I've worked with Michael and the Ecology Action Center on a few occasions, both as a client of theirs and as a client of mine. Every interaction with the entire staff there was wonderful, they are all courteous, helpful, insanely knowledgeable, and incredibly passionate about everything they do. I can't recommend the EAC enough and applaud the work they do year after year.
EAC is a one-of-a-kind place that Central IL is fortunate to have. They are focused on the word Ecology: the relationship of people to their environment. It worked in the 1970's and it still works today. This definition allows them to go many directions and yet stay true to their purpose. They work to educate, train and involve the community. They start young by taking their message direct to the schools. They are always open to discussion about new directions to go. Their amazingly small staff cover so many bases it is a wonder to watch. They highly deserve financial support and praise from the community they serve so well.
Great organization with people doing what they do for the right reasons. Purely and genuinely based on caring for the environment and people. their works in the community are inspirational.
Ecology Action Center is a great organization for the community. Not only do they provide the knowledge and resources to live a green lifestyle, they also educate through programs, hold events to encourage recycling and stay involved with the areas in the community that need improvement.
I am a busy grandma working full time and then some, so cannot commit to a regular volunteer schedule at this time. However, I volunteered in 2013 and again this year for the McLean County Household Hazardous Waste collection program and found the experience very rewarding. It is so wonderful seeing the community participating to such a great extent to keep our environment clean and safe. Ecology Action Center is a forward-thinking, well organized organization working for that goal. I look forward to volunteering for this company in the future, perhaps to an even greater extent once I retire.
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This was my first time volunteering with Ecology Action Center, at their McLean County Hazardous Household Waste event earlier this month. I was looking forward to volunteering there, and was not disappointed! I truly enjoyed myself and was gratified to see so many people interested in recycling. I am already looking forward to the next event!
I was a volunteer for the Hazardous Household Waste drive this October, and it was amazing to see the community come together and help make this event possible. I'm a student at Eureka College and have heard much about the Ecology Action Center before this event, and what they have done for McLean County is outstanding. I'll be more than willing to help out with this organization again!
I volunteered to help with the Hazardous Household Waste collection. This was a massive, complex, community-wide, daylong effort that required numerous volunteers in a wide range of roles. Community members who were dropping off hazardous materials, not suitable for personal disposal, formed a steady stream all day. This is clearly a needed and well-used service for our community and the planning must have been intense. As a first-time volunteer for this organization, I was impressed with the planning, communication, and execution. Many of the people using the service commented on the same. I support this organization's work and will continue to help them as I can. This was a completely positive experience.
They have offered so many opportunities to educate our community. I've worked with them as a Girl Scout leader, to get my Yard Smart, and participated in their various recycling programs.
I have also volunteered in various ways over the years and I agree with the others commenting on how well-organized they are.
I have met this great organization thru a community leadership training opportunity. Myself and my buddy have participated in a board experience with EAC. Before I get to know EAC, I have been on board for couple of non-profits based in Bloomington-Normal area, and blown away with the professionalism Michael and his team brings to this organization. I also happen to tour their facilities and experienced what they do for local community first hand.
Since then, I have participated with couple of their events and amazed to see how much they are committed to make a difference in our community. With events like Household Hazardous Waste collection events, they are leaving an example to the whole country on how it is best done with private and public partnership.
I have volunteered with the EAC 4 times now and I'm very happy with the work they do . They are very organized and prepared for all of their events and make things easy for the person ,and they also raise awareness in the community about the environment and engage them in ways they can help. I am happy that I have worked with the EAC .
As a Business Advisor for Henson Disposal & Recycling, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Michael Brown, Executive Director, to help the cause in improving the level of recycling in McLean County. In visiting with people in City of Urbana people regarding recycling, it was quickly apparent how strong a reputation our Ecology Action Center and in particular Michael Brown have at the State level. We should be proud of the work and reputation of our Ecology Action Center.
