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Woodworking With Invasives
From Forest Preserves Cook County: Build your own walking stick using buckthorn, an invasive species. Ages 12-17 w/adult. Ages 12 & up.
From Forest Preserves Cook County: Build your own walking stick using buckthorn, an invasive species. Ages 12-17 w/adult. Ages 12 & up.
Join Trinity Lutheran Church for an insightful presentation by the Sierra Club, where they will discuss the growing concerns regarding plastics in our environment and explore ways to reduce our plastic footprint.
Climate Ready Community Outreach to Oak Park (C.O.O.P)
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
6-7:30 pm
Via Zoom
COOP is an outreach project around the Village of Oak Park’s Climate Ready Oak Park sustainability plan. COOP is a place where Oak Park-area residents can collaborate on projects that spread the word to residents about ways to act locally on climate change. Membership is not limited to green groups-- you can be from ANY group that comprises people from the area. If you would like your Oak Park-area, community based organization to be a part of COOP, please contact:
laurie@oneearthcollective.org
As part of the Austin Quality-of-Life Plan, we are committed to designing a Community Land Trust that ensures residents are able to continue staying rooted in their community. Community Land Trusts (CLTs), provide affordable housing options for residents by separating the land ownership from homeownership. Interested in the development and planning process for this initiative? Attend one of our information sessions to learn more about The Community Land Trust model and Why this is important for Austin and how you or your organization can partner with us.
Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN) is a volunteer group of Oak Park, Illinois, residents working to eliminate our community’s contribution to the global climate crisis through equitable policies and practices.
OPCAN advocates for the timely implementation of the goals of Climate Ready Oak Park, the climate action plan adopted by the Village of Oak Park in 2022. We also advocate for more climate-friendly policies with other local taxing bodies, residents, businesses, and organizations.
Join us for a night of fun, community, and purpose at our Black History Month Trivia Night! Come show off your knowledge, connect with like-minded changemakers, and most importantly, help us continue uplifting and creating opportunities for our youth.
📅 Date: Thursday, February 27th
📍 Location: Rhythm & Blues Café (21+ Event) 7522 Madison St
Forest Park IL, 60130
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Invite 3 friends interested in meeting new people and/or passionate about supporting our youth. Every ticket, every moment, and every conversation helps us invest in the next generation. Don’t miss out—RSVP today and let’s celebrate Black history while building a brighter future!
Join us for an exclusive screening and discussion of Farming While Black, a feature-length documentary film that examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots.
Wild Things 2025 will offer another exciting lineup workshops, presentations, and sessions from regional and national experts, plus meet & greets, video content, exhibitors, sponsors, and more! Tickets for Wild Things 2025 are now on sale and the full conference program will be announced soon.
As part of the Austin Quality-of-Life Plan, we are committed to designing a Community Land Trust that ensures residents are able to continue staying rooted in their community. Community Land Trusts (CLTs), provide affordable housing options for residents by separating the land ownership from homeownership. Interested in the development and planning process for this initiative? Attend one of our information sessions to learn more about The Community Land Trust model and Why this is important for Austin and how you or your organization can partner with us.
Bozho and welcome to Trickster Cultural Center's Intertribal Youth Council!
We are thrilled to have you participate in creating a special space where young people from our community can come together to celebrate their culture, learn from one another, and engage in meaningful activities.
This group is open to all youth ages 10 and up who are interested in exploring and celebrating Indigenous culture. We will be learning all about advocating, developing and implementing policies and services in outreach engagements, coalitions, and government in a range of self steered youth related issues. Bring your enthusiasm, your questions, and your spirit of adventure!
Research shows that people are more persuaded by personal stories (especially from young people) than by data.This year we will have a "Story Jam" with youth activists followed by a youth-led workshop where you can craft and share your climate story. Your story can be used to write Letters to the Editor, persuade elected officials or even family members!
Please save the date for the fourth annual Illinois Soil Health Week, March 3rd - 9th, 2025. Events are free and open to anyone that wants to learn more about soil and will feature educational opportunities including a home pantry garden and compost demo, Getting to Know Chicago Soil and Hempology 101, among others.
Are you a homeowner? Join us to learn more about solar & other ways to save on your electric bill!
Income-eligible households may benefit from this program through the installation of solar panels on their property. Hear from homeowners who have gone solar with Illinois Solar for All.
Learn about free solar job training programs as well.
