The Green Team is working to make Rock Island a leader in environmental solutions and is currently organized in the following subcommittees:

• Education, Outreach and Communications
  
• Waste Management
  
• Energy
  
• Budget and Grants
  
• Sustainable Development
  
• Environmental Management System
  

The subcommittees will focus on internal City programs and policies and then reach out to the community to accept and participate in responsible environmental programs. As one of the Green Team’s first initiatives, they helped register Rock Island as a Cool City!

Several of the Green Team’s missions include, providing education to the community about environmental issues, building sustainably, reducing energy use, and implementing environmental best practices for city facilities and operations. With a comprehensive approach, the City of Rock Island plans to be part of the solution to environmental problems, not the cause.

Listed below is all the sustainable activities the City is currently doing.

• Efficient Lighting
  • Continued upgrading to more efficient indoor lighting citywide.
    
  • Switched traffic lights to LED (much more efficient).
    
  • Have converted a few street lights to more energy efficient lights.
    
  • Installed motion sensors on Public Works restrooms and locker rooms.
    
  • Office recycling program (paper, plastic and aluminum).
    
  • Some minor use of solar energy for signs and small lights.
    
• Energy Efficient
  • Will replace three AC units with higher efficiency models.
    
  • ATSC (Advanced Technology & Sustainable Consortium) group.
    
  • Low flow plumbing factures on new plumbing projects.
    
• Parks & Recreation
  • Parks has upgraded lights with low mercury and more efficient.
    
  • Golf Courses are using organic fertilizers.
    
  • Parks is setting land aside for environmentally friendly planning.
    
  • Our golf courses follow the guidelines set by the Audubon Club.
    
  • Installed asphalt grinding cart paths to golf course to reduce erosion.
    
  • Parks compost and mulch leaves on site.
    
  • Parks recycles patrons Christmas trees.
    
  • Parks is rejuvenating plants and landscape sites using trees and perennials.
    
• Recycling
  • City offers a free recycling center.
    
  • City is looking to offer a subscription for curb side recycling.
    
  • Some departments are reducing paper by using electronic files.
    
  • Free leaf collection in the fall helps reduce leaf burning.
    
• Road & Vehicles
  • Public Works is using biodiesel (temperature permitting).
    
  • Fleet Services has purchased some flex fuel vehicles.
    
  • Street micro-surfacing program, increases life of street/ reduces energy needed to replace as often.
    
  • City uses an asphalt injection machine to patch potholes. No use of hot asphalt.
    
  • City maintains a bike path and now adds complete streets that provide pedestrian/ bike lane to new streets.
    Adopt a highway program.
    
  • Recycle milling material for street projects (reuse asphalt millings in street projects).
    
  • Use of anti-ice material to reduce salt and use of vehicles.
    
• Sustainable Projects
  • Brownfield redevelopment. Restore vs. rebuild projects.
    
  • City is purchasing a hydroelectric dam.
    
  • Columbia Park project.
    
  • Environmental Management System (EMS) best practice.
    
  • Keep Rock Island Beautiful (KRIB) initiative.
    
  • McKesson Building project.
    
  • South West RI development practices.
    
  • Sylvan Slough
    
  • Will replace windows in City Hall.
    
• Waste Management
  • Capture methane gas from the waste water plant and store for energy.
    
  • Have a storm water management practice/ policy.
    
  • Waste Water Plant practices land apply for sludge over land fill.