Looking for Halloween costumes for children ages 0-11?

"Shop" the free swap—even if you don't have a costume to swap:

• Wednesday, October 1, 10 am-12 pm & 3:30-5:30 pm

• Friday, October 3, 10 am-12 pm & 3:30-5:30 pm

Have a costume to donate to the swap? 

September 24-November 5: Drop off gently used and newly washed costumes and accessories for children ages 0-11 in the Main Library Children's Services Area during the library’s open hours. 

Any remaining costumes will be available for browsing in the Children's Services Area Storytime Room after the event.

Learn how to build your own plant terrarium. Take home your own green ecosystem and watch it grow. Supplies provided.

Looking for Halloween costumes for children ages 0-11?

"Shop" the free swap—even if you don't have a costume to swap:

• Wednesday, October 1, 10 am-12 pm & 3:30-5:30 pm

• Friday, October 3, 10 am-12 pm & 3:30-5:30 pm

Have a costume to donate to the swap? 

September 24-November 5: Drop off gently used and newly washed costumes and accessories for children ages 0-11 in the Main Library Children's Services Area during the library’s open hours. 

Any remaining costumes will be available for browsing in the Children's Services Area Storytime Room after the event.

Learn how to build your own plant terrarium. Take home your own green ecosystem and watch it grow. Supplies provided.

Join Reduce Waste Chicago for our fourth annual Sustainability Market! Discover eco-focused local small businesses, artists and organizations dedicated to helping us all live more sustainably. Drop off items for reuse, repurposing and recycling with five collection organizations. Connect with and create community in a shared mission to reduce waste in our homes and our communities. See you there!

On "Sun Day," Sunday, Sept. 21, 3-4pm, Oak Park Climate Action Network presents a free webinar all about COMMUNITY SOLAR. Learn how anyone with an electricity account can subscribe for a share in a solar "farm" and save money on their energy costs. Presenters include Grace Concialdi of Citizens Utility Board and Art Spooner, Oak Park condo owner and community solar subscriber, followed by Q&A. It's free but registration is required. A recording of the webinar will be available later at https://opcan.org. Questions to wgreenhouse@gmail.com.

Sun Day--a nationwide celebration of clean energy progress— gives each of us a chance to stand up for the solar and wind power that's making our communities healthier, quieter, and more affordable.

In Chicago, the Sun Day Solar Fest will be September 21st from Noon - 4PM at Montrose Beach (adjacent to the dog park) at 610 W Lawrence, Chicago, IL 60613 US. 

Explore the curiosities and complexities of nature, environmentalism, and sustainability through fiction and nonfiction literature on the third Wednesday of every other month. Learn more about library-led book discussions »

Explore the beauty of our natural landscapes using natural fibers. Supplies provided.

Improve native wildlife habitat by removing invasive species. Equipment and tools provided. Ages 15 & under w/ adult.

Join Chicago Climate Connect for an evening of connection and conversation with Manuela Zoninsein, Founder & CEO of Kadeya, as we explore how reuse infrastructure can drive meaningful systems change.

From her work advancing closed-loop beverage solutions to her advocacy around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy in Illinois, Manuela brings a sharp perspective on what it takes to shift industries toward circularity.

WEJA (Westside Environmental Justice Alliance) is a group for people who live, work, volunteer, study, and worship on Chicago’s Westside (roughly Ashland to Austin) to come together over our mutual interests of improving the air, water, soil, and health of Westsiders.

WEJA is a partnership with One Earth Collective, 290 IPO, and – so far 72 other Westside activists, community-based organizations, and residents.

Please RSVP by 5PM Thurs, Aug 14, 2025

Join us for a litter clean up and give back to the community. Grove 13.

With natural materials and drawings, use the sun to make a one-of-a-kind print. Supplies provided.

Hosted at Swallow Cliff Woods Pavilion, learn how to make your paper with recycled materials. Supplies provided.

