April 15, 2015 – USAgain, a for-profit company that collects unwanted textiles and resells them in the U.S. and abroad, awarded the Woodridge Park District a Certificate of Sustainability for recycling 891 pounds of sneakers in 2014. Through the cooperative efforts of the public who donated shoes to the program, the Park District:
- Saved enough water to supply nine homes for a year
- Prevented carbon emissions equivalent to a car driving 7,597 miles
- Avoided six cubic yards of landfill waste
The shoe recycling program has been in place since 2008 and the Park District has many other green programs and initiatives. In 2010 they were presented the Earth Flag award in recognition of the district’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The Glen Ellyn- based conservation group SCARCE (Schools and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education) created the Earth Flag award to recognize public entities that show a commitment to making eco-friendly choices.
Additional environmental efforts at the park district’s facilities, parks and community- wide include:
- Selling rain barrels from 2010 through 2012 to help homeowners lower their water bills while conserve water.
- Applying natural bio-solid fertilizers soccer fields.
- Organizing an annual, community-wide clean-up of the parks and surrounding areas.
- Village Greens of Woodridge receiving certification in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP), an international program administered by Audubon International designed to help landowners preserve and enhance the environmental quality of their property.
- Collecting water in rain barrels at Cypress Cove to water the plant material along the building.
As part of its ongoing recycling efforts, the park district will continue to collect athletic shoes at the Community Center, 2600 Center Drive.
