Environmental group wins spot in eco hall of fame

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OREGON - Roll out the green carpet: Local environmental group Illinois Renewable Energy Association has won national recognition for its work with natural capitalism. Saturday, the advocacy group famous for its yearly Sustainable Lifestyle Fair will take top honors from the Chicago-based Environmental Hall of Fame, an organization devoted to curtailing climate change and promoting eco-conscious lifestyles. The IREA's natural capitalism honors fall among some big players on the green stage. Thursday through Saturday, the Hotel Allegro, Chicago's greenest hotel, is hosting the Sierra Club, the American Wind Energy Association, and environmental whiz-kid Sadhu Johnston, among about 50 others in this round of inductions. Sonia Vogl, president of the board of directors of the Oregon group, said the 10 years she and her husband, Robert Vogl, have poured into the Ogle County-based renewable energy fair are paying off. "It's rewarding to know there are people out there who recognize what we do and value it," Vogl said. Criteria for induction into the Environmental Hall of Fame include peer recommendation, longevity in the environmental field and overall impact, according to a news release. The Vogls, both retired professors of environmental education at Northern Illinois University, started the association in 1999 as a way to showcase emerging green technologies and environmentally friendly living. Their rural Oregon home is on 180 acres dedicated to natural restoration. The honor came as something of a surprise, Sonia Vogl said. "We got back from a conference and it kind of caught us out of nowhere," she said. "We didn't even know it was happening." To learn more The Illinois Renewable Energy Association supports sustainable energy development by providing hands-on opportunities to learn about the benefits, potential and uses of renewable energy and energy efficiency for homes and businesses. Contact: Call 815-732-7332 or go online to www.illinoisrenew.org for more information.