Communications | Page 4

Goal: Promote a Sustainable Environment STRATEGIC STATEMENT: Preserve the health of our natural resources and our drinking water through the widespread use of sustainable and environmental management practices, effective storm water management and the enhancement and rehabilitation of lakes, wetlands and other fragile ecological systems. Strategy: Utilize green products, implement renewable energy technologies and incorporate green practices in the delivery of County programs and servic es where cost effective. Action A: Modify County purchasing policies and practices to request, where applicable, green alternatives for products and services. Action B: Collect and share information about contractors and vendors that use or offer energy efficient, reused or recycled content products and materials, as well as those vendors who use green operational practices. Action C: Change purchasing documentation to require vendors to report green practices (when tracked) and use that information to evaluate opportunities to be more sustainable in current and future procurements. Action D: Draft, adopt, and implement policies and ordinances that support wind, solar, and geothermal energy facilities County-wide to encourage renewable energy technologies in appropriate locations. Proposed Action E: Review County policies and practices consider sustainability along with business factors and where appropriate implement more sustainable alternatives. Strategy: Provide community outreach about best management and sustainable practices for our natural resources. Action A: Partner with other governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to share information and provide cross training on green and sustainable best management practices. Action B: Develop joint education campaigns through the Lake County Green Partnership to provide residents, businesses and other stakeholders with education on opportunities to advance sustainability in their day-to-day life and operations. Strategy: Implement long-term solutions for increasing waste diversion through recycling and composting, reducing the toxicity of our waste, and developing a long-term disposal option that has a positive impact on energy usage, reducing key pollutants and greenhouse gases. Action A: Implement the recommendations from the 60% recycling taskforce. Action B: Work with SWALCO, municipalities, and other stakeholders to implement measures to reduce total waste, increase waste diversion from the landfills, and encourage composting and recycling. Action C: Promote sustainable waste management practices, and identify and develop solutions to eliminate or mitigate barriers to waste diversion and recycling within County facilities. The Lake County Board has a goal to divert 60% of the waste stream away from landfills by 2030. The board recently approved changes to the Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance incorporating specific recommendations toward achieving this goal. Lake County residents have access to single-stream recycling, which means no sorting of recyclables is necessary. Everything can be placed in the same container with no guessing games. For a list of what can and cannot be recycled in Lake County, visit www.RecycleFirstTrashLast.org.