Oak Park Joins Ranks of Local Sustainability Effort

A effort that would focus on improving nine different areas of community sustainability got the green-thumbs up from Oak Park trustees, with one change.

Because the village sits near a major expressway that could be expanded in the future, trustees wanted to see how air quality could be worked into the PlanIt Green’s plan for Oak Park.

That concern did not receive the attention from people who responded to community surveys and in forums, but it could be fit in to the local plan, said Gary Cuneen, executive director of , the Oak Park nonprofit leading the effort along with the Delta Institute and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Cuneen presented the plan to trustees.

Village officials will assess how to develop strategies that can affect this issue, Village Manager Tom Barwin said.

An effort that has been in the works for months, the plan would set goals in nine different areas of community sustainability. It encompasses entities in Oak Park and River Forest including villages, park districts, schools, townships, hospitals and universities. Environmental issues to be measured include energy use, water consumption, vehicle miles traveled and residential recycling.

A number of organizations, including , the village of River Forest, , the and so far have signed on. will vote on the plan on July 26.

The effort is being funded with an endowment from the .