Skokie Environmental Sustainability Plan
Introduction
The 2024 (Year 2) Sustainability Plan Update is an overview of accomplishments achieved in calendar year 2024. View the Year 1 (2023) update.
The Sustainability Plan is divided into “sectors” from Transportation & Mobility to Economy. Each sector’s accomplishments are highlighted with overarching bullet points. Detailed narratives of the progress of most action items can be accessed on the Village of Skokie’s Sustainability webpage, 2024 All Quarter ESP Updates. To view an overview of the progress of all 190 action items, it is tracked online in the Google worksheet, “Skokie Sustainability Plan Updates.”
130 Action Items are marked as completed, ongoing, or in progress – noting significant progress made. This is a 24% increase from significantly completed action items last year. A substantial number of action items this year are in the ongoing category. The Sustainability Action Team consists of over 50 key staff from nine Village departments.
12 members of the Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Commission (SEAC) met seven times in 2024, giving an update of each sector’s accomplishments at each meeting.
Support for the Plan
2024 Skokie Community Survey
Environmental Sustainability Plan Results
The 2024 Skokie Community Survey results were presented to the Village Board in December. This summary is a brief analysis of the questions related to the Environmental Sustainability Plan. View the full report.
Comparison to the 2021 Skokie Community Survey
In 2021 and 2024, residents were asked to provide their opinion on two initiatives: adding additional street lighting on Crawford Avenue and enhancing storm water management systems to mitigate flooding.
In 2021, 74% strongly or somewhat supported the street lighting initiative. When asked again in 2024, the percentage increased to 90%.
In 2021, respondents were extremely supportive of enhancing storm water management, with 94% supporting. In 2024, the percentage grew to an overwhelming 98%.
In 2021, residents were asked about other environmental issues, including bike lanes (75% support), food scrap collection (80% support) and generally “creating environmental sustainability initiatives” (90% support). It should be noted that this survey was conducted one year prior to the implementation of the current Environmental Sustainability Plan and speaks to the excitement residents had for environmental initiatives.
Enhancing storm water management systems to mitigate flooding
Support for the Plan
The 2021 survey also asked about transitioning to once-weekly refuse service (an action item quickly completed when the new Sustainability Plan was adopted.) When presented with either maintaining the at-then standard of second refuse pickup, changing the service, or eliminating it altogether, residents were split on maintaining service (43%) or eliminating/ changing the service (39%). The second refuse pickup was eliminated in the spring of 2023. In the Year 1 Update report, it was reported that the once-weekly refuse pick-up decreased carbon emissions by 22%. This indicates changes in services, policies, or practices can be achieved with less than a majority of support, as long as it benefits residents and the environment in the long-term.
Analysis of the 2024 Community Survey Sustainability-Related Results
Two questions asked residents about prohibiting items, and two questions asked about adding/expanding services. It’s no surprise that there is a more positive response for adding services than prohibiting. When asked about about investing in more public electric vehicle charging stations, 80% of respondents support the initiative. This is reassuring news as the Village is moving forward with this initiative.
When asked about expanding food scrap (compost) drop-off locations, 87% of respondents support the initiative. This is a 7% increase from the 2021 results when asked if the Village should start such a program. This also supports that Skokie residents appreciate the free food scrap composting service, and the Village should continue to invest in the program to increase participation further.
Public electric vehicle charging stations
Adding additional compost drop-off locations
Support for the Plan
Theses survey results are also backed up by data. Each year, the amount of food scraps composted by Skokie residents increases greatly. The community composted 198.5 tons in 2023, compared to 79 tons in 2022. The Village opened the first five food scrap drop-off sites in the beginning of 2023. By the end of 2024, when seven more drop-off sites were launched, the community composted 271 tons of food scraps. These survey results and data show that residents appreciate the means to properly dispose of food scraps.
Two action items in the Environmental Sustainability Plan direct the Village to prohibit known environmental harms, including plastic bags and gas-powered leaf blowers.
