Skokie Invites You To Join "Clean Air Counts," A Northeastern Illinois Regional Initiative

The Village of Skokie is proud to be a part of "Clean Air Counts," a Northeastern Illinois regional initiative to reduce ozone-causing emissions, thereby improving air quality and enabling economic development. You can visit Skokie's 'Going Green" page at http://www.skokie.org/Green.cfm.

Clean Air Counts is a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, City of Chicago, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. This multi-year initiative seeks to achieve specific and significant reductions in targeted smog-forming pollutants and major reductions in energy consumption.

Businesses and individuals can join online at http://www.cleanaircounts.org/registration/registration_intro.aspx

Among the strategies that Clean Air Counts advocates are:

* Using efficient lighting.

* Creating high-efficent buildings as advocated by the federal government's "Energy Star" program.

* Purchasing "Energy Star" office equipment.

* Replacing old gas cans for lower-polluting new cans.

* Encouraging gas-operated lawn equipment "buy-back" events.

* Using low "volatile organic compounds" (VOCs) in construction, cleaning supplies and paint.  (You can get more information on VOCs at http://www.cleanaircounts.org/campaigns/buildingproducts102006.pdf)

* Encouraging 'natural landscaping."

* Reducing diesel emissions by installing cleaner filters.

* Reducing driving time by individuals and employees and encouraging the use of public transportation.

 For information about joining, contact:
 CLEAN AIR COUNTS

 177 North State Street, 5th Floor

 Chicago, IL 60601

 Email:  info@cleanaircounts