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Go Green Greater La Grange Monthly Update:
December 2025
"Recycle the present, save the future." ~Anonymous
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Tip of the Month:
Headed out for a festive meal? Grab a reusable container on your way out. It’s the holiday gift your future self and the planet will appreciate.
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President's Note:
We had a busy month, from electronics to shoes our volunteers exemplified the spirit of giving. Donating their time and energy they help to keep these events within our community.
As we step into this holiday season, I hope you all take a moment to celebrate the amazing work you do every day working for a greener planet. From the small decisions to the big ones you are making a difference for generations to come.
Thank you and Happy Holidays we will see you in the New Year!
Alexandria Zuck
Board President
Go Green Greater LaGrange
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Sustainable Holiday Tips for a Greener Season
Key Take-Aways
- Choose Eco-Friendly Gifts
- Pick practical, reusable items (e.g. solid shampoo bars, reusable cups) that promote sustainability.
- Give Experiences, Not Stuff
- Gift memories — like event tickets or a homemade dinner — to reduce physical waste.
- Donate Unwanted Gifts
- Rather than letting unwanted gifts go to waste, donate or resell them so they can be reused.
- Take a Nature-Focused Holiday Walk
- Swap an hour of screen time for a walk. It’s healthier, low carbon, and helps you connect with nature.
- Plan Your Food Shopping
- Shop local, minimize plastic packaging by buying loose produce, and plan meals to avoid food waste.
- Use Sustainable Candles
- Opt for candles made from soy, beeswax, or coconut wax, and with natural wicks (cotton, hemp, wood).
- Make Your Own Gifts
- Handmade gifts like cookies, jam, knit items, or crafts are more personal and reduce mass-produced consumption.
- Wrap Gifts Sustainably
- Use reusable bags, fabric, or even newspaper instead of traditional wrapping paper. Repurpose boxes, ribbons, etc.
- Decorate with Nature
- Skip plastic decorations — use pine cones, evergreen branches, berries, or even edible ornaments.
- Host a Green Party
- Serve locally grown food.
- Minimize single-use packaging for drinks.
- Use reusable dishes, cups, and utensils.
- Encourage guests to bring containers for leftovers.
- Donate or compost any extra food.
Click here to read more!
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2026 Upcoming Meeting Dates:
-Board Meeting: Thursday January 15th, 2026 7:00PM (Thomas Ford Public Library)
-Board Meeting: Thursday July 16th, 2026 7:00PM (La Grange Public Library)
-Board Meeting: Thursday October 15, 2026 7:00PM (La Grange Park Public Library)
2026 Collection and Program Dates:
-Spring Clothing & Textile Take-Back: March 15, 2026 (St. Michael's Lutheran)
-Earth Day Seed Exchange: April 11, 2026 (La Grange Public Library)
-Spring Electronics Recycling: May 9th , 2026 (La Grange Park Public Works)
-Sandal and Shoe Share: May 30, 2026 (La Grange Public Library)
-Annual Going Green Fundraiser: June 20, 2026 (Milk Money Brewing Company)
-Sustainable Summer Expo: August 8, 2026 (Plymouth Place, Dole Hall)
-Native Plant Sale: September (TBD)
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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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