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Go Green Greater La Grange Monthly Update:
November 2025
"Recycle the present, save the future." ~Anonymous
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Tip of the Month:
As the weather turns don't forget about getting your rain barrel ready for the winter.
Click here to learn how!
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President's Note:
In spite of a rainy start, we had a what turned into a wonderful day for this Fall's Clothing and Textile Take-Back event. We ended up diverting nearly 3 tons of materials from our community landfills, supporting our local Children's Community Closet, multiple animal shelters and offering an opportunity to repurpose scrap materials through our continued partnership with WipeCo. Overall, it was a tremendous success. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make this possible.
Coming up this month we have our second Electronics Recycling drive, in partnership with the La Grange Park Sustainability Commission. It's going to be a busy day as this event runs in tandem with the Sustainability Commission's annual Pumpkin Smash event. Let's keep our volunteers safe, please, by adhering to all traffic signs and keep an eye out for all pedestrian traffic. We also have our Boot and Shoe Share at the La Grange Library coming up this month. Please see the flyers shared below for more information on all of these events.
All of our events are completely volunteer driven and could not happen without your time and support. Please consider volunteering for one of our upcoming events by clicking here. It only takes a couple of hours of your time to help keep these events local.
Thank you!
Alexandria Zuck
Board President
Go Green Greater LaGrange
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Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world
Every year, the world discards millions of electronic device from computers, mobile phones, household appliances and more. This is creating one of the fastest-growing waste streams. In 2022 alone, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste were generated globally, yet only about 22 % of that was formally collected and recycled. Improper disposal and informal recycling can release a host of toxic substances such as lead and mercury into the environment, putting especially children and pregnant women at significant risk of adverse health effects. The WHO stresses the importance of strong legislation, safe recycling practices, and community-awareness efforts to protect both people and the planet.
Click here to read more!
| | | | Community Spotlight Series: | |
Volunteers are needed to help generate interest from businesses and local governments, plan events, coordinate bag sales and promotion, serve as art selection judges, and create or maintain a simple website. To get involved, contact Rose Buckner at rosepower13@gmail.com or 773-544-6187. | |
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TAB (Teen Art Bag) Project — Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chicago
The TAB Project is an eco-focused art initiative that empowers students to create positive change through design. This fall, LTHS students are submitting artwork for reusable tote bags that help reduce plastic waste. One winning design—selected by a panel of judges—will be printed and sold locally, combining creativity with sustainability.
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2025 Upcoming Meeting Dates:
-Board Meeting: Thursday October 16th, 2025 7:00PM (La Grange Park Public Library)
2025 Collection and Program Dates:
-Fall Electronics Recycling: November 8th , 2025(La Grange Park Public Works)
-Boot and Shoe Share: November 22, 2025 (La Grange Public Library)
-Spring Clothing & Textile Take-Back: March 15, 2025 (St. Michael's Lutheran)
| | | | Find a pumpkin smash location near you! | |
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Crafters for Climate:
Let's "make-it" happen!
Makers, we are looking for ideas about what our next workshop should be.
If you are a maker and would like to share your craft please reach out to us directly at:
info@gogreenglg.org
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Know your impact:
Use this interactive calculator to
learn your carbon footprint and actions you can take to reduce it.
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Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act Democrats in Congress passed last year, there are new energy cost-saving benefits available right now, including:
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30% back for the cost of many clean energy upgrades to your home, including solar panels, water heaters, and battery storage, no matter the price.
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Up to $1,200 to add insulation, install new exterior windows and doors, or other improvements that increase the energy efficiency of your home.
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Up to $2,000 for a new heat pump (which can provide efficient air conditioning and heating) as well as a heat-pump water heater.
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30% off the cost of installing a new electric vehicle charger if you live in a rural or underserved community.
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Go Green LaGrange had the pleasure of listening to this Webinar hosted by the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability on Recycling guidelines in Cook County. We hope to share it with any interested participants. Click here if you are interested in hearing more!
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Looking to continue cleaning out your home or business in an environmentally conscious manner? Consider this:
Center for Hard to Recycle Materials
Cook County has partnered with South Suburban College to create the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM Center). This is a permanent recycling drop-off facility available to Cook County residents that helps divert millions of pounds of waste and other hard-to-recycle items from regional landfills and water systems. More information about materials accepted at the CHaRM Center can be found below.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ALN 21.027 awarded to Cook County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Location
15800 State St., South Holland, IL 60473. The drop-off site is located on north side of campus in the overflow parking lot. Enter at traffic signal on State Street.
Hours
- Every Tuesday: 7 a.m. - noon
- Every Thursday: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- 2nd Saturday every month: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (TVs accepted during Saturday hours only)
Click here for a more comprehensive list of accepted materials!
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Interested in how to turn your parkway into a gardening opportunity!
Two experienced native plant gardeners will give you a virtual guided tour of their stunning parkway gardens and share tips, challenges and successes in turning this challenging area into habitat.Go Green LaGrange had the pleasure of listening to this Webinar hosted by the West Cook Wild Ones. We hope to share it with any interested participants. Click here if you are interested in hearing more!
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Green Infrastructure and Flood Mitigation
“We will have a bigger impact if we think systemically,” Frisbie explains in her one-on-one interview with WBEZ’s Sasha-Ann Simons this week. Spearheading the Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance, Friends and Watershed Alliance members, are pushing for substantial shifts in watershed governance and infrastructural development and maintenance.
The use of nature-based green infrastructure leverages the inherent intelligence and resiliency of nature to develop future-focused strategies for just and sustainable living. Developing tactics for educating local leaders, planning and policy experts, and the public, the Watershed Alliance urges that we think with nature, rather than against it.
Click here to learn more!
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Interested in learning more about Composting?
Don't worry if you missed it you can still click here to learn more!
Join Mark Teegen, owner of IFSCC member organization Teegen Compost, and learn about his community garden and backyard compost services. Mark takes trimmings from gardens and shreds them to return the material to an available bin onsite which completes the composting process locally. Mark will highlight the benefits and circularity of a typical compost season for residents and community gardeners, Teegen Compost Style!
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Save the Monarchs, Heres How:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has added migratory monarch butterflies to their list of Threatened Species. This means Monarch butterflies are now in danger of extinction. In fact, 99.9% of the Western monarch butterfly population has disappeared since 1980.
We all can help by planting milkweed which is the monarch caterpillar's only source of food. And since Fall is the best time to plant milkweed, hurry and visit mwrd.org/save-monarchs to take the pledge to receive free milkweed seeds to help save monarchs.
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How to Donate
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Donate cash or checks at our in-person events.
- Mail checks to:
Go Green LaGrange,
PO Box 11
La Grange, IL 60525
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