Robert B. Fazzini
My wife and I were volunteers in this year's event. We also gathered items to dispose from our neighbor. The whole experience for us was great! The instructions for the volunteers (signup, checkin, and disposal of items) were clear and concise. The other EAC staff were very helpful and friendly. We enjoyed the whole experience, and will be back for the next event.
I just started volunteering with the EAC this fall, and they are very warm and welcoming to newbies. Communication around volunteer opportunities and events had been great. And I really have enjoyed learning about how much they serve our community's many recycling & environmental needs.
Great place smart staff super services like hazardous waste collection water barrel and composting workshops. Great to have them in our community.
The Ecology Action Center provides many needed services for McLean County Illinois. Hazardous Household Waste events, radon awareness, rain barrel workshops are among these services. Volunteers are always needed.
EAC is a class act, from the bottom to the top. Great staff members, dynamic programs. They're a great asset to the community.
What a great resource and municipal partner with the Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington. The EAC works to protect groundwater with the regularly scheduled Household Hazardous Waste collection. The EAC is ahead of the curve with their recently completed Greenhouse Gas Report, detailing gases and emitters. I like to think at some level the EAC is a quiet watchdog. Its mere presence keeps individuals, business, and organizations aware of their environmental impact, avoiding the need for a loud bark from the Ecology Action Center. Great organization.
The EAC is such an amazing part of this community. From athletic events, recycling events, DIY, and helping make other community events as green as possible, they are raising awareness and providing education on a critical topic. Thank you.
The Ecology Action Center (EAC) has become the "go to" source for environmental issues in McLean County. They are a great resource to local governments. Their leadership on household hazardous waste has resulted in local funding of these activities on a biannual basis as opposed to the "hit and miss" approach before. The local governmental entities have stepped up to support HH activities because of the reputation of the EAC. They get things done thanks to the staff. Hat's off to Michael, Kris, Larissa, Ruth Ann, Garry, Sarah, and Emily for making our community more sustainable!
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The EAC is a great partner for the local universities. They provide students with solid information on all sorts of sustainability issues and an opportunity for internships. They have mentored numerous students on my campus, many who have gone on to have careers in the environmental field. Michael and Kris are great roles models for students on all educational levels.
The EAC is also a great community partner helping to coordinate the solid waste program for McLean County. The past two years Michael, Kris and the staff have pulled together a Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event which is safely removing harmful waste from our landfill. This is one step to extent the lifespan of the landfill and help control disposal costs for all citizens of McLean County.
The Ecology Action Center's website is a fantastic resource for information about everything 'green.' It's the site I depend on for my questions about the what, when and where of recycling. I'm always impressed by how many topics are covered there. The site is well done and maintained; an important community resource!
I have used the Ecology Action Center for summer camp for my elementary school children. I've also gone to their rain barrel building workshop. They regularly assist in securing the hazardous waste collection in McLean County. Also they help coordinate the Free4All. They do after school programs to educate children about numerous topics regarding ecology. They also have raised awareness by educating people about composting at the county fair, as well as Town of Normal street fairs. They participate in the annual Sustainability Fair at Illinois Wesleyan and the Wellness Fair at Illinois State University. They are tireless in their efforts to raise awareness about chemical free gardening and yards too, as well as displaying a rain garden at their facility and composting. They sell items such as reusable wrapping paper, radon kits, etc. they are a huge asset to McLean County!
The EAC is a real treasure. The executive director and his staff are highly competent and efficient professionals who have managed to integrate their environmental programs into our community without becoming a niche group. They have made environmentalism mainstream in the best way while still pushing us to do more. Every community should be so lucky to have an organization like the EAC!
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As the Town Planner for Normal, Illinois, I have worked with Ecology Action Center for more than a decade. Twenty years ago as an undergraduate, I was a proud EAC volunteer! Over that twenty years, it is remarkable how much the EAC has accomplished. There are few paid EAC staff members, but their enthusiasm and professionalism inspire hundreds of people to donate thousands of volunteer hours toward critical community events every year -- from storm water stenciling to massive Household Hazardous Waste events. EAC has successfully partnered with the Town of Normal for many years on outreach and education efforts that we simply could not perform on our own. We sometimes take this relationship for granted. It's only when I talk to other communities' planners that I realize what a gem we have in the EAC! For example, when asked how we promote recycling, I say, "The EAC does that for us." When asked how we pulled off a major HHW event with no state support, I say, "The EAC took the lead on that." We are truly fortunate to have the EAC!
