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Go Green Greater La Grange Monthly Update:
August 2025
"Recycle the present, save the future." ~Anonymous
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Tip of the Month:
Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash and conserve water.
Discover more tips here!
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President's Note:
What a great turn out at this year's Sustainable Summer Expo! It was wonderful getting to see so many familiar and new faces. The room was full of positive energy and collaborative conversations. I am so excited to see how this event has grown in just one year.
A huge thank you to Plymouth Place for hosting us, the facility and staff were above and beyond. From Joceyln in Food Services to Will in Maintenance, I never needed to worry as I knew the operations of the event were in incredibly capable hands. Pardon the photo dump to follow, but I could not pick any favorites.
You all make this community stronger. Thank you for the work you do to show up for our community and environment daily.
Alexandria Zuck
Board President
Go Green Greater LaGrange
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| Highlights from this year's expo! | |
Understanding the Importance of Water Conservation: Water is crucial to human life and the scarcity of it can lead to harmful outcomes.
" Water scarcity is a growing crisis affecting many parts of the world. According to the United Nations, over 40% of the global population currently experiences water shortages, and this figure is expected to grow in the coming years. To make matters worse, less than 3% of the world’s water supply is freshwater suitable and accessible for human use. Sustainable access to water will be one of the defining issues of our time and it is a problem we need to tackle now. Whether through innovations in policy, technology, or individual actions, reducing water waste and using water more efficiently must become priorities around the globe. Here, we explore the importance of water conservation and highlight the significant impact of water scarcity, should we fail to take action…"
Click here to read more!
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Community Spotlight Series: | |
Setting sustainable examples for the community
Plymouth Place has made notable strides in bettering the environment through a community-driven approach to sustainability. What began as a grassroots educational campaign to reduce Styrofoam use and promote proper recycling has evolved into a campus-wide commitment to eco-conscious living.
Through persistent resident engagement and leadership support, the use of Styrofoam has dramatically declined, and recycling practices have improved, with clear guidelines in place to ensure proper sorting and cleanliness. The leadership team reinforces these efforts by opting for eco-friendly containers and partnering with vendors who prioritize sustainability.
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Environmental stewardship at Plymouth Place extends far beyond recycling. Presentations such as "Energy Conservation in Action" highlight initiatives like smart lighting, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and water conservation practices.
Departments across the organization contribute to the mission, from composting and food waste reduction in Culinary Services to electronics recycling and thoughtful landscaping in Facilities. Creative programs, like furniture donation to support scholarships, show how sustainability and community benefit go hand in hand.
Through collective action and a shared commitment, Plymouth Place continues to set a meaningful example of how a community can work together to protect the environment.
To learn more about Plymouth Place visit: https://plymouthplace.org/about/
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Please feel free to email directly at gogreenlagrange1@gmail.com if you have any additional questions.
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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:
-Native Plant Speaker Presentation: August 28, 2025 (La Grange Village Hall)
-Fall Native Plant Sale: September 20, 2025 (Memorial Park Pavilion)
-Community Jigsaw Puzzle & Game Share: September 27, 2025 (La Grange Public Library)
-Fall Clothing and Textile Take-Back: October 19th, 2025 (St. Michael's Lutheran)
-Fall Electronics Recycling: November (La Grange Park Public Works)
-Boot and Shoe Share: November 22, 2025 (La Grange Public Library)
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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 GoGreenLaGrange1@gmail.com.
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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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If you are interested in volunteering with us please check out our sign-up genius here or on our webpage at GoGreenLaGrange.org or email us directly at gogreenlagrange1@gmail.com
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