Rex ForWard 7

Number 6:
Another home collapses into the sea in a coastal North Carolina community that’s already seen five other houses succumb to erosion and rising seas.

House on Outer Banks collapses into ocean This is the sixth house to collapse along the Outer Banks in the past four years.

Dark Skies initiative is gaining ground in IL:
(pending Gov Signature)
Reducing Outdoor Lighting Pollution -
Rep. Terra Costa Howard successfully passed SB3501 out of the House on a vote of 71-39, and this bill is headed to the Governor’s desk. It would require lighting installed on IDNR property after January 1, 2025, to meet compliance with International Dark Sky standards, meaning they would have minimal impacts on light pollution. While this does benefit those wishing to clearly see the night sky, it also has benefits for wildlife and plant species which biologically depend on the night/day cycle. With Illinois in the Mississippi River Flyway this is crucially important as multiple bird species fly at night and often use open spaces in Illinois to rest on their journeys.

Electricity and Water Factoids:
Average Elmhurst water bill of 10,500 gls takes approximately 557 kWh of electricity to get it to your house. At 17.4 cents/kWh that comes to ~ $96.92 of electrons at cost on the Chicago water bills regardless of where the person lives in the Chicago region. The days of $.005/gallon and 9 cent per kWh electricity are long gone!

The Leaf blowers are out and going cranking over 100db's at 120 feet for over 15 minutes - Oh - we have an ordinance for that.

Water Saving Matrix Ideas:
1. Change shower head from a 2.5 gpm to a low flow 1.5 gpm and then shorten shower by 12 minutes. This will save you $154 annually

2. Change a single toilet from 2.5 gl flush down to .7 average and reduce flushes by 12 per day and the annual savings is $278

3. Make sure you do not have a leaking toilet - either food color test or mark the tank water level and check it over time.