Sustainability Guides:
Circles of Sustainability (Ecology) http://www.circlesofsustainability.org/circles-overview/profile-circles/...
Earth Charter http://earthcharter.org/discover/the-earth-charter/
Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus Sustainabiliity Goals for the Region (the Greenest Compact) http://mayorscaucus.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/The-Greenest-Region-C...
Overall Data Sources:
US Department of Energy: SLED (Stats and Local Energy Data) https://apps1.eere.energy.gov/sled/#/ Covers buildings and efficiencies, renewable power, transportation and Land Use, Municipal Operations and Programs, and Electricity Use & Infrastructure. Data by zipcode. Students should start here.
Google Maps maps.google.com will show you a good physical layout of your location, from greenspace to public transportation options to whatever else you might be able to imagine.
Energy:
US Energy Information Administration:
Illinois State Profile: https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=IL
Illinois level data for households (energy use) https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/2009/state_briefs/pd...
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon Dioxide Data by the state, including Illinois https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-09/co2ffc_2015.xlsx
Greenhouse Gas emissions by region and type of Industry: http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/updates/all/-/asset_publisher/UIMfSLnFfMB6/...
Economics and Human Data
Data.IO profile for cities, villages, and towns that draws upon the census and other sources and analyzed by MIT's program: https://datausa.io/search/?
Health Data:
County health rankings: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/sites/default/files/state/downloads/...
Wastewater:
(County-wide) http://www.foxmetro.dst.il.us/
Community-Level Data
Naperville:
2009-2013 Greenhouse Gas inventory: https://www.naperville.il.us/globalassets/media/sustainability/2013-gree...
2016 City Sustainability Report: http://www.naperville.il.us/globalassets/media/sustainability/CY16-Susta...
Average uses for Naperville: https://www.naperville.il.us/electric-rates/
Aurora
City Sustainability Plan: https://www.aurora-il.org/DocumentCenter/View/1408
Downer's Grove
Sustainability Plan: http://www.downers.us/public/docs/vlg_mgr_office/Sustainability_Report_2... (This is the 2010-11 report, the most recent available. A 2009 report also exists.)
Wheaton
Sustainability Report, 2012: https://www.wheaton.il.us/DocumentCenter/View/465
And environmental improvement commission (https://www.wheaton.il.us/203/Environmental-Improvement-Commission)
Darien:
Environmental Commission: http://www.darien.il.us/Reference-Desk/Agendas-Minutes/Environmental-Com...
Not much else: http://www.darien.il.us/Community/Environmental-Issues.aspx
Lombard
Sustainability Plan https://www.villageoflombard.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2792 May 2017