Dekalb Environmental Intern Positions
implement practical strategies for making the City of DeKalb more environmentally sustainable? If
so, the Citizens' Environmental Commission (CEC), an advisory group to the DeKalb Mayor and
City Council, would like to talk to you about some exciting internship opportunities. We are looking
for several undergraduate or graduate students with a strong interest and commitment to
environmental improvement to work with the CEC and other City staff on one or more of several
projects designed to increase environmental sustainability in DeKalb.
What We Offer
- Meaningful, career-enhancing experiences in specific areas of environmental protection and sustainability
- Opportunities to work alongside a variety of dedicated and experienced individuals committed to environmental improvement
- Hands-on experiences and insights into the workings of local government
- Networking opportunities with professionals working in public and private organizations inside and outside of DeKalb
- Practical opportunities for creative thinking and problem solving on a number of multifaceted environmental issues
- A unique chance to make a difference in the quality of life for residents of DeKalb
What We Require
- A major or concentration in environmental science, engineering, biology, social science, education, public health, or a closely related area at an accredited college or university
- A strong interest, commitment, or familiarity with environmental protection and improvement
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Knowledge and experience with social media
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
- Good organizational skills and an ability to prioritize work assignments
- Ability to work alone and with others of different backgrounds and educational levels
- Creativity and flexibility
What the Internship Entails
Successful candidates for an internship will work under the supervision of one or more CECmembers on specific projects related to the implementation of the City of DeKalb Sustainability
Plan. These projects will include one or more of the proposed actions described in the Sustainability
Plan (see City's Website for more information). These are summarized below.
Internship work schedules can be flexible and therefore should be able to accommodate your
school and other work responsibilities. In most cases, specific assignments will be based on your
background and interests. At the present time, the internships are not paid, although the Commission
will be seeking financial resources to provide interns with modest honorariums for their work. Our
success in obtaining these resources, however, cannot be guaranteed.
Specific Action Plans
- Implementing a practical means for communicating environmental policies and expectations to City employees
- Developing a mechanism to reduce and monitor the use of paper at all levels of City operations, including the establishment of a green purchasing network
- Establishing a "no-idling" policy for City-owned non-public vehicles
- Implementing a program to monitor energy use by City departments, including a protocol for baseline and subsequent measurements
- Encouraging residential use of high efficiency stoves, furnaces, and fireplaces through the development and use of promotional materials and other means
- Promoting community efforts to create a "DeKalb Businesses Going Green Award" and implementing a "Green Leaf" program where residents select and rank local businesses for their green practices
- Improving support and better communications between local farmers and businesses within the City so as to provide adequate food security for all DeKalb residents
- Ensuring continued support for existing community gardens and establishing new community gardens in cooperation with DeKalb County Community Gardens
- Educating the public with regard to seed gathering and seed exchange networks, while encouraging seed preservation and diversity in local and residential gardens and markets
- Exploring the development of a regional food hub, commercial kitchen, and processing facility in DeKalb in cooperation and partnership with existing resources
- Developing content for a web page in conjunction with the City's website to provide environmental and "green" information and resources for local DeKalb residents
- Promoting community-based education on nutrition and healthy food preparation in partnership with Live Healthy DeKalb County
- Promoting habitat preservation and restoration by private property owners through incentives and educational programs in conjunction with the City planning department
- Coordinating programs informing residents of the benefits of native plants with local academic institutions and the University of Illinois Extension Office
- Providing property owners with information on sustainable property maintenance practices
- Educating the community on the impacts of run-off from washing cars at home
- Investigating the establishment of codes for new developments in DeKalb that exceed the requirements of the current State of Illinois Energy Code
- Encouraging planting of a greater variety and number of native trees and plants than current City codes require
- Encouraging developers to use "linked development" that connects new residential or commercial development projects to either a housing or commercial redevelopment project in an older neighborhood
- Promoting the use of recycling containers at public events
- Encouraging greater opportunities for commercial and residential composting in DeKalb
- Promoting better transportation efficiency and alternate forms of transportation in DeKalb
- Encouraging better water conservation in DeKalb through educational means
How to Apply:
To apply for an internship with the Citizens' Environmental Commission (CEC), please contact:
Tim Holdeman, City Staff Liaison, CEC: tim.holdeman@cityofdekalb.com or 815-748-2332vironmental sustainability in DeKalb.
