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Transportation, environmental and government leaders gathered at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. Thursday, Jan. 13 for DuPage County’s sixth annual environmental summit. The event titled “Greening Our Transportation and Roads” focused on a variety of issues including climate change and it’s impact on the Chicago region, specifically car exhaust and runoff polluting waterways. Jesse Elam, of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, said a quarter of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. He added that cutting back on harmful greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels is one way to address climate change. The Chicago area is expected to gain two million residents by 2040 and, if trends continue, experts predict a decline in the water level of Lake Michigan and more extreme storms and flooding.

Elam’s agency is developing a plan called “Go to 2040,” which aims to improve public transportation in an effort to reduce congestion and create housing near job centers. Another aspect of the plan is to create and preserve open space in an “emerald necklace,” connecting parks, forest preserves and trails around the region.

Roger Bannerman of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources discussed the effects of storm-water runoff on streams, rivers and lakes. “Non-pollutant tolerant fish are being taken out by pollutant-tolerant fish,” Bannerman said. He recommended measures such as using alternatives to salt to remove ice from roads in addition to building roads that are more permeable for water.

The summit was sponsored by DuPage County, The Conservation Foundation, University of Illinois Extension, SCARCE and Benedictine University.

Information about this conference appeared in DailyHerald.com and SuburbanChicagoNews.com (Naperville Sun) on Jan. 9, 2009. Video of the conference appeared on MySuburbanLife.com on Jan. 13, 2009. See and read more about the conference on the websites linked above.

Conservation Clues
By Brook McDonald
president & CEO
The Conservation Foundation

Recent statistics from the IRS indicate that almost 85 percent of all households support charities on an annual basis and environmental organizations are particularly popular beneficiaries. This financial generosity is most evident during the holiday season. Charitable gifts are made to share your good fortune, support your favorite institutions and promote the causes in which you believe. Charitable gifts can also reduce your taxes because they can be used as a deduction on your itemized federal and, if applicable, state tax returns.
The year’s end is your last opportunity to reduce current-year income taxes. Some gifts can provide particularly attractive tax benefits, while others can combine these benefits with an income stream for life. Gifts to most nonprofits are tax-deductible. For instance, because The Conservation Foundation is qualified as a tax-exempted organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, all gifts to the Foundation are tax-deductible. Consult your tax adviser to determine how much you can deduct.
Under new IRS rules, you cannot claim a tax deduction for a contribution of cash or other property unless you maintain a record of the contribution in the form of either a bank record (such as a canceled check) or a written communication from the charity (such as a receipt or a letter) showing the name of the charity, and the date and amount of the contribution. An electronic receipt is just as acceptable as a letter or postcard. In addition, for a single gift of $250 or more, you are required to have a receipt from the charity to substantiate your claim.
Make sure to keep your receipt in a file to support your claim (in case you are audited). The statute of limitations for the IRS is generally three years, so retain the receipt for at least that long.
The last day you are qualified to make a donation in 2008 depends on your gift. If you’re contributing by credit card at The Conservation Foundation’s online giving page, for example, you have until midnight Dec. 31. Your credit card must be charged in the same tax year that you want to claim a deduction. If you are sending a gift by mail, the donation is effective on the date mailed as indicated by the postmark. If the envelope is postmarked by Dec. 31 the gift is credited to 2008 even if it is physically received by the charity in the first week of 2009.

The Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit land and watershed protection organization, is dedicated to preserving open space and natural lands, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of the environment in northeastern Illinois. Established in 1972 by business and community leaders, it is the only environmental organization to receive the 2008 Annual Award for Business Excellence from The Business Ledger. It received consecutive Four-Star Ratings, the highest bestowed, in 2007 and 2008 from Charity Navigator. Working closely with citizens, elected officials, developers, land use planners, park districts and forest preserves, The Conservation Foundation has helped protect more than 30,000 acres of open space. The Conservation Foundation has more than 4,500 donors and members. Its main office is at the 60-acre McDonald Farm in Naperville, with a program office located at the Dickson-Murst Farm in Montgomery. For more information about activities, programs and membership, visit www.theconservationfoundation.org or call 630-428-4500.