In July of 2024, just before the survey was mailed to residents, Village staff presented why prohibiting leaf blowers would benefit the environment, but could be difficult for small businesses to implement. Staff concluded that the Village would invest in other ways to reduce gas-powered leaf blower usage. However, survey results still indicate a positive response to banning gas-powered leaf blowers in Skokie. A majority of respondents (68%) still favor the ban, in contrast to 32% that oppose the ban.
The survey also indicated a slight majority (60%) was in favor of prohibiting plastic bags. This information will be incorporated into future analyses of how to reduce plastic bag use in Skokie.
Skokie’s compost program begins with bin rebate and pick-up service
Skokie opens free drop off sites
Plastic bag ban
Transportation & Mobility Highlights
Electric Vehicles
Number of EV’s registered in Skokie
Governor Pritzker and ComEd celebrated the Village’s $45,000 electric vehicle (EV) rebate, helping further electrify our fleet. At the conclusion of 2024, there are 16 EVs and 12 hybrid vehicles in the municipal fleet, a 56% increase from 2023.
In addition to the four charging stations the Village operates for public use, Skokie also received $202,000 from ComEd and the State of Illinois to install two Level 3 fast charging stations, three Level 2 wall chargers, and two Level 2 dual-port charging stations at municipal facilities for Village fleet vehicles.
The Village was one of the first municipalities to take advantage of ComEd’s Fleet Electrification Assessment to get professional services to plan for an electric fleet transition.
The Village published the “EV Driving Guide” for Village employees to encourage the use of EV pool cars and updated the anti-idling policy.
There are 1,207 registered electric vehicles in the community, a 45% increase from the number of registered EVs at the end of 2023. Strategy TM 3 calls for the “increase electric vehicle (EV) utilization to 15% of community-wide rolling stock by 2030 (from 174 vehicles to 8,100 plug-in and full battery electric vehicles community-wide).” Noting the data in the graph on this page, Skokie is well on the way to achieve this goal.
H& Mobility
$50 rebates claimed for electric leaf blowers
Reducing Diesel Emissions & Improving Streets
Skokie Public Works held its first-ever Field Day event, inviting landscapers and property managers to try electric-powered landscaping tools; Skokie residents claimed all 100 $50 rebates for electric leaf blowers; homeowners shared a bilingual letter with their landscapers promoting sustainable landscaping.
100% of Village diesel trucks converted to B20 biofuel in non-freezing temperatures.
Gross Point Road got a glow up, adding a new sidewalk and bike lanes.
Replacement of the Oakton Street bridge began, with construction of a new protected pedestrian path completed.
Sidewalk upgrades on several blocks of Skokie-owned streets were completed, installing sidewalks where gaps exist in the Village’s network, particularly in areas of high need, such as near schools, public places, areas with higher housing density, and where sidewalks did not previously exist.
Major roadway improvements to Old Orchard Road commenced, which will facilitate safer, smoother travel for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.
Public meetings were held regarding the forthcoming Church Street Bike Lanes Project and Cook County Oakton Street Improvement Project.
Transportation & Mobility Highlights
School Districts activey working on their SRTS Plans
Encouraging Biking, Walking & Public Transportation
Awarded the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s (CMAP) technical assistance program to develop a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan to help guide the creation of the Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
Produced and published the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) guidance document to assist schools in making their own SRTS plan and encouraged superintendents to notify the Village of their plan.
Promoted the Ride Illinois Bike Safety Quiz, an interactive teaching tool covering safety techniques and state laws for both drivers and bicyclists. This was also a requirement for all drivers of Village-owned vehicles.
Published the Skokie Transportation Options for Seniors and Persons with Different Abilities and hosted the Transit Benefits Event and Village Clerk’s Mobile Office, which promoted reduced and free fare to qualifying seniors and people with disabilities to increase public transportation use.
