2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards

A pair of environmental recognition programs have joined together to honor Illinois organizations that have accomplished significant achievements in protecting the environment and helping to sustain the future. Winners of the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards and the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact Awards Program were presented during a luncheon in Oak Brook, IL.    Twenty-one Illinois companies and organizations were honored with the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards presented by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC).  ISTC is a unit of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois. Since 1987, ISTC has presented Governor’s awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices that will also save money and help the economy.  Any Illinois public or private organization is eligible to apply for an award. Organizations who were first time winners received the Sustainability Award. Those organizations that have won in past years and are continuing their environmental efforts are awarded a Continuous Improvement Award.   “These businesses and organizations have shown that it is possible to create and maintain conditions under which people and the environment can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social and economic requirements of present and future generations,” said Manohar Kulkarni, ISTC Director.   The 2012 Governor’s Sustainability Award winners are:   Sustainability Award (first time winners) Advocate Health Care – Oak Brook Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. – Rosemont CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business – Chicago City of Moline – Moline Clarke – Roselle County of Will – Joliet Flex-N-Gate Urbana – Urbana Fluorecycle, Inc. – Ingleside Knauz Automotive Group – Lake Bluff The Label Printers LP – Aurora Lawrence Foods, Inc. – Elk Grove Village Naperville Park District – Naperville Naval Station Great Lakes – Great Lakes The Peterson Garden Project – Chicago Quaker Foods & Snacks – Bridgeview Testa Produce, Inc. – Chicago Wight & Company – Darien   Continuous Improvement Caterpillar Technical Center – Mossville Farmland Foods, Inc. – Monmouth Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. – Bushnell Village of Schaumburg – Schaumburg   The other recognition is for participants in the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact, which outlines environmental goals that colleges and universities may adopt on their campuses. The Compact includes objectives such as purchasing renewable energy, implementing green building practices, developing sustainable transportation options, improving water conservation, and incorporating sustainable dining practices. The program offers universities and colleges three levels of participation:

• Bronze: institutions making a commitment to creating a sustainability program and engaging the campus community.
• Silver: institutions which are ready to make targeted commitments to greening their operations and monitoring performance.
• Gold: institutions that are integrating sustainability throughout their campus and working towards measured improvement.

  The twenty-one Illinois colleges and universities being honored, and their recognition level are:   Gold Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago Joliet Junior College – Joliet Kankakee Community College – Kankakee Lewis & Clark Community College – Godfrey Moraine Valley Community College – Palos Hills University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Waubonsee Community College – Aurora   Silver There were no colleges or university meeting the silver level standards this year.   Bronze Danville Area Community College – Danville DePaul University – Chicago Elmhurst College – Elmhurst Heartland Community College Lewis University – Romeoville Lincoln Land Community College – Springfield Northwestern College – Bridgeview Northwestern University – Chicago Roosevelt University – Chicago Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Southwestern Illinois College – Belleville Triton College – River Grove Wilbur Wright College – Chicago