I recently volunteered for the We Care Twin Cities Half Marathon and saw first hand what an amazing job EAC does to benefit our community!
I feel participated in various programs the Ecology Action Center has sponsored, from building a rain barrel to waste recycling programs to running events. The center is a great asset to our town.
The director took time to thoroughly review the options on water harvesting. I left with a goal in mind and clear steps.
I've had tons of great experiences with the Ecology Action Center. They helped me build a rain barrel so I can water my plants off the grid. They organize recycling and household hazardous waste events where I can get rid of things that otherwise sit around my house because it's too difficult to get rid of them. They inventoried all of the major greenhouse gas emissions from the community in a fascinating report. They are integral to the recycling programs in both Bloomington and Normal. They answer all my questions, big and small, about how to be an environmentally responsible community member. It's hard to even imagine this community without the Ecology Action Center.
When my microwave broke and the advise was to get a new one, I knew I didn't want to put it on the curb to have it end up in a landfill somewhere. Thanks to Ecology Action Center's website I now know of 3 places where it can go. They list addresses & hours of operation so it will be easy for me to get that "hunk of junk" out of my garage! We are so very fortunate to have them---and all they do to keep our community green and well-educated...thank you!
The Ecology Action Center is a huge asset to Bloomington/Normal. The website provides so much needed and useful information that I share with my coworkers. Some have now started recycling due to me posting information found on the website. The many events I also share on Facebook for family and friends. They also appreciate the various events. It's just so easy to drive up and unload in one trip! The Freecycle event at the park is one of my favorite events. I can't believe what treasures I found at this last one when I dropped things off. I do wish that the Freecycle Park event would become a bit more popular as it is a fantastic idea! Using Freecycle online is another wonderful source. I love recycling and do whatever I can to promote it.
The Ecology Action Center is an asset to Bloomington Normal. They do a great job of informing and supporting the community. I've taken part in the household hazardous waste program and have been to two rain barrel workshops. When I'm seeking a question about recycling, composting, gardening, rain harvesting, or other ecologically related topics, I go first to their website and archived newsletters.
Last year, I borrowed the sharpening kit for my reel style mower. This is a free resource that they have made available to members of the community. It's little things like this that make it easy to embrace a more 'green' lifestyle.
I've only had the opportunity to volunteer for them once, but would gladly do so again.
I work with the EAC on many efforts in the County and they are exceptional when it comes to knowledge, outreach, and ability to serve in the capacities needed. They are always one step ahead of the game whether it is helping put on showings of wonderful environmental documentaries, hosting Green Drinks before it was so popular, hosting workshops on composting and rain barrels, and a plethora of other things that the community needs. I am so thankful to have the EAC in my community.
This was my second year volunteering to help with this event put on by the Ecology Action Center. It was so wonderful to see such a great outpouring from the community by those that participated. I cannot tell you how many people thanked the volunteers and had smiles on their faces because they were so happy to not only recycle their items but also because it was so organized. The EAC did an amazing job preparing volunteers and also getting the word out to the community that this event was planned.
I really enjoyed volunteering at such a well-run event. Michael Brown (the Recycling God) of EAC even brought pizza out to my volunteer post for lunch. And by the time my shift was done at 1:00, it only took me 6 minutes from start to finish to drive through with my own recycling.
I volunteered at the Household Hazardous Waste collection for the first time, and was really impressed with all aspects of the event. I worked the 'survey' area, asking drivers some basic questions. Nearly every person I spoke with was so very grateful to the EAC and the volunteers who made the event possible. If I hadn't had other commitments later in the day, I'd have cheerfully kept working! We are very lucky to have the EAC in our community to provide services like the HHW collection. Several families who brought items to the event had traveled an hour to get here, because this was their nearest place to come.
