The Edgewater neighborhood hums with new development energy these days. Bryn Mawr Avenue has become a shopping and dining destination street; new businesses are opening along Broadway and Granville Avenue is starting to feel the buzz. All of this is great news; however, it also means an increase in garbage from these new commercial strips. Now, with the help of one of Mayor Daley's Neighborhood Recycling Grants, the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce (EECC) will work to reduce waste and create a healthier community through a number of business-oriented recycling programs.
"Edgewater is a great example of the vitality of local business districts," said Commissioner Al Sanchez of the Department of Streets & Sanitation, which administers the grant program. "With a Neighborhood Recycling Grant, the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce can continue to service its members and the community, and by encouraging the recycling of privately hauled trash — which makes up 74% of our waste stream — it can potentially have a tremendous impact on our city."
The $50,000 grant, announced Friday, March 11, by Commissioner Sanchez during a ceremony at the Garfield Park Conservatory, will go towards the funding of Edgewater Chamber of Commerce's corrugated cardboard recycling program, which collects boxes from area retailers. The Chamber is establishing drop-off sites at convenient locations throughout the community, and all the boxes collected will be taken to a central site where the cardboard will be baled for pick up by a local recycler. EECC is doing the outreach to promote program participation.
In another effort, the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce will partner with local bars, restaurants, and caterers, along with the Chicago Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, to collect used wine corks. Cork is used as soil enrichment by gardeners and hobbyists for orchid growing.
"As Edgewater grows in popularity as a shopping and dining destination, our members want to lead the way in collection and reuse of their materials," said Sheli Lulkin, Executive Director of ECC. "[This grant] gives us a way to keep our commercial streets clean and our community healthy."
The Edgewater Chamber of Commerce has been an institution in the Edgewater community, providing support and information for the many small businesses there. Streetscape planning, the formation of a Special Services Area (SSA) and promotion of participation in CAPS are some of the activities of the Chamber that have led to a rebirth of neighborhood retail development.
The Edgewater Chamber of Commerce was one of five groups receiving Mayor Daley's Neighborhood Recycling grants, awarded for community-based outreach and education programs as well as efforts to create, or support, materials collection programs that can permanently reduce Chicago's waste stream. Other winners included: the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, BOLD Chicago, the Fuller Park Community Development Corporation, and the Albany Park Community Center.
For more information, contact the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce at (773) 561-6000, visit cityofchicago.org or call 311. |
