The Illinois EPA Clean Industry Concierge has launched! Industry leaders, gov officials & technical experts met for the IL Clean Industry Concierge Kick-Off Workshop & Industrial Heat Pump Bootcamp, both part of the Illinois' Climate Action Plan. Check out the details here: cleanindustry.uic.edu

We have been recognized by @wifr.com for our recent free, hands-on workshop to help businesses transition to safer, more sustainable packaging at at Katie's Cup. We provide free assessments with personable support to food-focused businesses. Learn more: smartenergy.illinois.edu/a-safer-futu...

Register for Illinois Innovation Network 2026 Conference: Powering Illinois Together coming up Oct. 22-23 at Southern IL Univ. Edwardsville. Join INN & learn about projects to support ethical, socially engaged & sustainable economic growth in Illinois. Register here: iin.uillinois.edu/conference/

Illinois Innovation Network Conference 2026: Powering Illinois’ Future Together

iin.uillinois.edu

The IL Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity has released 3 notices of opportunity for 3 CEJA programs: the Clean Jobs Workforce Network, Energy Transition Navigators & the Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship. Application deadline is 10/30, 2026. Click for details: dceo.illinois.gov/ceja/ceja-pr...

Next week is the IL Concierge Kick-Off Workshop & Industrial Heat Pump Bootcamp at Elgin Community College on 10/6 & 7. This two-day in-person event features two industry-focused workshops on decarbonization. To learn more & to register click here: lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/hyfk7h8

Food waste generates enormous amounts of GHG emissions, especially methane, which is created when food breaks down in landfills. The EPA estimates the US annual food waste emissions are greater than those from all domestic & international US flights. More here: www.epa.gov/sustainable-...

EnergySense, with Choose DuPage, Kane County & the @prairieresearch.bsky.social, provides free tech assistance to 10 small food-focused companies, and then recommendations to reduce food & resource waste & improve operational sustainability. Apply here! tinyurl.com/2s4cxkds #fwpw2026

In 2020, the Wasted Food Action Alliance spearheaded the development of the Food Waste Reduction Toolkit for Illinois Schools, with input from stakeholders throughout the state. Help spread the message by sharing it with teachers and schools in your area! wastedfoodaction.org/school-toolk...

The theme for Food Waste Prevention Week 2026 is Food Heroes in Your Neighborhood! Highlight your food waste prevention heroes on social media! Share a photo & your reason & tag @savethefoodweek & your nominee & include #FoodHeroesInMyHood. And check out: foodwastepreventionweek.com

A major aspect of the US Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 is to reduce or eliminate “waste at the source, promoting the use of nontoxic substances." These actions save lives, & billions of dollars in pollution clean up. Learn about the P2 Act & other policies here: www.epa.gov/p2/pollution...

This Pollution Prevention Week, are you wondering what you can do to help prevent pollution in your community? The US EPA has tips for what we can do at home, work and school to help reduce pollution. Check it out here: www.epa.gov/p2/what-you-.... #P2Week2026

The Safer Foodware Initiative is a collaboration of EnergySense, IL Green Business Association, Takeout 25, Bright Beat & Seven Generations to promote widespread adoption of PFAS-free single use foodware to protect human health. Learn more: smartenergy.illinois.edu/a-safer-futu... #P2Week2026

Food Waste Prevention Week (FWPW) is Sept. 28 - Oct. 4, 2026. EnergySense will be sharing relevant tips, resources, & highlights from IL projects during the week on social media. Be sure to follow us & learn more at foodwastepreventionweek.com #FWPW2026

Food Waste Prevention Week | Save Food

Join the global campaign to reduce food waste and make a positive environmental impact.

foodwastepreventionweek.com

Join EnergySense, Energy Resource Center & the Industrial Heat Pump Alliance Oct. 6 and 7, for the IL Concierge Kick-Off Workshop & Industrial Heat Pump Bootcamp, industry-focused workshops at Elgin Community College. Learn more & register here: lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/hyfk7h8

Join EnergySense, IL Green Business Association & Sustain Rockford for a free, hands-on workshop to help you transition to safer, more sustainable packaging. Learn about cost-effective sourcing, gain peer insights & make local connections. Register here: energysense.uillinois.edu/events/13591/

Illinois Solar for All, a state program to make solar accessible to residents, nonprofits & public facilities in low-income communities & environmental injustice areas, has been gaining momentum. Learn if you qualify here: www.illinoissfa.com For more, read: www.canarymedia.com/articles/sol...

