CityStories / City Profiles / Medium Cities / Springfield, Illinois
Population: 111,454
- Wind energy
- Greenhouse gas reduction
- Energy-efficiency upgrade incentives
- Waste prevention
- Electronics recycling
- Farmer's market
- Official City of Springfield, IL Website
Springfield, Illinois
July 2010 Update: Springfield has been named a 2010 Smarter City for Energy. Read the article.
Like many Midwestern towns, Springfield, Illinois, is faced with aging power plants, but the city is shifting toward clean coal technology combined with investments in new energy sources including wind, which now accounts for 20 percent of the city's energy. And even though Springfield is still reliant on coal, a landmark agreement in 2006 between the state, the Sierra Club and Springfield's municipal-owned utility, City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) closed the dirtiest of CWLP's plants and replaced it with a plant subject to the most stringent pollution limits in the country. The agreement sets an enforceable goal for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 25 percent of 2005 levels by 2012—the first time any utility in the U.S. has agreed to such significant GHG targets.
This Midwestern capital city—in the middle of the Corn and Grain Belts, also obtains renewable energy in the form of discarded seed corn, which serves as a reliable supplement for electric generation. And residents have a new option to purchase green energy credits on a check-off on their utility bill for those who want to do more to support investment in renewable sources.
The CWLP's energy-efficiency office has been in operation for nearly 30 years and offers rebates—on insulation, heat pumps, water heaters—to encourage customers to invest in energy-saving appliances and home improvements. The latest of these is the pilot Great Refrigerator Roundup, which offers a $50 rebate for any qualifying pre-1993 refrigerator and recycles 95 percent of the unit, including ozone-depleting CFC refrigerants. In the first three months of the program in 2008, more than 600 inefficient refrigerators were recycled, reducing the impact of the most energy-guzzling appliance in the home.
The historic downtown district of Springfield, home to Abraham Lincoln for 24 years, provides more than 115 on-street recycling collection containers—and all are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. The city offers free recycling for all electronics—including TVs—to both residents and businesses. Reusable shopping bags are distributed by the Waste and Recycling Division at the local farmer's market, where coupons from food stamp recipients are accepted, making fresh, local food accessible for people of all income levels.
Twenty-two U.S. cities have been named "2010 Smarter Cities" for their investment in green power, energy efficiency measures and conservation by the Natural Resources Defense...
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Illinois Capitol Building in Springfield Credit: Aka Keith/FlickrWhile Chicago has received more coverage for its green roof effort and its climate action plan, the...
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Switch to Green Power in NYC
This website allows New York City residents and small businesses to sign up for green power in 3 easy steps.
Portland Municipal Resources
Download the City of Portland and Multnomah County Climate Action Plan 2009 (pdf), which details the cities conservation and climate change preparation initiatives.
Visit Clean Energy Works: Portland for information on financing for residential energy effiency upgrades.
See the Portland Ecoroof program for information on the city's living roof projects.
Click here for information on Portland's sustainable stormwater management efforts.
See the Portland Brownfield Program to learn about how the city is reclaiming contaminated sites for development.
El Paso Municipal Resources
Download the City of El Paso's Livable City Sustainability Plan (pdf) for the city's overall strategy to improve quality of life in El Paso.
The El Paso Solar Energy Association (EPSEA) supports the development of solar installations in West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico.
Visit the El Paso Department of Sustainability for information on local sustainabiltiy initiatives.
Seattle Municipal Resources
Download the Seattle Climate Protection Initiative Progress Report 2009 (pdf) for a report on recent initiatives.
Download the 2008 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory (pdf) for details on the city's most recent energy audit.
See the Seattle Office of Housing HomeWise program for weatherization services available to homeowners.
See the Powerful Neighborhoods program to learn about free retrofits available to South Seattle residents.
Fort Collins Municipal Resources
Download the City of Fort Collins Utilities 2009 Energy Policy (pdf), which details the utilities goals and vision for 2050.
Download the City of For Collins Utilities Electric Energy Supply Policy 2008 Annual Update (pdf), which details the city's activities and progress since the Energy Policy.
Download the 2008 Fort Collins Climate Action Plan (pdf), which outlines the city's strategic plan to meet it's 2020 goal.
Click here for information on rebates and programs available to Fort Collins residents.
Community Solar Project
The resource manager in Ellensburg, WA came up with a plan to bring solar power to the whole community. In this Q&A he provides some useful advice on everything from financing to choosing the right solar panels.
Berkeley, California Municipal Resources
To read about Berkeley's clean energy initiatives, check out the City of Berkeley official website.
San Francisco Municipal Resources
Visit San Francisco's environment department at SFenvironment.org to learn about the city's environmental programs and policies.
See GoSolarSF for information on solar installation incentives and a map of solar activity in the city of San Francisco.
San Francisco Energy Watch provides energy assessments and discounts on efficiency installations and equipment.
Dallas Municipal Resources
Download the City of Dallas Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory (pdf) for details on the city's most recent energy audit.
See the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for information on how the state is working to preserve the air, land and water in Texas.
The Dallas Office of Environmental Quality works with the city toward environmental improvements in Dallas.
Green Dallas is the city's hub for local green initiatives and information.
Boston Municipal Resources
Download the Boston Municipal Greenhouse Gas Inventories (pdf) for details on the city's energy audits.
See Sparking Boston's Climate Revolution Summary Report (pdf) for Climate Action Leadership Committee and Community Advisory Committee recommendations.
