Sustainability and Healthy Landscapes in Naperville

by Ben Mjolsness

The City of Naperville is working to ensure a healthy, sustainable, and resilient future for all who call it home, including current residents, future generations, and other species like the Monarch Butterfly and other pollinators.

Naperville’s sustainability commitments span a range of subject areas and investments; the City’s Renewable Energy Program helps residents and other organizations who invest in clean, renewable energy by installing solar panels. The City also offers rebates for a range of energy- efficiency strategies that reduce demand for electricity and natural gas – saving people money and reducing harmful pollution.

Another area of investment is in transportation and the City’s own vehicle fleet. Naperville provides financial incentives for residents and organizations who install electric vehicle charging stations, and the City has a goal to transition at least 60% of its light-duty vehicle fleet to alternative fuel, hybrid electric, or electric vehicles by 2030. 

The City continues to promote safe routes to school to reduce dependence on vehicle travel, encourage healthy behavior, and keep kids safe. Staff coordinates a working group focused on “bikeability” and “walkability” (to) understand how safe, accessible, and enjoyable it is to bike and walk around Naperville. The group hopes to connect community members to biking and walking as a way to move around the community, and to reduce barriers for those who want to reduce their personal vehicle use for shopping, commuting, or just for fun and exercise.

Another way to have a positive impact is by reducing waste through reuse, recycling, and composting. Naperville and its partners operate free drop-off facilities for Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste so residents can safely and properly dispose of these items. Staff is working to provide education and resources to increase the use of recycling programs throughout the community, at special events, and in its own municipal operations. 

Naperville’s natural and landscaped areas offer plenty of opportunities for investment as the community seeks to sustain a diverse, healthy, and resilient environment. The City has a robust tree maintenance and planting program that aims to plant more trees than we lose on public land and parkways; this includes a partnership to replace more than 200 trees lost in the June 2021 tornado.  

The Electric Lawn Equipment Rebate Program will be back in 2023 after a successful pilot in 2022. Residents who purchase a battery-powered electric lawn mower, snow blower, leaf blower, trimmer, edger or manually powered reel lawn mower on or after Jan. 1, 2023, will be able to apply for a $50 rebate. Electric lawn equipment is cleaner and quieter than gas-powered models. It helps decrease harmful air pollution and prevents spilled oil and gas from seeping into groundwater, polluting rivers and streams or damaging lawns and paved surfaces.

Last but not least, the City is exploring locations where it would be most beneficial to replace turf grass with native and deep-rooted plants to absorb stormwater and provide habitats for pollinators. An added benefit of transitioning away from turf grass will be a reduced need for regular mowing, something we can all applaud.

We are excited about all of the important work we have ahead of us in 2023 and beyond! Please visit www.naperville.il.us/sustainability/ for more information on the City of Naperville’s sustainability journey.     

Editor’s Note: Late-breaking exciting news! On Feb. 7, Cathy Cox, volunteer from DuPage Monarch Project, attended the Naperville City council meeting and asked them to sign a resolution to support healthy habitats for pollinators. And….the council directed staff to draft the resolution right away. GREAT news that the largest city in DuPage is on board!

Ben Mjolsness is the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Naperville.