DuPage County announces facility closures and upcoming environmental events for July
DuPage County has announced that several public facilities will be closed in observance of Independence Day. The Burr Ridge Public Works Facility, Lisle Township's Supervisors Office, and the Naperville Environmental Collection Campus will be closed on Friday, July 3. All facilities are scheduled to resume services on Monday, July 6 at 9 a.m. Additionally, the Naperville Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility will be closed on Saturday, July 4, with hazardous waste collection resuming on Saturday, July 5 at 9 a.m. Residents are encouraged to visit the Electronics and Textiles section on the county website for a complete list of accepted items at each facility.
The county is also promoting a series of environmental and sustainability events throughout July. One highlighted event is "Distilling Change: A Chicago Climate Week Business Panel and Social," which will take place on Thursday, July 23, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tierra Distilling in Clarendon Hills. The event will feature a panel of DuPage County businesses discussing environmental stewardship, networking opportunities, complimentary appetizers, a free drink ticket, and a facility tour showcasing sustainable operations. Registration is required by Friday, July 17, due to limited seating.
Other upcoming events include recycling drives in Wheaton on July 11, Villa Park on July 18, and Elmhurst on July 25, as well as a recycling event hosted by Senator John Curran and Representative Nicole La Ha on July 25. Educational opportunities such as a free national webinar on July 22 and an interactive solar teaching training on July 28 are also scheduled. Activities for children and teens include a Firefly Walk on July 8, foraging and plant walks, papermaking workshops, and a youth climate change discussion.
Special events in July include Plastic Free July, Native American Gardening on July 13, Aurora Repair Cafe and Plant Swap on July 18, Saving Monarchs Garden Party on July 18, Go Green Glen Ellyn SportSwap on July 19, and World Mangrove Day on July 26. The county emphasizes that inclusion of events on its calendar is not intended as an endorsement of any company or event.
DuPage County continues its Cool DuPage initiative, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases by tracking electricity use, gas consumption, and vehicle miles traveled. The program provides resources for businesses and residents to help reduce their environmental impact. For more information on recycling and green events, residents can visit the county's Environmental Division website.
DuPage County schools have a teacher retention rate of 92.3% in 2023, and the percentage of students who failed the English portion of the SAT exam fell from 42.1% in 2022 to 38.5% in 2023, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Nearly 6 in 10 DuPage County public high school students are not at grade level in English or math as of the 2023-24 school year, and the percentage of students who failed the math portion of the SAT exam rose from 58.1% to 58.9% between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, also according to the Illinois State Board of Education.