To register, please email mminic@citizensutilityboard.org or call 312-292-5847. Walk-ins are also welcome.
The event is on March 6th, 5:30-7 pm at Austin Town Hall Park.
See what your Oak Park neighbors are doing to power their homes cleaner, safer, cheaper, and greener! Check out heat pump HVAC and hot water systems, induction stoves, solar arrays, and more. Homeowners will be on hand to share their experience and answer your questions. Three different houses will be open on each of two days:
Sunday, March 9, 2-4pm
Sunday, April 6, 2-4pm
This event is free, but registration is required and space is limited! Presented by Oak Park Climate Action Network.
Join Oak Park Climate Action Network, Seven Generations Ahead, Bike Walk Oak Park, and It's Our Future at a candidates forum for the Village of Oak Park Board and President; on March 10, 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center in Oak Park.
Hosted in partnership with One Earth Local, Climate Ready Community Outreach Oak Park (COOP), and the Village of Oak Park.
Join us for this Earth Month Community Kickoff event for all ages in alignment with Earth Day 2025’s theme of Our Power, Our Planet. Come to learn, play, and connect with community groups working in the sustainability space while enjoying local treats.
Registration is encouraged; walk-ins are welcome.
Bozho and welcome to Trickster Cultural Center's Intertribal Youth Council!
We are thrilled to have you participate in creating a special space where young people from our community can come together to celebrate their culture, learn from one another, and engage in meaningful activities.
This group is open to all youth ages 10 and up who are interested in exploring and celebrating Indigenous culture. We will be learning all about advocating, developing and implementing policies and services in outreach engagements, coalitions, and government in a range of self steered youth related issues. Bring your enthusiasm, your questions, and your spirit of adventure!
See what your Oak Park neighbors are doing to power their homes cleaner, safer, cheaper, and greener! Check out heat pump HVAC and hot water systems, induction stoves, solar arrays, and more. Homeowners will be on hand to share their experience and answer your questions. Three different houses will be open on each of two days:
Sunday, March 9, 2-4pm
Sunday, April 6, 2-4pm
This event is free, but registration is required and space is limited! Presented by Oak Park Climate Action Network.
Be a Food Waste Hero during Food Waste Prevention Week 2024 and save the day, one meal at a time. Don't be fooled by waste—join the mission to rescue delicious meals and be the hero our planet needs.
Join an Illinois Solar for All: Bright Neighborhoods event to learn more about this limited-time initiative that allows residents in select Chicago West Side Neighborhoods, Waukegan, and the Carbondale-Marion area to save on electric bills!
The Bright Neighborhoods initiative helps income-eligible participants in selected communities save money on electric bills by installing solar panels with no upfront costs.
Act fast and sign up for Bright Neighborhoods by April 30, 2025. To get started, visit illinoisSFA.com/Bright.
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated during the first full week of May throughout the US and internationally. The goal of ICAW is to work together to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil.
Hosted by Bank of America Chicago 13.1:The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 worked with West Side residents to introduce wellness-based activities to the race weekend experience. Activities including a family-friendly 1.31-Mile Wellness Walk, youth running events and a community pop-up featuring West Side businesses and organizations aim to support, advance and celebrate health, wellness and movement on Chicago’s West Side.
Hosted by Bank of America Chicago 13.1: The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 offers runners a unique experience, bringing a world-class half marathon to the neighborhoods of Chicago’s West Side. The 13.1-mile course weaves through the historic parks and boulevards of the West Side, starting and finishing in Garfield Park with scenic loops through Humboldt and Douglass Parks.
Hosted by Oak Park Conservatory: Children and their caregivers will be delighted with stories, lessons, and hands-on crafts led by our Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory education volunteers. (Ages 18 months-5 yrs)
Register Here: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/park-district-of-oak-park/shop/programs/101251?subCategoryIds=5299733
Join an Illinois Solar for All: Bright Neighborhoods event to learn more about this limited-time initiative that allows residents in select Chicago West Side Neighborhoods, Waukegan, and the Carbondale-Marion area to save on electric bills!
Illinois Solar for All is hosting an in-person educational workshop for residents of Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods to learn more about solar energy and the Bright Neighborhoods initiative! This meeting will be co-hosted by the NAACP and AAABNA.