Land Use & Housing Highlights
Improving Affordable Housing & Reducing High Energy Burden
meetings of the Housing SubCommittee in 2024 4
The Village Board adopted an inclusionary housing ordinance to support a variety of housing options to meet our community’s current and future needs.
The Village Board adopted an update to the Housing Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, which guides decisions about future development.
The Skokie Main Street Commercial Corridor Study was completed, strategically envisioning future redevelopment between Crawford and Tripp Avenues.
The American Council on an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Energy Equity for Renters initiative provided technical assistance creating the Green Building Incentives memo and the Gap Analysis in Utility Programs memo.
Buildings & Energy Highlights
Energy Efficiency Education
winners of the Residential
Sustainability Awards
Winners of the inaugural Residential Sustainability Awards included four Skokie households recognized for achievements in rain harvesting, drip Irrigation, pollinator-friendly habitats, native plantings, composting, rooftop solar, electric heat pumps, and LED lighting upgrades
Presentations on community decarbonization and solar were hosted at Sketchbook Brewery by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and the Village of Skokie, with 56 attendees participating.
Staff attended six official meetings of the Advanced Building Energy Efficiency Policy taskforce to educate Village employees about the new Illinois Stretch Energy Code.
Buildings & Energy Highlights
Skokie residents enrolled in the Community Solar program
Renewable Energy in the Community
By the end of 2024, there were 120 subscribers in the Community Solar program in Skokie, with a total 0.7122 Megawatts (MW) subscription size, a 7.6% increase from last year.
There were 553 Skokie properties with on-site solar with a total installed capacity of 5.09 MW, surpassing the Village’s annual goal.
The Village Board of Trustees approved a one-year contract extension with its current electricity supplier, MC-Squared Energy Services (mc2), to renew its participation in the North Shore Electricity Aggregation Consortium, and will continue to receive civic grants for use in upgrading street lights to LED To date, the Village has converted 1,690 streetlights to LED bulbs, saving all taxpayers on energy costs and reducing its carbon footprint.
Buildings & Energy Highlights
Municipal Building Energy Efficiency
There was an 18% decrease in energy use across all Village municipal buildings between 2023 and 2024 - electricity plus natural gas, measured in Million British Thermal Units (MMBTUs), including all three Fire Stations, the Police Department, Public Works, and Village Hall. Much of this is thanks to a 41% energy decrease in Village Hall, due to the HVAC equipment replacement project that replaced and updated old equipment that decreased energy use by over 4 MMBTU.
Two ASHRAE Level II energy audits were completed, including Village Hall and Public Works, to address further carbon reduction strategies as well as rooftop solar energy production potential.
The Village discovered more energy efficiency techniques through acceptance in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Clean Energy to Communities Program: Evaluating and Prioritizing Municipal Buildings for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Investment.
Waste Management Highlights
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event
Waste Reduction & Recycling
Waste diversion rate 30%
213 Skokie residents people participated in the Village’s first-ever household hazardous waste drop-off event, collecting 16.3 tons of hazardous waste. The Village launched a household hazardous waste pick-up program in partnership with SWANCC and Clean Harbors.
More than 1,000 people recycled electronics at the Village’s annual Spring Greening event in partnership with SWANCC, collecting 16 9 tons electronics (17% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2019) and 14.3 tons paper for shredding.
More than 12 dozen 5th-12th grade students submitted art with the theme, “reducing waste,” in the Village’s Refuse Truck Youth Art Contest. Two winning art pieces were installed on the Village’s new refuse truck.
More than 300 Skokie households participated in the annual Community-wide Garage Sale.
Skokie’s overall waste diversion rate for 2024 is 30% – a 3% increase from 2023, mostly thanks to an increase in recycling and food scrap collection
Waste Management Highlights
Composting & Food Scrap Collection
Skokie community members composted 271 tons of food scraps, taking advantage of 12 free food scrap drop-off locations and curbside composting options.
Skokie collectively composted more than 2.6 tons of pumpkins at the annual Pumpkin Smash collection event.
