Greening Your Home
Each household can make a difference by performing simple tasks. Take a look at the programs available to Hoffman Estates residents and additional tips for improving quality of life.

Programs and Resources

• Residential Energy Assessment Program
  A voluntary comprehensive analysis of your home's energy and ventilation systems performed by certified Village staff. Click here to see the detailed program brochure, or call 847-781-2631 for more information.  This program is grant-funded; for more details about Village grants, click here.
• Make Your Home More Energy Efficient and Save Money
  Energy Impact Illinois is a new online tool to help residents evaluate their property and energy consumption and find ways of reducing their energy usage. Find tips for saving energy as well as information about specific local rebates and tax incentives for efficiency projects. Visit http://energyimpactillinois.org to find out more information.
• Opt-Out of Unwanted Paper Mail and Phone Books
  National Yellow Pages has created a Consumer Choice and Opt-Out website, where residents can choose the type and number of phone books delivered to their homes. Visit www.yellowpagesoptout.com to reduce your paper waste. The Federal Trade Commission has an opt-out phone line to reduce pre-screened credit offer mail. Call 888-5-OPTOUT (888-567-8688) for more information.
• Fall Branch Pick-up Program
  Brush pickup dates are noted annually in an early fall issue of The Citizen.
• CUB Energy Saver Rewards Program
  The Illinois Citizens Utility Board is a nonprofit consumer advocacy group that has partnered with ComEd and local and national retailers to give rewards based upon your home energy usage. The program is FREE and does not share your information. Click here to learn more and sign up!
• Smart Ideas Energy Programs (through ComEd)
  Includes programs that can save you money. Current programs include Air-Conditioning cycling; Real-time energy billing, and Refrigerator haul-away recycling. Click here for the May 2010 Citizen article explaining these programs.
• Rain Barrel Program (through Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
  Easy water conservation for outside gardens and landscaping.
• Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) Bulb Discounts
  A CFL uses approximately 75% less energy, last 10 times as long as traditional incandescent lightbulbs, and will pay for itself in six months or less.  CFL Bulbs are discounted at Jewel-Osco stores for Hoffman Estates residents! Participating stores are located at 1069 N. Roselle Road and 1485 Palatine Road.
• Safely Dispose of your CFL and Fluorescent Bulbs
  The Village Hall front counter accepts burnt out CFL and fluorescent lightbulbs on a continual basis. Just stop in and drop them off; the Village works with SWANCC for safe and environmentally friendly disposal.
• Recycling Programs
  The Village currently has electronics recycling programs, residential curbside recycling, document destruction events, and a medical-waste drop-off.  For details about these programs, visit our Recycling and Waste Reduction page.
• Nicor Gas Residential Rebate Program
  Residential customers may be eligible for rebates on energy saving appliances such as water heaters and furnaces! To find out more about this program, which ends in Spring 2014, click here or call their rebate hotline at 877-886-4239.
• Housing Rehabilitation Program
  This program is grant-funded and supports projects that could improve home energy efficiency for income-qualified residents. To find out more about this program, click here, or call 847-781-2669.
• Recycle Your Used Greeting Cards
  Put old greeting cards to a great "green" use by donating them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. The children re-use the front of the cards, attach a new backing, and sell the cards. All proceeds are given back to the organization. Recycle your old papers and help families at the same time! Click here to reach the program's website for more details, donation, and purchase information.
• Recycling Etc.
  Click here for an electronic version of Recycling Etc., a free, quarterly publication provided by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). This newsletter describes programs SWANCC is offering to residents of member communities and area schools.

Tips and Strategies

• Clean Air Counts - Clean air tips for indoor and outdoor environments and green cleaning guide.
• Keep Cool Illinois - Website provides tips for Air Pollution Action Days, energy and money savings, water safety, cooling center info, and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
• ENERGY STAR for Residents - ENERGY STAR home improvement website.
• Nicor Gas Resident Webpage - Provides gas efficiency tips to save money and keep your home safe.
• ENERGY STAR Pledge - In addition to tallying your contribution to the environmental effort, taking the pledge may give you more ideas about how to be green around the house.

Don't See What You're Looking For?
Try our Links Page, or email grow2green@hoffmanestates.org.