As part of the Austin Quality-of-Life Plan, we are committed to designing a Community Land Trust that ensures residents are able to continue staying rooted in their community. Community Land Trusts (CLTs), provide affordable housing options for residents by separating the land ownership from homeownership. Interested in the development and planning process for this initiative? Attend one of our information sessions to learn more about The Community Land Trust model and Why this is important for Austin and how you or your organization can partner with us.
Join us for an open discussion on climate change and other environmental topics. You are invited to share an article, book, podcast, or film related to environmental issues that you'd like to discuss. Because this meeting is virtual please feel free to have a link to your recommendation ready to share with the group. Registered participants will receive the zoom link by email.
Join an Illinois Solar for All: Bright Neighborhoods event to learn more about this limited-time initiative that allows residents in select Chicago West Side Neighborhoods, Waukegan, and the Carbondale-Marion area to save on electric bills!
Illinois Solar for All is hosting a virtual informational meeting for eligible residents to learn more about this initiative and get their questions answered by a program representative!
Bozho and welcome to Trickster Cultural Center's Intertribal Youth Council!
We are thrilled to have you participate in creating a special space where young people from our community can come together to celebrate their culture, learn from one another, and engage in meaningful activities.
This group is open to all youth ages 10 and up who are interested in exploring and celebrating Indigenous culture. We will be learning all about advocating, developing and implementing policies and services in outreach engagements, coalitions, and government in a range of self steered youth related issues. Bring your enthusiasm, your questions, and your spirit of adventure!
Please join us for "Rare and Showy Plants of the Chicago Region and the Habitats that Support Them" with Christopher Benda, The Illinois Botanizer, on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 2:30 pm (Central Time).
We have a great meeting planned for February in Austin-- flyer attached. Please share and invite your Westside networks. We're trying to build our coalition.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
6-7:30 pm
Alt_ Headquarters
5645 W Corcoran Place, Chicago 60644
Dinner included!
RSVP by 2/6 at 5 pm at https://tinyurl.com/8a4adbfy
Hosted by Oak Park Conservatory: This event takes place on the first Wednesday of every month. Enjoy a bilingual (English and Spanish) story time, plus songs and finger play led by our Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory volunteers. (Ages 18 months-5 yrs)
Register Here: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/park-district-of-oak-park/shop/activities/5330701
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will join 13th District Commissioner and Environment and Sustainability Committee Vice-Chair Josina Morita for Cook County’s first Environmental Justice Town Hall this evening.
The County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is seeking input from the public on the County’s draft environmental justice (EJ) policy. This draft has been co-developed by an EJ internal working group, made up of County employees, and the EJ Community Advisory Committee. Once adopted by the County, the environmental justice policy will help inform and guide programming and policy decision-making across County bureaus and departments.
From Repair Cafe Oak Park:
Toss it? No way!
The Oak Park Repair Café is meeting on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., at Fox Park in Oak Park. We will be in the Community Center in the park, at 624 S. Oak Park Avenue. Free, on-street parking.
Volunteer coaches will be on hand to work with you, helping you fix those household items you’ve been meaning to take care of – everything from toasters to radios, to clocks or torn clothing. Given a huge increase in visitor volume, repairs will be limited to one item per guest.
We respectfully request all guests be masked during their visit.
For more information about the Oak Park Repair Café, please go to www.repaircafeoakparkil.org and to learn more about the international Repair Café movement, check out www.repaircafe.org.
Interested in learning how to start growing vegetables but feeling intimidated? Join certified urban farmer Chamika Moore to learn the basics of how to begin growing seeds indoors for your first-ever spring vegetable garden. Whatever the size of the space you have, from a window in an apartment to a designated spot in a yard, this is the class for you!
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will join 13th District Commissioner and Environment and Sustainability Committee Vice-Chair Josina Morita for Cook County’s first Environmental Justice Town Hall this evening.
The County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is seeking input from the public on the County’s draft environmental justice (EJ) policy. This draft has been co-developed by an EJ internal working group, made up of County employees, and the EJ Community Advisory Committee. Once adopted by the County, the environmental justice policy will help inform and guide programming and policy decision-making across County bureaus and departments.
