Skokie businesses are getting the benefit of some University of Illinois advice on how to make their businesses more environmentally friendly, thanks to a partnership between the village of Skokie and the university.
Seventeen Skokie businesses have partnered with the village to adopt sustainable practices to reduce operational costs, support economic development in Skokie, and support the village’s Environmental Sustainability plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions village-wide. Recognizable names and businesses are on the list, including Will’s Place, Kneads and Wants, Village Inn Pizzeria, Soul Good Coffee, Sketchbook Brewing Company and more.
The village approved a $40,000 contract in May with the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, SEDAC, an applied research program from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, to identify, implement, track and measure sustainable practices for local businesses to follow. According to the village’s Economic Vitality Manager Rodney Tonelli, SEDAC is now in its final stages of assessing Skokie businesses and what they can do to follow sustainable practices that are specific to them.
Tonelli said in an Aug. 21 economic development commission meeting that SEDAC began its work in Skokie in July by creating a 15-suggestion checklist ranging from energy, waste management, water waste, water transportation, mobility, local food and agriculture, green spaces and trees and assessing each business on what they can do to be more sustainable. The second step of the program is for the businesses to follow through with the suggestions and the final step will be for the village to publicly recognize the business, either with certificates or a party later in the year, Tonelli said.
“The initiative we have here is not intended to ask each business to do everything— any initiative that they can implement is progress — and so we’re going to recognize them for even the smallest improvement in their sustainability practices,” Tonelli said.
The businesses will be able to use the village’s recognition to enhance their brand, Tonelli said. Commissioner Nathan Norman suggested that the village could also print out signs or badges for the businesses to attract customers walking by.
In an April memo from the village’s Sustainability Coordinator Lisa Sanzenbacher and Community Development Director Johanna Nyden to Village Manager John Lockerby, the two wrote of the benefits of the village approving the contract with SEDAC.
“Measurements in the checklist include resource management and low to no-cost sustainability opportunities and keep participant time and monetary commitments as low as possible. This type of entry-level checklist model has been successful in the past in both increasing participation and educating business owners on potential improvement while offering a means for recognition.”
The following businesses are also in the program:
- Take Flight Spirits
- McGrath Evanston Subaru
- Edward Jones Investments
- Zorica Lucic State Farm
- Haben Funeral Home & Crematory
- Chicago Jewish Funerals
- CG Ink
- Barto Enterprises Inc.
- Music Theater Works
- Collective Resource Compost Cooperative
- Panoramic Images
- See Jane Sparkle