New free countertop compost bins became available from Skokie Public Works, allowing more residents to take advantage of the free food scrap collection program.
During International Compost Awareness Week, the Village, along with the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition, engaged with residents, raffled three compost kits, three 15-gallons of finished compost for gardening, and provided free compostable bags at the Skokie Farmers’ Market.
Skokie’s compost program begins with bin rebate and pick-up service
Skokie opens free drop off sites
Water & Wastewater Highlights
Water Conservation Programs
Implementing Leak Detection: 128.5 million gallons of water was saved, helping to maintain healthy aquifers.
Water Conservation Programs: 991 water meters were updated to help customers track water consumption and conserve water use.
Three new green alleys were constructed with support from a $347,000 grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) to aid in flood mitigation.
Local Food & Agriculture Highlights
Holiday gift cards donated 200
The Village joined the Waste Food Action Alliance to learn best practices to redistribute unused food from Skokie food establishments to area food pantries. Human Services provided SNAP assistance to 54 households, further demonstrating the Village’s commitment to addressing food insecurity within the community.
The Niles Township Food Pantry served 3,300 households, distributing nearly 1.4 million pounds of food.
The Skokie Farmers’ Market wrapped up its 49th season with a special thanks to R&B Miller Farms, which generously donated an estimated 1,200 pounds of apples to the Niles Township Food Pantry – the market’s largest donation ever.
The Skokie Health and Human Services Department spread cheer to more than 200 households as part of the Assist-a-Family program.
Green Space & Trees
Increasing Tree Plantings and Native Plants
Planted 490 trees in Skokie and celebrated more to come with a tree planting ceremony at Masjid Madinatul Uloom in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and GreenLatinos.
Converted large areas of turf into native plantings between Terminal Avenue and the Skokie Valley Trail, from Dempster Street to Niles Center Road.
The Village’s Beautification and Improvement Commission presented its annual Beautification Awards to 28 Skokie properties for landscaping excellence.
The top five property owners received the new “Skokie Best” award, and several properties were recognized as “pollinator pantries” for incorporating native plants and creating habitat for pollinators.
Health & Safety Highlights
Improving Emergency Communication
Village of Skokie Public Works is a member of IPWMAN: Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network, which provides mutual aid response and recovery assistance to member communities when confronted with major natural or manmade emergencies and disasters.
The Village of Skokie Emergency Management Planning Team (EMPT) attended the Cook County EMRS Emergency Planning Assistance Program.
The Village communicated warming/cooling center information, emergency preparedness resources, and Smart 911 sign ups on its website, focusing on vulnerable populations. Information on website can be translated into more than 100 languages.
The Human Services Directory was updated to include over 40 community partners to be utilized by Village staff during times of distress.
The Village Board adopted the 2024 Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan with the Skokie Annex, which includes strategies and goals for hazard mitigation, with five new strategies and action items directly from the Environmental Sustainability Plan.
Economy Highlights
Green Business & Shopping Local
Eighteen local businesses participated in the Skokie Green Business Recognition Program. The Village held a Green Business Kick-off Meeting with a presentation by SEDAC and discussions with businesses, covering waste assessments; a food donations tutorial, and energy assessments with Nicor and ComEd.
The Consumer Affairs Commission named Sketchbook Brewing as 2024 Skokie Business of the Year, a participating member of the Green Business Program.
Three Skokie businesses were among the first six recipients of Cook County’s Businesses
Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program grants, helping them reduce environmental impact through pollution reduction. Congratulations to Sketchbook Brewing, Kenny the Kleeners and The Greener Cleaner, which received a total of more than $700,000 to support pollution-reducing initiatives in Skokie.
Annual events, including the Holiday Cookie Walk and Start your Day in Skokie, promoted shopping at local downtown businesses.
The Economic Vitality Division began the process of updating the Village’s Economic Vitality Strategy, which was last updated in 2016-2017.