sustainability Plan.
- Collaborate with village staff and community members to accomplish the Village Board's stated priorities of promoting clean energy and protecting natural resources, including our urban forest.
- Promote cleaner, quieter lawn care practices that support clean air, habitat for wildlife, and a high quality of life for our residents.
- Protect and celebrate our Great Lakes
News and Latest Developments
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Wilmette's Commitment to Sustainability
Following the Wilmette Village Board's endorsement of the Greenest Region Compact (GRC) in 2018, the Environmental and Energy Commission (EEC) was charged with creating a plan to address sustainability issues of global importance at the local level. In Fall 2021, the Village Board voted unanimously to adopt the EEC's proposed Sustainability Plan and passed a resolution endorsing a 2021 Climate Action Plan. The three implementation priorities incorporated into the Sustainability Plan address renewable energy, urban forest preservation, and native habitats. In 2022, the EEC focus has been to provide specific recommendations for actionable programs to the Village Board. One such example of this is the Community Solar Program. |
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Village Ordinance: No Gas Leaf Blowers!
Did you know that gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited in Wilmette from May 15 through September 30? Here’s why: they create air pollution and stressful oppressive noise levels. They also destroy habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects who rely on the leaves that lie underneath our shrubs and garden flowers. The Village is committed to improving compliance with the leaf blower ordinance by hiring a designated code enforcement officer who will issue citations to offenders. When a company is cited, the homeowner will also be notified, to help increase awareness of this ordinance. If you hire a lawn care company, please remind them of the ordinance if they are not following it. If you'd like to get involved with LWV-Wilmette's efforts toward healthier lawn care, please contact us. |
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Plan to Improve Walking and Biking in Wilmette
Looking to make Wilmette more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, the Village Board approved a Master Bike and Active Transportation Plan in February 2021. The village website provides details, including the most recent version of the plan The plan involves a 5-year implementation schedule that required a more detailed review and approval by the village's Transportation Commission. At its March 2022 meeting, the Transportation Commission officially approved the specific project schedule. The implementation plan projects $250,000-$300,000 annual spending for bike/pedestrian improvements, pending available funds. Among the recommended projects for 2022 are adding shared markings on Greenleaf Ave, designs for Sheridan Rd crossings and bike boulevards on Poplar Ave and Park Ave, and feasibility studies on Wilmette Ave from Ridge west to Village boundary. Now, as part of the village’s Capital Improvement Program review process, the schedule will go to the Village Board for approval this summer, with further discussions possible when the Village Board reviews its proposed budget in the fall. This same project funding process will occur annually. |
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Good News for Wilmette Trees
Thanks to the advocacy of League members, Go Green Wilmette, and many of our Wilmette friends and neighbors, the Village Board approved strong and positive changes to the village tree ordinance at their last board meeting on March 8, 2022. This new ordinance requires a permit for removing trees larger than 6" diameter, and it requires either fees or tree replacements for anything larger than 10", with higher fees for the removal of heritage trees, such as oaks and hickories. It includes much steeper fines for non-compliance, and it requires that neighbors be notified of any heritage tree removal from areas that are not a part of a new structure's direct footprint. Find ordinance details here. |
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Protect the Remnant Prairie Today
While Illinois is called the Prairie State, less than 0.01% of our native prairie landscape actually remains today. We cannot afford to lose another acre, which is why it is so critical to save Bell Bowl Prairie, a historic natural landscape in Rockford, IL that supports rare and endangered species. This remnant prairie, which has not been plowed, grazed or developed for 12,000 years, is slated for destruction to accommodate the Rockford Airport expansion, Activism from conservationists has resulted in a temporary victory that will halt any construction until March 2022. However we must continue to advocate for permanently protecting this irreplaceable remnant prairie. What can we do to save it? Contact Governor Pritzker to tell him how important it is to the biodiversity of our state. |
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Continued Vigilance for Energy Legislation
Governor Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act into law on September 15, 2021. This legislation gives Illinois the strongest and most equitable clean energy standards in the nation. For its coalition of supporters, including the LWV-Wilmette, this bill achieves all of the core objectives:
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Control Mosquitoes Safely & Effectively!
The Illinois legislature just passed an important bill (HB3118) that requires training and licensing for companies that use barrier sprays against mosquitoes. While future advocacy efforts will seek to strengthen this legislation, it is a significant first step in ensuring that mosquito control methods are ecologically responsible. To promote environment-friendly protection in your own yard, homeowners should know that the best way to reduce mosquitoes is to remove standing water. If mosquitoes become a nuisance, contact the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District (NSMAD), who will come treat your yard for FREE, using evidence-based methods that leave chemical sprays as a last resort. In addition, homeowners can turn to Go Green Wilmette for sound advice. |
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NT Township Supports Carbon Fee & Dividend
In response to the advisory referendum question on the New Trier Township ballot in April 2021, more than two-thirds of New Trier Township voted in favor of a carbon fee and dividend policy. Going forward, the LWV-Wilmette and coalition partners, such as the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), will bring this support to the attention of our members of Congress and continue to advocate for climate-friendly policies. |
Past initiatives
Environmentally Focused Inter-League Organizations (ILOs)
The LWV-Wilmette is a member of two different Inter-League Organizations (ILOs) that work on environmental issues in our region. To learn more about them, here are links:
LWVUS POSITION IN BRIEF |
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