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!
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.
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
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.
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.
Hosted at Swallow Cliff Woods Pavilion, learn how to make your paper with recycled materials. Supplies provided.
With natural materials and drawings, use the sun to make a one-of-a-kind print. Supplies provided.
Join us for a litter clean up and give back to the community. Grove 13.
Improve native wildlife habitat by removing invasive species. Equipment and tools provided. Ages 15 & under w/ adult.
Explore the beauty of our natural landscapes using natural fibers. Supplies provided.
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!
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.
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.
alt_ [Alt Space Chicago] is marking its 5th anniversary with a grand opening event from April 25-27 at our new location, 5645 W Lake St [Corcoran Pl]. The event will showcase the organization's mission through three key pillars: art, community, and faith.
In August 2024, IL Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation requiring Illinois public schools to educate students on climate change starting in 2026. The law requires that students learn about the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities while also studying solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change. After helping pass this legislation, Climate Education for Illinois, It’s Our Future and Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) sought out a partnership with the nonprofit SubjectToClimate (StC) to support teachers in implementing these updated educational requirements, beginning with the creation of an Illinois Climate Education Hub.
Join us for the 2025 Climate Action Hero Awards, an inspiring evening dedicated to recognizing the individuals, businesses, and organizations leading the way in climate action. Hosted by the Climate Action Museum (CAM) this annual event highlights those making a tangible impact through education, advocacy, innovation, and direct action.
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.
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.
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!
The Green Teacher Gathering on April 5 seeks to bolster the environmental and sustainability education movement in the Chicagoland area. Our mission is to expand participants’ knowledge through engaging workshops and networking opportunities. The theme for this year’s Gathering is Cultivating Connections with Nature which reflects our vision of a future where schools and communities are interconnected, sharing knowledge and resources for a sustainable tomorrow. Our aim is for attendees to feel empowered, motivated, and inspired.
A book club for anyone who wants to learn about degrowth. Join us for coffee, tea, and a discussion about the economic and social movement that might just change the world!
Degrowth is an economic and social movement that advocates for shrinking economies to reduce resource consumption and environmental impact.
Hosted By EcoShip:
Join us on Saturday, March 29th between 10am-3pm as we welcome Earth Month. We'll be hosting a neighborhood clean-up and 8 sustainable organizations and businesses based in Chicago who will be sharing their missions. Enjoy complimentary light bites and N/A beverages throughout the event and enter for a chance to win some goodies!
Join Tina Muir for a pre-race plogging event at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 22 in Grant park after The Mile at the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle. Plogging is a combination of the Swedish term plocka upp (to pick up) and the English word jog. Individuals who join us for the 3K/1.86-mile run/walk will learn more about plogging and how we can pair our passion for running and walking with environmental stewardship to enhance our communities. As we look for more ways to take care of the planet and the people on it, this is an easy and fun way to do our part.
A book club for anyone who wants to learn about degrowth. Join us for coffee, tea, and a discussion about the economic and social movement that might just change the world!
Degrowth is an economic and social movement that advocates for shrinking economies to reduce resource consumption and environmental impact.
Join us at The Plant for this semiannual event that provides opportunities to repair clothing and household items, safely dispose of tricky-to-recycle materials, and donate bicycles, old sneakers, and more—all while bringing attention to strategies that redefine waste and improve environmental conditions!
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.
What does it mean to imagine and implement climate justice? This interdisciplinary symposium is driven by the urgent need for a range of interventions and tools: critique, experimentation, imagination, pragmatics and policy. Bringing together thinkers from Europe and the U.S., speakers explore climate, energy, and infrastructure across networked urban and regional scales: from city to region to nation to planet. The symposium stages a conversation among scholars and practitioners who too rarely are in conversation, but have much to learn from each other.
What does it mean to imagine and implement climate justice? This interdisciplinary symposium is driven by the urgent need for a range of interventions and tools: critique, experimentation, imagination, pragmatics and policy. Bringing together thinkers from Europe and the U.S., speakers explore climate, energy, and infrastructure across networked urban and regional scales: from city to region to nation to planet. The symposium stages a conversation among scholars and practitioners who too rarely are in conversation, but have much to learn from each other.
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.
A book club for anyone who wants to learn about degrowth. Join us for coffee, tea, and a discussion about the economic and social movement that might just change the world!
Degrowth is an economic and social movement that advocates for shrinking economies to reduce resource consumption and environmental impact.
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!
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.
