The Peoria County Sustainability Plan for internal operations was adopted in August of 2011. Implementation of the plan began immediately thereafter and included the formation of the Green CREW, monitoring of electrical and water usage in County facilities, reducing solid waste, and incorporating LEED standards in new building designs.
Being an internal plan, employees play a large role in its success. Not only are employees in part a target audience of the plan, as a plan element, but they are also responsible for making sustainable decisions based on the plan's objectives. Therefore, employees are considered the primary clientele, and their buy-in is extremely important. Expectations for staff include involvement in implementation, championing sustainability throughout the organization, and participating in related training opportunities.
The green CREW (Conserving Resources and Educating Workers) was formed in January of 2012 to lead multiple employee initiatives: sustainable purchasing events, composting and recycling events, weekly farmers market, and employee newsletters.