Be an Environmental Steward!

              TOGETHER WE CAN PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENT OF ILLINOIS
Illinois
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Information presented in this publication is intended to provide a general understanding of the statutory and regulatory requirements for
small businesses. This information is not intended to replace, limit or expand upon the complete statutory and regulatory requirements
found in the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code.
Office of Small Business
Be an Environmental
Steward!
What is an Environmental Steward?
Environmental stewards strive to sustain natural resources and
our environment for future generations. People depend on
natural resources for their livelihood. However, pressures on the
environment resulting from development are steadily
increasing. Therefore, it is necessary for citizens and the
business community to ensure that their activities and operations
are environmentally responsible.
Small businesses play a large role in protecting and preserving
the environment in many communities. Small businesses can fulfill
this role while still maintaining their competitiveness. As a member
of a community, a small business can assume a leadership role by
becoming more environmentally friendly and volunteering to work
on local environmental projects. Becoming an environmental
steward in your community may improve your image, lower costs,
and result in a safer workplace.
What Environmental Stewardship Activities Can My Business
Participate In?
Maintain environmental compliance - Ensure that your business is
in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations.
Conduct a self-assessment to determine any deficiencies.
Use natural resources responsibly - Conserve resources such as
water, minerals and wood by using them efficiently and recycling
when appropriate. Protect any wildlife habitats around your
business.
Reduce waste generation - Use less toxic materials to limit the
amount of hazardous wastes produced, and improve the efficiency
of your operations to reduce the amount of waste generated.
Become involved in your community - Participate in local
environmental projects such as neighborhood recycling,
abandoned lot cleanups, community gardens and watershed
restoration projects. Encourage employees to become involved.
Let the community know what you are doing - Send out press
releases of successful environmental projects implemented by your
business.
What are Some Volunteer Environmental Stewardship
Programs in Illinois?
The following programs represent just a few of the environmental
stewardship activities going on in Illinois. Contact your local
conservation agencies for more information on these and other
opportunities.
Partners for Clean Air, sponsored by the Illinois EPA, is a
coalition of regional businesses, transportation organizations, health
advocacy groups and local governments committed to cleaning
our air. Its goal is to improve overall air quality and public health by
advocating voluntary actions in metropolitan Chicago and
northwestern Indiana. Partners for Clean Air administers a
voluntary ozone reduction program called “Ozone Action Days.”
Businesses, industries, local governments and other organizations
can become Partners for Clean Air by signing the Partners’ Pledge
and voluntarily taking actions to reduce ozone. You can receive
information about joining by calling toll-free at (800) 451-5983.
The Resource Watch Program is sponsored by the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to protect Illinois natural
resources and promote environmental stewardship. The
volunteer program encourages citizens and businesses to adopt
and monitor wildlife and conservation areas in the state. Resource
Watch program participants can assist in certain wildlife
management efforts and in the monitoring of specific areas at least
twice a month to report any activity that threatens wildlife and the
environment. For more information, contact your local
conservation police officer or IDNR at (217)782-6431.
The EcoWatch Network is a statewide network of volunteer
monitoring programs coordinated through IDNR. Adult volunteers
and high school science teachers and students monitor rivers,
forests, prairies, wetlands and other environments through
programs such as the Illinois RiverWatch, ForestWatch,
PrairieWatch, WetlandWatch and UrbanWatch. The programs goals
are high-quality environmental data collection, increased public
awareness and environmental stewardship. For more information,
contact IDNR at (217)782-6431.
The Annual Illinois Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards
is sponsored by the Illinois Waste Management and Research
Center (WMRC) and IDNR. This award honors industrial facilities,
vendors, trade organizations, community groups, educational
institutions, government and service institutions for their pollution
prevention efforts. Organizations that focus on source reduction
techniques rather than traditional treatment, control, and disposal
methods are honored through this awards program. For more
information, contact WMRC at (217) 244-8901 or visit the WMRC
web page at wmrc.hazard.uiuc.edu.
Where can I go for more information?
For information on regulatory issues related to environmental
stewardship, call the Illinois EPA Office of Small Business Helpline
at (888) EPA-1996 or the DCCA Small Business Environmental
Assistance Helpline at (800) 252-3998. All calls are considered
confidential and the caller can remain anonymous. For other
information about environmental issues, see the Illinois EPA web
page at www.epa.state.il.us.