Midwest Sustainability Group is hard at work bringing people together to create a more sustainable planet.
So much to learn, so little time.

Whether the goal is Zero Waste, sustainable transportation, open spaces or clean air, we advocate for and empower communities to create a world that lives within its resource means and to reduce our climate emissions so the next generation inherits a world that is healthier and more sustainable.

Odor or Other Problems regarding Countryside Landfill

What to do if you smell a landfill odor from Countryside Landfill:

It is very important to take action when you experience odor or litter issues from Countryside Landfill as it could indicate a possible permit violation or fixable problem. Help us help YOU but taking this brief action. The numbers of complaints is input they consider to determine the severity of the issue.”

- Call the Lake County Health Dept. Odor Hotline: 847-377-8096
- Fill out this complaint form (2 min) with the Illinois EPA: http://www.epa.illinois.gov/pollution-complaint/submit-a-complaint/index

Zero Waste
Recycling – Food Waste/Composting – Reuse – Waste Reduction – Circular Economy – Incineration and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Organizations

Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) http://zwia.org/
- Zero Waste Definition: http://zwia.org/standards/zw-definition/
- Zero Waste Business Principles: http://zwia.org/standards/zw-business-principles/
- Zero Waste Community Principles: http://zwia.org/standards/zw-community-principles/
- https://www.facebook.com/zwia.org/

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA): http://www.no-burn.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/GAIAzerowaste/

Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR): https://ilsr.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/localselfreliance/

Northern California Recycling Association: http://ncrarecycles.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/Northern-California-Recycling-Association-NCRA-117577201594520/

Stop Waste: http://www.stopwaste.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/StopWasteOrg/

National Recycling Coalition: https://nrcrecycles.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/NRCrecycles/

Illinois Recycling Association: http://www.illinoisrecycles.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/Illinois-Recycling-Association-296485142423/

Illinois Food Scrap Coalition: http://illinoiscomposts.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisFoodScrapCoalition/

US Composting Council: https://compostingcouncil.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/USCompostingCouncil/

U.S. Green Building Council & LEED Certification: https://new.usgbc.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/USGBC/

Zero Waste America: http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/

Eco Cycle: http://ecocycle.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/ecocycle.zerowaste/

SolidWaste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO): http://www.swalco.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/SolidWasteAgency/?ref=br_rs

Energy Justice Network: http://www.energyjustice.net/
- https://www.facebook.com/energyjustice/

Story of Stuff Project: http://storyofstuff.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/storyofstuff/

Urban Ore: http://urbanore.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/urbanore/

ZERI Institute: http://www.zeri.org/ZERI/Home.html

Food Forward: https://foodforward.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/foodforwardla/

Love Food Hate Waste: https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/LoveFoodHateWasteCommunity/

Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN): http://www.postlandfill.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/postlandfill/

The Campus Kitchens Project: http://www.campuskitchens.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/campuskitchens/

Food Recovery Network: https://www.foodrecoverynetwork.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/FoodRecoveryNetwork/

DC Central Kitchen: https://dccentralkitchen.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/dccentralkitchen/

Food Tank: https://foodtank.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/TheFoodTank/

Wasted Food: http://www.wastedfood.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/Wasted-Food-386826292768/

World Clean Up Day: https://www.letsdoitworld.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/letsdoitworld/

One Earth Film Festival: http://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/

Lake County Green Congregations: https://www.facebook.com/groups/476573915818580/

Save the Albatross Coalition: http://albatrosscoalition.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/savethealbatross/

Reuse Events/Organizations:

Rebuilding Exchange: http://rebuildingexchange.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/rebuildingexchange/

Zero Waste Information:

Zero Waste Hierarchy: (credit: Zero Waste International Alliance: http://zwia.org/standards/zero-waste-hierarchy/)

Energy Justice Zero Waste Hierarchy: (Credit Energy Justice: http://www.energyjustice.net/zerowaste )

Resource Recovery Parks:
- http://urbanore.com/zero-waste-resources/facility-design/

Lake County Recycling Guidelines: http://www.swalco.org/DocumentCenter/View/861

Video of what can be recycled in Lake County, IL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHipsWuhiQQ

GAIA publications and Fact Sheets: http://www.no-burn.org/publications/
ILSR “Waste to Wealth” resources: https://ilsr.org/content-types/resource-archive/?initiative=waste-to-wealth
Commercial Food Waste Reduction in Alameda County: http://ncrarecycles.org/activities/commercial-food-waste-reduction/
Bottle Bill Resource Guide: http://www.bottlebill.org/
Urban Ore Policy Planning Resoures: http://urbanore.com/zero-waste-resources/policy-planning/
ZWIA Zero Waste Articles Resources: http://zwia.org/news/zero-waste-articles/
USDA Food Waste Challenge: https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/faqs.htm
US EPA Food Waste Reduction page: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-wasted-food-home
US EPA “Food: Too Good to Waste Implementation Guide and Toolkit”: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-too-good-waste-implementation-guide-and-toolkit
NPR Stories about Foodwaste: http://www.npr.org/tags/141123294/food-waste
John Oliver on Food Waste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8xwLWb0lLY
Food Waste Facts from Food Tank: https://foodtank.com/news/2015/06/world-environment-day-10-facts-about-food-waste-from-bcfn/
Ecocycle: “What Is the Best Disposal Option for the ‘Leftovers’ On the Way to Zero Waste?”: https://www.ecocycle.org/files/pdfs/best_disposal_option_for_leftovers_on_the_way_to_Zero_Waste.pdf
Stop Waste Tools for Zero Waste: http://www.stopwaste.org/?page=518
Illinois Recycling Association Resources: http://www.illinoisrecycles.org/documents/
Illinois Recycling Association summary of Illinois’ Solid Waste Legislation: http://www.illinoisrecycles.org/documents/summary-of-illinois-solid-waste-legislation/
Information on the different types of plastic that can be recycled (or what the number codes mean) https://www.bottlestore.com/a-guide-to-the-different-types-of-recyclable-plastic

Articles/studies/publications/references:

“Here’s How to Solve Our Food Waste Problem” by Michael Pellman Rowland, Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelpellmanrowland/2017/08/28/food-waste-solution/#ca423ef4d177
“How Ugly Fruits and Vegetables Can Solve World Hunger” by Elizabeth Royte, National Geographic
World Wildlife Fund 2016 Living Planet Report: http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/lpr_2016/

Books:

The Zero Waste Solution; Untrashing the Planet One Community At a Time by Dr. Paul Connett:

American Wasteland by Jonathan Bloom:

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Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson:

My Zero Waste Kitchen by Kate Turner:

Zero Waste Lifestyle: Live Well by Throwing Away Less by Amy Korst

Story of Stuff; How Our Obsession with Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities and Our Health-and a Vision for Change by Annie Leonard:

The Story of Stuff; The Impact of Overconsumption on the Planet, Our Communities and Health and How We Can Make It Better by Annie Leonard:

Zero Waste plans (City, County and State):

Austin, TX: http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Trash_and_Recycling/MasterPlan_Final_12.30.pdf
San Francisco, CA: https://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste-in-SF-is-recycling-composting-and-reuse
Oakland, CA: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/FE/s/GAR/OAK024364
Alameda County, CA: https://alamedaca.gov/sites/default/files/document-files/article-files/alameda-zerowasteimplementationplan-final.pdf
Palo Alto, CA: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/7100
Telluride, Co: http://www.newcommunitycoalition.org/documents/ZeroWasteActionPlan.pdf
Los Angeles, CA: http://www.newcommunitycoalition.org/documents/ZeroWasteActionPlan.pdf

Zero Waste Businesses:

Zero Waste San Diego List: http://zerowastesandiego.org/zero-waste/zero-waste-businesses/

Zero Waste Products:

Zero Waste Consultants for Communities and Businesses:

Gary Liss and Associates: http://www.garyliss.com/
Richard Anthony Associates: http://www.richardanthonyassociates.com/
Urban Ore: http://urbanore.com/zero-waste-resources/consulting/

Films and Video:

Wasteland: http://www.wastelandmovie.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/WasteLandMovie
Trashed, The Movie: http://www.trashedmovie.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/letsdoitworld/
Story of Stuff Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM
Circular Economy…It’s the Way Forward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK00v_tzkCI&index=2&list=PLDZcEWTMsnepWxQxucH-39K5BquN8B4wj
Food Wastage Footprint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoCVrkcaH6Q&index=5&list=PLDZcEWTMsnepWxQxucH-39K5BquN8B4wj
Food Wastage Footprint -2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md3ddmtja6s&index=4&list=PLDZcEWTMsnepWxQxucH-39K5BquN8B4wj
Lake County Recycling Program: Recycle First; Trash Last: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHipsWuhiQQ&index=6&list=PLDZcEWTMsnepWxQxucH-39K5BquN8B4wj
Waste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaouOWx3Bmo&index=13&list=PLDZcEWTMsnepWxQxucH-39K5BquN8B4wj

Apps:

8 apps for Tracking Food Waste from Waste 360: http://www.waste360.com/food-waste/8-apps-tackling-food-waste

Zero Waste Resources