In Walkaway by Cory Doctorow, Hubert, Seth, and their ultra-rich heiress friend Natalie are getting a little old to hang out at the "Communist parties, " techno-raveups in abandoned industrial spaces, full of insta-printed drugs and toys. And Natalie was finished, years ago, with her overcontrolling zillionaire dad. And now that anyone can manufacture food, clothing, shelter with equipment comparable to a computer printer, there seems to be little reason to stick with the world of rules and jobs.

Storytime and a recycling truck! Participate in fun storytime activities while learning about recycling. Then, get a tour of a Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) truck from a real-life driver and a copy of the LRS book The Big Sort: Aluminum Adventure With Fran the Can to take home.

Discover how plants and people play a role in protecting and restoring native habitats. Perfect for nature lovers, students, and anyone curious about conservation!

🧤 Free & family-friendly
🌾 Explore native plants and habitats

Unwind and create while collaging with the leftover multi-colored and many-shaped filament scraps we’ve been collecting from 3D printer projects. Choose from one of four collage-by-number templates made by library staff (printed on reused paper and glued to packaging cardboard), or create your own freeform masterpiece using the filament scraps and hot glue.

Get outside and enjoy a festive nature walk to kick off your 4th of July celebrations early! Wear your patriotic colors and explore the trails with us — fun for all ages!

🎉 FREE family-friendly event

🌳 Explore local wildlife & plants

📸 Great photo ops in the preserves!

Hello Westsiders!

WEJA (Westside Environmental Justice Alliance) is a group for people who live, work, volunteer, study, and worship on Chicago’s Westside (roughly Ashland to Austin) to come together over our mutual interests of improving the air, water, soil, and health of Westsiders.

Join us for an open discussion on climate change and other environmental topics. You are invited to share an article, book, podcast, video, website or film related to environmental issues that you'd like to discuss. 

Bring in your gently used books and leave with some new-to-you books. Books can be of any genre and at any reading level; nature-themed books are particularly encouraged. Presented by Oak Lawn Public Library and Green Hills Public Library.

Trash People exists to make it easier to contribute to and connect with community. We do this through our regular hyper-local clean ups, The Volunteer Fair, and our latest project, The Parlor - a resource redistribution project for people & planet.

Bring in your gently used books and leave with some new-to-you books! Books can be any genre and reading level; nature-themed books encouraged.

Please come and learn about Briar East Woods- woods that are in danger of being destroyed. Learn what you can do to help save the woods!

Join this junky jamboree to celebrate MOTHERS of all kinds: Mommas of humans, Mother of our Earth, and all the mother-junking artisans who transform materials into one-of-a-kind wonders.
There is no other market that offers a "Participatory Production" experience! What does that mean? Not only can you shop for upcycled home goods, art, planters, fashion, body care, and oddball stuff, you can also drop off household supplies to the artisans for their future creative projects. Plus, other hands-on activities.

Our premier event of Chicago Water Week, the Freshwater Forum, will bring together water industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers for an evening of inspiration and collaboration. We'll highlight the momentum behind Chicago’s growing water innovation ecosystem, with a focus on the role of strategic industry partnerships in scaling bold water solutions. You can register here with the promo code FINALFRESH75 to get your ticket at no cost. 

Earlier in the week, we’re partnering with the World Water Film Festival to screen How to Poison a Planet, an award-winning documentary that exposes the global impact of PFAS contamination. Free tickets are available here!

Following the screening, Alaina from our team will be moderating a solutions-focused panel featuring:

• Rob Bilott, environmental attorney who first exposed PFAS contamination

• Gary Douglas and Rebecca Newman, lead counsel in the 3M PFAS settlement

• Dr. Junhong Chen, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory

• Michael Strande, father of late activist Amara Strande, who is featured in the documentary

• Mark Ruffalo (virtually), if his schedule allows. We hope to know this week if he’s able to participate!