It’s Not Easy Being Green
(or, What Can We Do to Help Our Environment)
By Allan Kaufman, Director, The Compliance Resource Center
 
I recently became a volunteer scuba diver at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.  Through my involvement with Shedd Aquarium, Greater Chicago ASSE, and the safety community, I have become more aware of my community and its environment, and the environment is not looking very good.  Therefore, this article will discuss two issues concerning our environment and how we can have an impact to bring about change.   The two issues concern the Great Lakes and Building

The first concern is our Great Lakes.    Do you remember the acronym HOMES?  That is what many people use to remember the names of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior).  These Great Lakes provide over 20% of the world’s fresh water.  In Chicago and the surrounding communities, Lake Michigan provides a majority of the drinking water, which is rated excellent by independent sources.  However, are toxic pollutants, such as mercury and agricultural pesticides, have threatened you aware that the Great Lakes water quality?   This is OUR drinking water and our CHILDREN’S drinking water.  These chemicals enter the aquatic system through direct dumping, such as paper mill waste, or indirect pathways, such as field-water run-off and power plant air pollution. 
Every summer beaches in the Chicago area are closed because of the high level of e-coli and other bacteria in the water.  These threats occur from untreated sewage or animal waste entering the water.  Did you know that fishing and boating on the Great Lakes is a 10 billion dollar industry?  Pollution is also having a dramatic negative effect on these industries..  These chemicals enter the aquatic system through direct dumping, such as paper mill waste, or indirect pathways, such as field-water run-off and power plant air pollution. 
Every summer beaches in the Chicago area are closed because of the high level of e-coli and other bacteria in the water.  These threats occur from untreated sewage or animal waste entering the water.  Did you know that fishing and boating on the Great Lakes is a 10 billion dollar industry?  Pollution is also having a dramatic negative effect on these industries. 
What can we do as safety professionals and people who live in the communities around the Great Lakes?  Have an environmentally sound work place, and make your employees aware of their community’s response to the environment.  A good place to start is the link below. www.greatlakesforever.org/html/aboutus.html 
Here are some suggestions, which we all can look at to help our environment.1) Support community green space. Parks, urban gardens, and even sidewalk tree plantings beautify our communities and, when properly managed, help protect the Great Lakes. Green spaces planted with native trees and plants and managed with limited chemical fertilizer and pesticide use, provide homes for wildlife, clean our air, and help maintain our underground water resources. Of course, kids love places to play and green space can truly enhance a community’s property values.
2) Respect the storm sewers. Storm water is a major contributor to water pollution. Household waste, from pets and garden chemicals to automobiles and street litter, are carried into our community storm sewers by rain and snowmelt. Although each storm sewer drain contributes just a small amount of pollution, there can be thousands of such sewer inlets around your community. These storm sewers often drain untreated wastewater into local lakes, rivers and wetlands. You can help reduce storm water pollution by maintaining a healthy, chemical-free lawn, planting a rain-garden, and never pouring paints, oils, and other chemical wastes down the sewers.
3) Preserve natural shorelines. Over-development of river, inland-lake, and Great Lakes shorelines will rob future generations of stunning natural beauty and harm wildlife, water quality, and more. Our shorelines are the fragile ecosystems where lands and waters meet, important breeding and feeding grounds for countless birds, mammals, and even some fish. Loss of shoreline wetlands and habitat can result in water pollution, contaminated fish, and wildlife extinction. Make sure your community protects its natural shorelines so that we can all continue to enjoy access to the swimming, fishing, and boating our waters provide.
4) Be a champion in your community. If you love the Great Lakes, don’t be shy. Tell your friends, neighbors and elected officials that the Great Lakes are important to you. You can make a difference.
 
The second environmental concern is the use of Building Green. What do we mean by this?  The EPA defines Building Green or sustainable building as the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. Research and experience increasingly demonstrate that when buildings are designed and operated with their lifecycle impacts in mind, they can provide great environmental, economic, and social benefits. Check out the sites below for more information on how you or your organization can learn more about Building Green.Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Water Stewardship
Environmentally Preferable Building Materials and Specifications
Waste Reduction
Indoor Environment
Smart Growth and Sustainable Development Everyone likes to save money, and in this case, you can save money while helping to protect the Great Lakes. Ask your city council and local zoning boards if they offer incentives to businesses, housing developers, and others to build energy efficient buildings that draw a portion of their power from renewable energy sources. Schools, libraries, and hospitals are just a few public buildings that have been used to demonstrate the cost savings and clean power of solar and wind energy. When we conserve our energy resources, we benefit from greater energy security, lower costs, and a healthier community environment.Here are a few local examples of Building Green in our community.