Using the Library
Have questions about the physical layout of the library, where to find silent or quiet study spaces, or what equipment is available to you in the library?
Check out our guide to using the library.
You can also ask us questions in person, via email, over chat whenever the library is in person, and by scheduling a research appointment on this page.
Getting Started: The Earth Charter
The Earth Charter (EC) is a document with sixteen principles powering a global movement. When you apply it to your business, school or community, you begin turning conscience into action to make all life on Earth thrive.
The EC is an ethical foundation for actions to build a more just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It articulates a mindset of global interdependence and shared responsibility. It offers a vision of hope and a call to action.
The Earth Charter document starts with the Preamble, followed by the four pillars: Respect and Care for the Community of Life, Ecological Integrity, Social and Economic Justice, and Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace. It concludes with The Way Forward.
(Text drawn from the About Us section of the Earth Charter Website)
Gather Local Data
Once you have decided which of the Earth Charter Initiative points you'd like to address, start to gather data. What arguments can you make about your local community, or about DuPage County as a whole?
- U.S. Department of Energy SLOPE (State and Local Planning for Energy)
Use the Data Viewer to Data Viewer: Explore city, county, and state data on renewables, efficiency, and transportation. Check out the energy justice datasets.
- Google Maps
Google Maps will show you a good physical layout of the county, from greenspace to public transportation options to whatever else you might be able to imagine.
- Chicago Metropolitan Area for Planning
Check out the Data tab to see Community Data Snapshots, a Regional Greenhouse gas emissions inventory, land use data, transportation data, and more.
- DuPage County Environmental Division
Check this page to see county-level information on different county initiatives, including composting, recycling, and sustainable energy. You can also search news releases put out by the county here: https://www.dupagecounty.gov/countynews.aspx?fid=1229
- Data USA
Data USA depends upon Census data and will provide county and even town level data about demographics, health, economics, housing, civics, etc.
If these websites don't have the detail you need, you can always search Google as well. Be sure to keep in mind the evaluation criteria in the box below.
Evaluate Websites
While you're doing Google searches to either narrow your topic or in order to dig up more information on certain subject, you want to be careful to decide if the information you find is trustworthy.
When it comes to science, nearly everyone has opinions: should we be labeling genetically modified food for consumer's awareness? What will fracking do for our economy or our groundwater supply? Your job is to evaluate the information you can find through Google and Bing to find the good websites--those written by authors you can trust, with good and up-to-date information.
Authorship: Who created this website? What is their background on the topic? Are they trustworthy?
Bias: Why was the website created? What point of view does the author have? Does that limit the facts they present or how the facts are presented?
Date: How old is the information that is presented? Is it still accurate?
Questions? Check out the COD Library's guide to evaluating information.
