Go Green LaGrange Monthly Update:

February 2025

"Recycle the present, save the future." ~Anonymous

Tip of the Month:

Just by turning off the tap while you brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime, you can save up to 8 gallons of water!

That adds up to more than 200 gallons a month, enough to fill a huge fish tank that holds 6 small sharks!

President's Note:

We are excited to spend this month celebrating our volunteers and their continued stewardship of our communities' environment. Without their hard work and dedication none of our work here would be possible. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering please reach out to us directly at GoGreenLaGrange1@gmail.com and we will add your name to our volunteer list.

I would also like to highlight we are now accepting applications for our 2025 Summer Internship Program, applications are due by April 30th. This program looks to work with rising seniors of Lyons Township High School who are interested in pursing a major or career in environmental studies. Our interns have the opportunity to directly engage with their community through hands on program development. They are also given the opportunity to grow their network through participating in collaborative leader meetings with our community and municipal partners. If you have a student in mind who you feel may be interested in this program please have them email us at GoGreenLaGrange1@gmail.com and we will forward the application packet.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warmest Regards,

Alexandria Zuck

Board President

Go Green LaGrange

Environmental Volunteering and Health Outcomes over a 20-Year Period

This study examines how environmental volunteering in midlife impacts physical activity, self-reported health, and depression over 20 years, using data from the Alameda County Study. Results suggest that midlife environmental volunteering significantly improves physical and mental health outcomes.

The study shows that environmental volunteering increases physical activity levels by approximately 20% and reduces the risk of depression by up to 30%. Participants also reported improved self-rated health over time. These statistics demonstrate the long-term health benefits of civic engagement, particularly through environmental activities. You can find more details in the full article here.

Community Spotlight Series:

Lucca's Pizzeria & Ristorante in La Grange has been a wonderful partner, saving wine corks for GGLG to collect and take to Corkology each month to be recycled into coasters, bulletin boards and furniture. A careful study of the hundreds of wine corks Lucca saves each month reveals that the most popular wine to accompany pizza and pasta is, not surprisingly, a good chianti...cabernet sauvignon running a close second.

Pictured here is Brian Prime who manages the bar at Lucca's.

Please feel free to email directly at gogreenlagrange1@gmail.com if you have any additional questions.

2025 Upcoming Meeting Dates:

-Board Meeting: Thursday July 17th, 2025 7:00PM (La Grange Public Library)

-Board Meeting: Thursday October 16th, 2025 7:00PM (La Grange Park Public Library)

2025 Collection and Program Dates:

-Spring Clothing and Textile Take-Back: March 16th, 2025 (St. Michael's Lutheran Church)

-3rd Annual Seed Exchange: April 12th, 2025 (La Grange Public Library)

-Electronic Recycling Drive: May 10th, 2025 (La Grange Park Public Works)

-Sandal and Shoe Share: May 24th, 2025 (La Grange Public Library)

-2nd Annual Sustainable Summer Expo: August 2nd, 2025 (Plymouth Place Senior Living)

-Annual Fundraiser: (TBD)

-Fall Native Plant Sale: (September)

-Fall Clothing and Textile Take-Back: (October)

-Boot and Shoe Share: (November)

Click here if you are interested in volunteering at this

Spring's Clothing and Textile Take-Back!

Crafters for Climate:

Let's "make-it" happen!

Join us during our Spring Clothing and Textile collection for this hands on workshop:

-Rag Rug Making: 11:00-2:00 (St. Michaels Lutheran)

*No materials necessary.*

Click here to volunteer for this year's Earth Day Seed Exchange!

Click here to volunteer for your Neighborhood Electronic Recycling Drive

Click here to volunteer for this year's Community Sandal and Shoe Share

Click here to volunteer at our 2nd Annual Sustainable Summer Expo!

Are you interested in learning more?

Know your impact:

Use this interactive calculator to

learn your carbon footprint and actions you can take to reduce it.

Click Here to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint Now

Click here to see if your community is one of the 161 to have already made the commitment to a greener Chicagoland!

Sign up for Overflow Action Alert text messages:

Did you know that snow and ice can cause too much water entering the sewer system? Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alert text messages year round at this link. When we announce an Overflow Action Alert, you will be reminded to reduce your use of water before, during and after a storm to help prevent excess water from entering local sewers. Learn more at https://mwrd.org/overflow-prevention

Click here to learn about how you can help to conserve water and prevent flooding.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act Democrats in Congress passed last year, there are new energy cost-saving benefits available right now, including:

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.
Up to $1,200 to add insulation, install new exterior windows and doors, or other improvements that increase the energy efficiency of your home.
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.
30% off the cost of installing a new electric vehicle charger if you live in a rural or underserved community.

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!

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!

Click Here for Dark Skies Presentation Recording

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!

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!

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!

Want to learn more about Carbon Capture the Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

Thank you to the League of Women Voters of La Grange Area for hosting this informative presentation. Don't worry. if you missed the presentation, click here to view the recording.

Click here to watch an introductory video from the Science & Environmental Health Network.

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.

Donate Now

How to Donate

Donate cash or checks at our in-person events.
Mail checks to:

Go Green LaGrange,

PO Box 11

La Grange, IL 60525

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