My father died several years ago, and I cleaned out the garage before my mother sold the house.
For several years I had various containers of paint, yard, and house chemicals sitting in my barn with no disposal site closer than Rockford, a five hour round trip. Between the two hazardous household waste collections in 2012 and 2013 I was finally able to dispose of everything safely. I was so glad for the help from the Ecology Action center that I volunteered at the 2013 collection. They were great to work with - well thought out, thoroughly prepared, and friendly. I have also purchased radon kits at their office and made a couple of rain harvesters at their workshops. This is a place with tremendous attitude and very helpful whenever I have contacted them, and their newsletters are well worth reading.
I have been involved with the EAC for over 2 years now. It is truly an amazing organization that serves Central Illinois. The programs range from stenciling storm drains to raising $150,000 for a Household Hazardous Waste event to holding the first in Illinois a virtually zero waste 1/2 marathon (5 lbs) with over 1500 peopel invovled! The staff is tireless in their efforts to serve the community and it is a honor to be involved with them.
I continue to spend my personal time and energy working with the Ecology Action Center because of the great things they do for our community. They are always creatively finding new ways to support sustainability and educate the public.
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I work for the Town of Normal and find the Ecology Action Center to be great resource for our community! I send many residents to their website for information and I use it myself to gather information to share with residents. The Ecology Action Center has coordinated two huge Household Hazardous Waste events the past 2 years and both were successful and well run. I certainly appreciate all the education they provide to for our community and their endeavors to keep waste out of our landfills!
My family participated in the Household Hazardous Waste collection for the first time this year and it was fantastic. We are grateful that we have this service in our community so that we actually do something with the used oil, etc. sitting at our house!
The Ecology Action Center is the premier ecological/environmental non-profit in Central Illinois. The EAC provides central Illinois with a healthy mix of education, professional advisement and direct action towards environmental stewardship.
Nothing is impossible for the EAC and its dedicated staff. For example, our community was greatly in need of a household hazardous waste collection in 2012. With existing funding sources unable to provide the full $150,000 that the HHW event would cost, EAC took it upon themselves to raise that money and put on the event. It was a bold move and they were ultimately successful. This is just one of many examples of EAC successes that I could list. Truly - a great non-profit.
The Ecology Action Center is a wonderful community resource and has so much to offer. The events that they organize and manage are always planned so well and as a sustainability professional I feel very confident sharing their website and knowledge base with people I encounter. I also use their website quite often to research recycling information and community events.
The Ecology Action Center is the go to place for all things related to protecting and preserving the nature environment in McLean County. The Center's professional staff work tirelessly to provide community based services to units of local government, residents, and other local organizations. Such services have made an enormous impact on our community. For example, over the past two years the Center has prevented thousands of gallons of toxic household hazardous waste from going into the landfill (and our local water) by organizing special Hazardous waste collection events. The Center has educated and supported recycling programs in the community, which has resulted in record percentage increases in recycling over the past several years. The Center regularly hosts community workshops that help residents build rain barrels and to learn gardening tips that are more environmentally friendly. Simply put, the Ecology Action Center makes our community a healthier and better place to live, work, and play.
As a member of the Board I would also like to say something about the level of community support for the Center's activities. McLean County is an great place to live and we are very lucky to have the support from so many individuals, units of local government, local businesses, and the Universities. The work that we do would not be possible without the broad and deep support we have throughout the community, and for that we are so grateful.
Lastly, I want to say something about the quality of the Ecology Action Center's professional staff. I have had the opportunity to work with many great non-profits, and I can tell you that I have never worked with such a dedicated, hardworking, creative, and motivated group of staff then at the EAC. Anyone who has had the pleasure of talking with the staff knows that they are passionate about the mission of the EAC and they are willing to do whatever they can to serve the community.
