Village must learn to reduce, reuse and recycle
After reading about the increase in the trash collection fee in last week’s Review, I have a suggestion to make. I suggest that we Forest Park citizens clean up our act. This entails making recycling information as well as yard waste information regularly available in printed form, and filling in the recycling and waste section of the village’s website, which was put up last year but has been empty with a “coming soon” line since then. This section should include all the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, with tips on how to improve our waste management practices.
Reduction efforts should include avoidance of wasteful packaging, and a reduction in the use of Styrofoam and plastic service ware in our retail businesses. These are horribly polluting materials that fill up our landfills with unnecessary solid waste that take thousands of years to decompose into toxic waste. Reduction efforts should put special emphasis on flattening boxes as a widespread practice so we make better use of the available space in our trucks.
Reuse efforts could begin by opening a section on the website encouraging simple practices like composting. Everyone from village workers, Allied Waste/BFI and Forest Park citizens, and landlords should be reminded that branches need to be left in the street in front of the house so the shredding truck can process them into mulch before hauling them away. Yard waste has been banned from Illinois dumpsters since 1990, so placing it in the trash can is, simply put, illegal.
It is time to shift our “all you can waste” system to a “pay as you throw” system like Oak Park; we are quite behind our neighboring villages and I can only hope that we will do the right thing.
Julieta Aguilera
Forest Park
Centennial thanks
On Saturday, June 16, the village hosted a 100th birthday party/time capsule event at the park located at Circle and Randolph in conjunction with the actual anniversary day of June 18, (1907)2007. This location was chosen because it is the site of our first village hall. We received lots of items for our time-capsule and although it was a very hot day we had a large contingency of Forest Parkers who came out to celebrate. Thanks to each and every one of you!
Our gratitude also goes out to Nadeau’s Ice House, who donated a terrific elephant ice sculpture; Blue Max Coffee House, who donated a portion of its iced teas, coffees, and sweets; and the wonderful jazz ensemble provided by Mr. Jason Patera of the Caltera School. Sincere thanks and appreciation goes to Mr. Gregory Reichle of American Wilber Vault for his donation of the actual time capsule.
It should be noted that the time-capsule will not be interred until fall of ’07 because this particular park is slated for redesign over the summer.
We would also like to thank Ms. Karen Bukowski, principal of Forest Park Middle School, for organizing a drawing and essay contest and we congratulate the winners; Perry James Cowan, Jr., Evelyn Carrera, Lauren Haeger, Emma Long, Maria Carrasco, Caitlyn Fontagneres-Robertson, Nicole Evans, Sreejith Nair, and Kathleen Dunaway. Last, we’d like to thank Ms. Bev Thompson, and her staff, Karen Dylewski, Rich Barger, and Terry Meffley, for helping us make this event a success.
Forest Park Centennial Ad Hoc Committee
Forest Park
Popelka’s passing
Mayor Popelka was a wonderful person, a lady and a great mayor! She was tender when needed and tough when she needed to be. Mayor Popelka was one of the people I first met when my dad and I moved from Chicago to Forest Park in August of 1991. She was as always very respectful and kind to me and my family each time we saw her or contacted village hall. My sympathies and prayers go out to her family.
Lester E. Nixon
Forest Park
