Health & Fitness
New Laws Great for the Economy & the Environment
As of January 1st most electronic devices are banned from disposal and inefficient lightbulbs are phased out. These laws save money and energy while reducing pollution and creating jobs.
As of January 1st a new state law went into effect that bans 17 different electronic items from disposal in Illinois. Will County has been on the forefront of preparing for this ban. The County has partnered with communities and townships to offer over a dozen free drop-offs with weekly hours of operation for serveral years. In April of 2011 a free front-door electronic collection program was launched through Vintage Tech Recyclers. This makes it easy to recycle televisions, computers, laptops, printers, scanners, telephones, PDAs, cameras and much more.
Electronics devices contain many mined minerals that should not be buried in landfills. Recycling these items creates jobs, reduces waste and saves energy while also preventing pollution. Please share Will County’s website, www.willcountygreen.com, with friends and neighbors and let them know about the great recycling options that accompany the law.
Beyond the electronics law in Illinois, a federal law passed in 2007 known as the Energy Independence and Security Act with bipartsan support requires higher efficiency standards for light bulbs. This law impacts the old fashioned incandescent technology, as LED and CFL technology already meet the standard. Many nations around the world have or are about to do the same thing in recognition of the increasing energy demands. While enforcement of the law has recently been delayed, the law remains in effect.
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As you replace lights around your home or office, look for long lasting energy efficient options. Cutting your energy use saves you money. The cost of energy is only expected to increase so this savings will also increase over time. Saving energy also reduces the load on the coal and nuclear power plants that provide most of our local electricity.
Lastly, as you replace any item that requires power, whether it is a light bulb, electronic device or appliance, consider choosing an energy star rated product. Energy star is a voluntary program that allows manufacturers to prove the amount of energy their product requires over a year of normal use and publish an average cost. The more people who replace inefficent items with high efficient items, the better able we will be to meet our energy needs.