The Ecology Action Center is a tremendous resource. For example, last fall it spearheaded the effort to raise $150,000 locally to host the first Household Hazardous Waste event in 5 years in our county. Promotion of the event included education to reduce future use of household hazardous waste as well as proper disposal. Over 100 volunteers were utilized that day and the event was a wonderful success.
The EAC has helped our charity, which operates a homeless shelter in our community, tremendously. We collect, sell and recycle clothes, shoes, cardboard and electronics to raise money for our shelter. The EAC has allowed us to partner with them for big recycling events, has provided advice and expertise for our gardening initiatives and linked us with many other people and organizations who have helped us become better at what we do and recycle more items within our community.
They are doing a fantastic job working to educate and empower people across Bloomington and Normal about the environment and how we can all help protect and improve it.
Sabrina Burkiewicz
Home Sweet Home Minsitries
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The EAC has helped our homeless shelter, Home Sweet Home Ministries enormously. We recycle clothes, cardboard, electronics and metals to raise funds for our shelter. EAC connected us w/groups and individuals in our community to help us hold events on recycling. We have partnered with them many times in the last year and each event draws attention to who we are and what our mission is. EAC has helped us build long-term partnerships in our community to help our cause. We help their cause by learning about and increasing our recycling and they help our cause of raising money to help the homeless through our recycling efforts. We find them to be professional, knowledgeable, and helpful in every way. We are blessed to work with such an outstanding nonprofit organization. - Sabrina Burkiewicz, Home Sweet Home Ministries
As an intern for the Ecology Action Center, I can't say enough great things about them. Michael, Kris, and all the other staff there are dedicated to making positive changes in the community and environment. I would encourage anyone interested in environmental issues to stop by the EAC and consider volunteering for them. What they do is truly amazing!
We have formed a very strong business relationship with the Ecology Action Center. What started as a simple resource has developed into a partnership that has created greater business opportunities and visibility for our company. Through their various programs, we have partnered to service the recycling needs of our community. Our community should be thankful that we have local leadership promoting environmental responsibility, primarily at the residential level, which has created a groundswell of stewardship in the commercial arena, too. Thanks Michael, Kris, and staff for your "vision", and allowing us to be a small part of your success. ~Dave Endsley, Branch Manager, Springfield Electric Supply Company.
The Ecology Action Center is a phenomenal organization, run by an incredible man. I had the pleasure of working with Michael and the Ecology Action Center last month when I volunteered at the Household Hazardous Wastes pickup. Because funding was cut by the local government, the Ecology Action Center raised funds and awareness and had an awesome turn-out. They also helped our community bring a talented, passionate speaker, Dr. Doug Tallamy, to Bloomington-Normal. The community had a huge turn-out and benefited greatly from this. It furthers one of the Ecology Action Center's certifications - YardSmart - by teaching how using native plants can be helpful and advantageous.
The Ecology Action Center has worked for over 40 years to promote environmental stewardship, helping people in McLean County learn large and small ways, daily steps, to care for this planet we call home. The organization does an extraordinary job of working together with local organizations and local government to meet real community needs -- We have many examples of public-private partnerships in action, such as the recent Household Hazardous Waste collection event and the annual Expo with IWU. The EAC staff and volunteers are knowledgeable, patient, dedicated, and hard working. They make a big difference in the quality of life in McLean County.
I have nothing but great things to say about working with the Ecology Action Center. They are engaging, involved and care heartfully about making a positive difference. It has been a joy to work with them over the years. - Jim Karch, Public Works Director, City of Bloomington
To protect our environment and prevent contamination of our ground water is not an easy job. Michael Brown has stepped up and lead the way for this community is amazing. I also applaude the board that supports Michael's creativities and activities. I hope more can be done in each community through the good example of EAC.
Although I have worked as a volunteer for the EAC in various capacities for nearly 10 years, the organization has taken a great leap forward under Michael Brown's direction. With the assistance of qualified and committed personnel and a proactive board, the EAC has attained the level of professionalism necessary to provide our community with the information, resources, activities, and services that a 21st Century commitment to environmental concerns demands. I am continually amazed at how the EAC is able to function as a one stop shop for all aspects of environmental education with such meager funding!