Climate Ready Community Outreach to Oak Park (C.O.O.P)
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
6-7:30 pm
Via Zoom
COOP is an outreach project around the Village of Oak Park’s Climate Ready Oak Park sustainability plan. COOP is a place where Oak Park-area residents can collaborate on projects that spread the word to residents about ways to act locally on climate change. Membership is not limited to green groups-- you can be from ANY group that comprises people from the area. If you would like your Oak Park-area, community based organization to be a part of COOP, please contact:
laurie@oneearthcollective.org
Join the Protecting Healthy Waters Green Vision Initiative team for a group visit to the Shimmer on Horizons exhibition by Andrea Carlson, Ojibwa/European descent. Grounded in Anishinaabe understandings of space and time, the works in this exhibition reflect on how land carries memories of colonial expansion and violence, as well as Indigenous presence and resistance.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will join 13th District Commissioner and Environment and Sustainability Committee Vice-Chair Josina Morita for Cook County’s first Environmental Justice Town Hall this evening.
The County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is seeking input from the public on the County’s draft environmental justice (EJ) policy. This draft has been co-developed by an EJ internal working group, made up of County employees, and the EJ Community Advisory Committee. Once adopted by the County, the environmental justice policy will help inform and guide programming and policy decision-making across County bureaus and departments.
We look forward to getting better acquainted in January! We will have time to chat with each other and will offer catered snacks and some pretty terrific prizes to give away.
Not a member? If this sounds fun and interesting, but you are not yet a member, please join us at westcook.wildones.org/join
What: People for Community Recovery's 5th Annual Hazel EJ Event
Who: Cheryl Johnson, PCR's Executive Director & Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer White House Council on Environmental Quality
When: Saturday, January 25, 10am CT
Where: Zoom
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will join 13th District Commissioner and Environment and Sustainability Committee Vice-Chair Josina Morita for Cook County’s first Environmental Justice Town Hall this evening.
The County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is seeking input from the public on the County’s draft environmental justice (EJ) policy. This draft has been co-developed by an EJ internal working group, made up of County employees, and the EJ Community Advisory Committee. Once adopted by the County, the environmental justice policy will help inform and guide programming and policy decision-making across County bureaus and departments.
From Forest Preserves Cook County: Teens & families, give back this MLK day. Join us for a litter clean up in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Drop-in event. Grove 10.
Explore the curiosities and complexities of nature, environmentalism, and sustainability through fiction and nonfiction literature on the third Wednesday of every other month.
Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
We have a great meeting planned for January in Humboldt Park-- flyer attached. Please share and invite your Westside networks. We're trying to build our coalition.
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
6-7:30 pm
Humboldt Park Fieldhouse
1440 N Humboldt Drive Chicago
Dinner included!
From Forest Preserves Cook County: Learn about creative reuse methods and mending techniques. Give items a second life by turning them into an ornament, decoration or bird feeder. Supplies provided or bring your own.
From Repair Cafe Oak Park:
Toss it? No way!
The Oak Park Repair Café is meeting on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., at Fox Park in Oak Park. We will be in the Community Center in the park, at 624 S. Oak Park Avenue. Free, on-street parking.
Volunteer coaches will be on hand to work with you, helping you fix those household items you’ve been meaning to take care of – everything from toasters to radios, to clocks or torn clothing. Given a huge increase in visitor volume, repairs will be limited to one item per guest.
We respectfully request all guests be masked during their visit.
For more information about the Oak Park Repair Café, please go to www.repaircafeoakparkil.org and to learn more about the international Repair Café movement, check out www.repaircafe.org.
Join us to make stunning, reusable 3-D snowflakes out of flat bottomed paper bags (like grocery or lunch sacks). All materials provided, as well as instructions so you'll be able to turn your next grocery run into a winter delight.
Explore the sights and sounds of Caldwell Woods! Whether you're a nature lover, an adventure seeker, or just looking for something fun to do, this outdoor scavenger hunt will lead you through beautiful landscapes and hidden gems. Perfect for families, friends, and adventurers of all ages.
Don't miss out – adventure awaits!
Our community socials bring like-minded people together to hold conversations and learn about sustainability and the environment.
Learn about the work that District Councils are doing with the Chicago Police to help with mental health crises from Jennifer Schaffer, the 19th District Councilor for Community Engagement.
The Village is hosting an electronic waste recycling drop-off event on Sat., Dec. 14 at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd.
Due to strict regulations on collecting and processing these materials, residents are required to register for a time slot between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and identify their electronic waste items in advance.
Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health.
Join local and statewide climate leaders to learn how recent policies are accelerating the transition to clean energy in our State and Village and learn how your household can take positive steps toward fighting climate change!