Beth Botts of the Chicago Tribune recommends taking good care of that holiday Norfolk Island pine tree, especially during the holiday season (ChicagoTribune.com, Dec. 14, 2008). Since the beloved household tree is typically grown in Florida, it needs more humidity than the average Chicago home can provide. She recommends setting the plant on rocks near a window and watering frequently. With plenty of care the plant should live for several years. Many outdoors winter plants have a hard time surviving the already harsh climate but with the added difficulty of sodium chloride seeping into the ground. According to Brooks McDonald, president of The Conservation Foundation, “When the snow melts, road salt runs into storm drains and eventually pollutes creeks and rivers.” Instead, he suggests a low-salt diet such as calcium chloride. Shovel first and then use the de-icer only on high-traffic areas. Unused de-icer should be swept up and thrown out so it doesn’t run off and seep into the ground.

The Conservation Foundation and the DuPage Community Foundation hosted the 6th annual DuPage Environmental Summit, “Greening our Transportation and Roads,” Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The summit featured a mix of presentations by industry experts including representatives from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Regional Transportation Authority, the DuPage Environmental Commission, and other professional exhibits.

For more information, visit www.theconservationfoundation.org.

Join The Conservation Foundation for a canoe trip down the Fox River at noon on Oct. 25, 2008. They’ll gather at the C & M Canoe Rental on the Fox River in Wedron and they’ll return around 4:30 p.m. The area visited is the section called the Lower Fox and is known as the most scenic of the segments in Illinois. The Conservation Foundation is drawn to its sandstone cliffs, hill prairies and spring wetland seeps. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information, visit The Conservation Foundation’s website.

On Sept. 29, 2008, on WGN’s News at Noon “Lunch Break” segment, Tony Fulmer of Chalet offered some autumn tips on maintaining one’s lawn, trees and shrubs and perennials, such as roses. This was also to preview his free garden seminar on creating an autumn bird sanctuary. Click here to view the clip.

“What do Americans say they want for a natural environmental and energy policy?” That’s the question addressed by the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund during The Conservation Foundation’s Fall Membership and Awards Dinner on October 21, 2008. The evening is being hosted by the foundation and is sponsored by Waste Management. The event will include networking sessions and environmental awards presented over dinner. Tony Massaro, senior vice president for political affairs and public education, is responsible for overseeing lobbying and policy for the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. The fund aims to educate and mobilize citizens as informed voters and advocates for sound environmental policies. The original article appeared in the Naperville Sun on Oct. 5, 2008.

Dawn Aulet of The Herald News wrote on the Sept. 22, 2008 edition of the Naperville Sun, “The Conservation Foundation is trying to make the world better one house at a time.” Jim Kleinwachter is quoted in the article saying, “Your own house or one garden isn’t going to change the world, but it’s the incremental portion.” The foundation has launched their “Conservation at Home” initiative, where they visit homes to educate homeowners on the importance of rain barrels and native plants. So far, nearly all the homes in the Tuscan Hills subdivision in Monee are Conservation Foundation homes. The foundation uses green methods in their demonstrations, including natural plants, creating rain gardens and using permeable concrete. One afternoon, they installed rain gardens where the gutters drain from a new building. Now the native plants around the building need less maintenance from homeowners.

GreenParentChicago.com observed the “Worldwide Day of Play” on Sept. 28, 2008 in Chicago and neighboring suburbs. The celebration began in 2003 by Nickelodeon kids networks in an effort to fight childhood obesity and promote active play and healthy living. The Conservation Foundation took part in the endeavor, hosting family games and nature exploration activities at the McDonald Farm and Dickson-Murst Farms.

The Kane County Chronicle wrote on Sept 29, 2008, “The first time The Conservation Foundation received the four stars, Brook McDonald thought it was nice.” For more than 30 years, The Conservation Foundation has worked with Chicago-area organizations to preserve open space. Charity Navigator recently recognized The Conservation Foundation for the second year in a row as one of the region’s top charities. The company reviews financial records of more than 5,300 charities nationwide based on an organizational efficiency and growth. Of the charities that get evaluated, only 17 percent have received a four-star rating two years in a row. McDonald said larger donations started coming in as a result of the first-four star rating. Not only do they like getting the ratings, she added, they advertise it.