Since recently moving to Bloomington-Normal, IL, the Ecology Action Center has been the key source of information on everything from the fact that the landfill is less than 3 years from being full and what to do about it to a DIY hands on make a rain barrel workshop. The recent county-wide Household Hazardous Waste Disposal day was my first EAC volunteer service and the sheer size and scope of the operation and the effortlessness of the day testifies to the well-developedd organizational capacities of EAC. This organization, working in a context that is otherwise ENTIRELY dominated by corporate agricultural approaches to resource use and planning, is our only hope and support. That is very sad to say here in The Heartland, where the bulk of the nation's and world's corn and soy are grown, harvested and distributed. But, as newbie to this place, the importance of this small but thriving community org must be appreciated for its outstanding vision and
EAC is THE community resource for the services they provide. Most recently, the Household Hazardous Waste recycling program best exemplifies the role EAC plays in our communities. Director Michael Brown is incredibly responsive to community needs and does a great job communicating the EAC mission to the public.
As a green activist i have been delighted to send my readership to the many resources ecology action center provides the community. Behind any thriving non-profit there is often tremendous leadership, one will not find anyone more enthusiastic or devoted to sustainable practices or one who examples green living than Michael Brown. His staff is equally devoted. They are a walk your talk, accountable and have a very active and visible presence, this is admirable and it's also beneficial. I have always thought Ecology Action Center as a place that could be duplicated and or cultivated in other locations.
The EAC has led the way in the community for expanding sustainability practices and services. They also provide tremendous opportunities to engage students in both research and outreach related to a variety of sustainability efforts. We are so fortunate to have the EAC as a partner in this community, working tirelessly to make our quality of life better every day!
The communities within McLean County have become some of the most progressive and sustainable that I have seen, and The Ecology Action Center is a significant part of this success. As a nonprofit with a very small staff, the EAC still manages to provide answers to your questions, environmental services, fun and beneficial programs, and a very friendly demeanor. The staff is very knowledgable, and if they are unable to provide you with the information that you need, they will help you locate the information elsewhere. If it weren't for the EAC, the community would definitely not be as environmentally friendly.
The Ecology Action Center (EAC) is a shining jewel in our community! It is amazing the work that a small staff with a limited budget are able to do to provide environmental education and services locally! Even when funding is scarce, as it had been recently for a Household Hazardous Waste event, the staff, board and volunteers of EAC worked passionately to raise the funding to hold an event that was 5 years over due! It was a great success with over 2,000 households participating! I work with the EAC each year to bring an educational event to the community called The Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo. It's an opportunity to explore the many issues that impact a local community regarding environmental health and sustainability. This event has explored in depth issues regarding local food, economy, water, natural resources, hazardous waste, mega recycling, and the list goes on. The event draws over 3,000 people annually, it is free, offers up to 100 exhibitors, 20 educational workshops, a topical film, cooking classes, kids' activities, freecycle, mega recycle, and again so much more! These services coupled with the things EAC does every day to improve the quality of life for the community and beyond make this an organization of excellence with people who show up to do their work mainly because they care genuinely about being of service to others! I cannot say enough about how lucky Bloomington/ Normal is to have an organization to tackle and educate about topics that impact the lives of people in a very profound way!
We live in a town that has moved the needle in sustainability. The EAC is a vital part of the education of not only the youth in town, but the businesses in town. I manage a large multimillion dollar business just blocks away from the EAC and their presence is a constant reminder for us. I have leaned on thier knowledge in the past and will continue to have my workers and my family be a part of their mission. They are an asset to our community.
The small number of staff and many volunteers of the Ecology Action Center do an amazing job with all of their activities (education, events, workshops, resource provision, community partnerships, university studies, etc.) I've been active with several wonderful non profit organizations but this one is truly great! Executive Director Michael Brown is knowledgeable, professional, good with people in an effective and honest way and his personal efforts and quiet persistence ensure that projects get done and quality programs are produced.