The IL Climate Bank has announced the 4th round of funding for the IL CPRG: Small Utility Clean Energy Planning Grant Program to support municipal & cooperative electric utilities transition to clean energy. Deadline is 11/13/26. For more details: illinoisclimatebank.com/financing-pr...

Our Asst. Dir. Cassie Carroll appeared w. Saba Haider from the DuPage Co. Board & Jennifer Larson from Chicago Glue & Machine on the DuPage Business Beat podcast to discuss Chicago Glue & Machine becoming the 1st in DuPage to achieve IL Green Bus. Certification! Listen here: lnkd.in/duFEZMEG

Call for poster abstracts! The IL Innovation Network's Conference 2026: Powering Illinois’ Future Together will be 10/ 22-23 @ SIU Edwardsville. Research poster presentations will be on 10/23. Deadline is 9/21/26. Register for the conference & submit your abstract here: iin.uillinois.edu/conference/

Illinois Innovation Network Conference 2026: Powering Illinois’ Future Together

iin.uillinois.edu

Join staff at Sangchris Lake State Park for a Habitat Initiative Tour to learn how they turned an area of turfgrass into a thriving 3-year old prairie. Restoring habitats is a central goal of @illinoisdnr.bsky.social Climate Action Plan (CAP). Register here: forms.illinois.edu/sec/549274193

Choose DuPage IL will hold a free & public webinar on how to access clean, affordable energy with community solar on 9/16 at 1 pm. Register for this webinar to learn the about this history & benefits community solar in Illinois. Click to register: www.choosedupage.com/events/susta...

EnergySense joined @illinoisdnr.bsky.social at the IL State Fair to educate people on actions to fix climate change & to share details of IDNR's Climate Action Plan. Visitors also shared their actions: tree planting, EV & heat pump adoption & more. See IDNR’s CAP: dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/...

Illinois EPA has announced a NOFO for the Public Buildings Energy Efficiency Program, which provides financial assistance for energy efficiency improvements at public buildings owned by municipalities, counties, etc. Deadline is 9/30/26. For details, click: epa.illinois.gov/topics/energ...

The IL Climate Education Hub, in partnership with SubjectToClimate, offers lesson plans, teacher guides & more to help IL teachers educate their students on climate change. Also, register for the Zero Waste: Back to School Webinar on 9/15: illinoisclimateeducation.org

Starting 5/27, the Chicago-area electricity grid will meet demand during heatwaves by turning up participating household smart thermostats, which will reduce the region’s demand by the equivalent of several power plants. For more on this ComEd program: insideclimatenews.org/news/0207202...

Smart Thermostats Will Soon Come to the Rescue During Heatwaves - Inside Climate News

An Illinois virtual power plant program shows how networks of home appliances can reduce strain on the grid.

insideclimatenews.org

@uofigrainger.bsky.social mechanical science & engineering professor Kyle Smith & IL grad students Paul Rozzi & Jeong A Lee, in partnership with Toyota, have developed a new way to pull CO2 directly from the atmosphere using a battery type device. For more, click: news.illinois.edu/new-electroc...

EnergySense website is currently down. We are working to address the problem. In the meantime, if you need to contact us, please email us at energysense-info@uillinois.edu. Thank you for your understanding! We'll let you know when we are back up and running!

IL American Water is now accepting applications for their Hydration Station Grant Program that will award bottle-filling stations to select eligible organizations located within IL American Water’s service territory. The deadline to apply is 9/4/26. Learn more here: www.amwater.com/ilaw/News-Co...

On 8/27, 2026 at 10am CT, join the Illinois Restaurant Association, the Illinois Green Business Program, & the Cook County Small Business Source for a virtual session on food packaging & PFAS-free foodware options. Register to get the tools to switch with confidence! us06web.zoom.us/.../WN_eizyO....

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Rethinking Food Packaging: A Guide to PFAS-Free Alternatives. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Join the Illinois Restaurant Association, Illinois Green Business Program, and the Cook County Small Business Source for a virtual session on food packaging and PFAS-free foodware options. Learn why...

us06web.zoom.us

The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is holding a series of in-person and virtual informational events for potential applicants, partners, and workforce system stakeholders. To see a full list of these workshops, click here: dceo.illinois.gov/ceja/ceja-pr...