Read Boston's Solar America Cities profile to learn about Boston's efforts to increase local solar energy capacity.
Visit Solar Boston for a map of solar installations in the city.
Oakland Municipal Resources
The Oakland Green Jobs Corps provides green jobs training and employment services for low-income adults in Oakland.
See the Oakland Green Building Resource Center (GBRC) for local green building support.
See Energy Upgrade California in Alameda County to learn about the program's goals and projects.
See the Oakland Sustainability Program, through the City of Oakland Public Works Program, for information on upcoming local sustainability events, recent sustainability inititatives and programs and to download Oakland Sustainable Community Development progress reports.
Columbus Municipal Resources
See Get Green Columbus for a summary of the city's sustainability efforts from 2005-2009.
Download the Columbus Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Project List (pdf) for details on how the city is using the grant.
Download the Get Green 2010 Memo (pdf) for Columbus' green action plan.
The Columbus Green Forum promotes energy efficient and environmentally sustainable building in Central Ohio.
Download the Ten Year Reform and Efficiency and Action Plan (pdf) for the city's plan reduce municipal spending.
The Ecomony, Energy and Environment (E3) program is a collaboration between local and federal governments, manufacturers and utilites working toward greener industry.
New York City Municipal Resources
Download the Inventory of New York City Greenhouse Gas Emissions (pdf) for information on the city's latest energy audit.
Download the PlanNYC Progress Report 2010 for a summary of the city's green acheivements to date.
See New York City's Greener, Greater Buildings Plan for details on the city's strategies for improving energy efficiency in existing buildings.
See New York City's Solar America Cities profile to learn about what New York is doing to increase solar energy capacity in the city.
Austin Municipal Resources
Download the Austin Climate Protection Plan 2009 Annual Report for details on the city's progress.
Visit CoolAustin.org to learn about the city's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Click here to learn about the Urban Heat Island Mitigation Project in Austin.
Click here to learn about Austin's Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) Ordinance.
Chicago Municipal Resources
See the Chicago Climate Action Plan for comprehensive details on the city's carbon reduction initiatives and for information on what businesses and residents can do to help.
Chicago's Climate Action Plan Progress Report 2008-2009 provides an update on the the first two years of city's efforts.
The Chicago Green Office Challenge is a friendly competition designed to inspire office tenants and property managers to conserve energy in office buildings.
The City of Chicago Environment Department liasons with other city departments, state agencies and nonprofits to develop and enforce environmental codes and regulations.
Long Beach Municipal Resources
Download the Sustainable Long Beach Sustainable City Action Plan for details on the city's conservation goals and strategies.
Visit the Long Beach Office of Sustainability to read about the city's efforts to implement renewable energy.
See the 5th District Solar & Sustainability Task Force for information on the group's activity including meeting dates and agendas.
Berkeley Municipal Resources
Berkeley FIRST provides financing for local solar installations.
See berkeleyclimateaction.org for a pdf of the Berkeley Climate Action Plan and an executive summary of the city's progress.
See the Berkeley Office of Energy and Sustainable Development for information on energy efficiency programs, rebates and resources.
Huntington Beach Municipal Resources
Click here for information on rebates for upgrading to water-saving fixtures and appliances in Huntington Beach.
Click here for building energy efficiency standards in Hungtington Beach.
Santa Clarita Municipal Resources
Click here for information on the Community Energy Partnership (CEP), a coalition working toward effective energy efficiency programs in the seven participating Southern California cities.
Click here for information on energy efficiency rebates available to Southern California residents.
Santa Cruz Municipal Resources
Click here for information on the Climate Action Program in Santa Cruz.
Click here for the City of Santa Cruz Green Building Program.
Visit 30x20.org to join a Climate Action Team in Santa Cruz and pledge to reduce your carbon emissions.
Beaverton Municipal Resources
Click here for a map of green projects underway in Beaverton.
Click here for information on the launch of Solar Beaverton, a pilot program providing solar incentives to 50 homeowners in Beaverton.
Sustainable Beaverton provides information on the city's most recent conservation initiatives.
Denton Municipal Resources
Click here for information on energy efficiency rebates in Denton.
Download the final report of the Texas REConnect project, which considered how Texas utlities respond to requests for net metering and interconnecting small renewable energy generators.
Energy: Smart Grids
NYC's Residential Recycling Program
Live in NYC and wonder what you can recycle and how? This guide will help.
Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Database of Solar Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (lists some FIT programs), Department of Energy
Gainesville Regional Utilities feed-in-tariff documents
Sacramento Municipal Utility District FIT page
Text of the Vermont Energy Act of 2009 (H. 446) (pdf)
A Policy Maker's Guide to Feed-in Tariff Design, produced by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (pdf)
Learn More
Why, What a Smart Grid You Have!
American Cities Get Smart about Energy
Minute, Morning, Month: Save the oceans. Choose green power.
Renewable Energy for America: Harvesting the Benefits of Homegrown, Renewable Energy
Wind, Solar and Biomass Energy Today
Quiz: What Do You Know About Saving Energy?
Home Improvement: Energy Out the Window
New Energy Efficiency Tax Credits
Ask Us: How Can I Recycle Plastic Packaging?
E-waste: Saving Developing Countries From Our Electronic Junk
Ask Us: Should I Only Buy Organic When at the Farmer's Market?
Minute, Morning, Month: Stock up on produce and fresh foods at a farmer's market near you.
This Green Life: Eating in the Neighborhood
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