Oak Park's Climate-resilient initiatives
Municipal Aggregation and Community Solar programs that give residents clean and lower cost energy choices.
Creating a Comprehensive Sustainability and Climate Action Resiliency Plan
Easy solar permitting thanks to Oak Park’s designation as a gold community in the SolSmart program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy
oak park homes and
climate change
Oak Park Homes
Climate change is already affecting Oak Park residents, from increasingly severe storms that flood basements and damage buildings, to extreme heat and cold that drive up utility bills and threaten the well-being of our residents. The message from scientists and the evidence in front of our eyes is unmistakable; climate change is a serious threat, and we need to act now to address it.
For residents of Oak Park, climate action can start at home. The largest, single source of greenhouse gas pollution in Oak Park is residential building emissions. Taking steps to improve our home energy use is part of the solution to fighting climate change and improving our quality of life in Oak Park.
The Basics
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Decades of research show that the primary cause of global climate change is greenhouse gas pollution from burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal.
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Climate change causes destructive weather patterns, such as flooding, drought, wildfires, and high-heat days to be more intense and frequent.
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In the US, leading sources of carbon pollution are electricity generation, transportation, industry and buildings.
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Here in Oak Park, our biggest source of climate pollution comes from residential buildings – specifically from the gas and electricity used to heat and cool our homes and power our appliances.
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Learn more about the facts of climate change and the impact on our county and region from U.S. Global Change Research Program and the Illinois State Climatologist.
Better Homes, Better Planet
One of the most direct ways that Oak Park residents can make an impact on climate change is to make their home energy use cleaner and more efficient. There are already a number of great resources to help you do this at no or reduced cost. Oak Park staff are here to help you take advantage of programs that provide home energy assessments, weatherization, energy efficiency upgrades, community solar subscriptions and rooftop solar installations. We want to help our residents work together to make a difference in the biggest source of climate pollution in our community.
Taking advantage of programs that create more energy efficient, climate-friendly homes also reduces utility bills. These solar and energy efficiency programs are a win-win solution for fighting climate change, saving money, and investing in more comfortable and updated homes. Together, the residents of Oak Park can create better homes and a better planet.