Eco-Updates and Action

Eco Events:

January 26 (Glen Ellyn) - John Huston, a native of Glen Ellyn, will speak on his expeditions in the arctic regions, Glen Ellyn Library.  Introduction by Glen Ellyn Sustainability Group.

January 30 (Glen Ellyn) - Churchill Woods workday (buckthorn removal), Churchill Woods Protectors

January 31 (Naperville) - Seed swap and potluck luncheon, The Resiliency Institute

February 3 (Lombard) - Starting Seeds for Your Vegetable Garden, GardenWorks Project

February 5 (Lombard) - Film showing at Helen Plum Library, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, Prairie Food Co-op

February 17 (Naperville) - Douglas Sisterson will speak on Climate Disruption: Science Based Evidence of What You Should Know, League of Women Voters of Naperville

February 20 (Glen Ellyn) - Restoration workday at Churchill Park, Glen Ellyn Park District

March 4-6 (Oak Park, Chicago, and Elmhurst) - One Earth Film Fest

March 5 - Square Foot Gardening program, Sweet Home Organics

March 19 (Batavia) - Earth Hour observance and activities, Batavia Park District 

April 22 (Glen Ellyn) - Earth Day celebration, Glen Ellyn Park District

May 21 (various rivers) - DuPage River Sweep, The Conservation Foundation


Eco-Action:

• Be engaged with elected officials, and look for opportunities to promote sustainability at the office, place of worship, and at home.
• Web page spotlight:  http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/
• Illinois Clean Jobs Bill  The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is made up of over 300 Illinois businesses and organizations representing the state's environmental, business and faith communities. The coalition supports raising energy efficiency standards to 20% by 2025, and renewable energy standards to 35% by 2030.  All Illinois Businesses are invited to be part of the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill Business Coalition. If you want a clean energy future for Illinois you can add your good energy to this important effort. You do not have to be a solar business to join this group for free! Businesses can Join the Coalition here.  (from Illinois Solar Energy Association)
• Green Watershed Workshops - various dates, locations TBA, DuPage County

Listings without Web page links have details pending.  Due to the diversity of views within the environmental movement, this calendar does not imply endorsement by the Glen Ellyn Sustainability Group of all events listed or the positions taken by various groups.

October is OAKtober Awareness month!

A message from The Morton Arboretum:

We have received the signed proclamation from Governor Rauner establishing October 2015 as OAKtober- Oak-Awareness Month!!!

Thank you for sending letters of support to accompany our proposed proclamation! The state-wide support for oaks and oak ecosystems led to the official proclamation of October 2015 as OAKtober- Oak-Awareness Month.

This OAKtober, we hope you will share your love and appreciation for oaks by hosting, planning, or participating in an event to commemorate and publicize OAKtober. OAKtober is an opportunity for individuals, organizations and agencies throughout Illinois to recognize and support oaks and oak ecosystems in their own way during the month of October.

The Chicago Region Trees Initiative is registering oak-related events occurring this OAKtober and posting them (http://chicagorti.org/resources/oaktober-oak-awareness-month). Registration with CRTI means that we will promote your event on our website and through Twitter. We are hoping for a strong showing of events from around Illinois. To register you events, contact Melissa at mcustic@mortonarb.org.

I have attached a pdf of the signed proclamation and a press release. We hope you will promote OAKtober in your newsletters and eblasts.

Thank you!!!

Melissa Custic

-- 

Melissa Custic, M.S.  |  Chicago Region Trees Initiative Coordinator
The Morton Arboretum  |  4100 Illinois Route 53  |  Lisle, Illinois 60532
T  630-719-5646 |    mcustic@mortonarb.org  |  mortonarb.org

New website: ChicagoRTI.org

Climate Change in the Arctic - A Polar Explorer’s Perspective

Date:	Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Time:	7:00 PM
Presented by:	River Prairie Group
Leader:	Moira Noll - 630-469-1606 moiradowell@aol.com
Location:	Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn, IL

Be sure to put DECEMBER 2 on your calendar for a special presentation from Glen Ellyn native, John Huston. 

A veteran of the first American expedition to reach the North Pole unsupported, John speaks with a passion challenging and inspiring others to believe in their potential to meet their goals.   John has also completed major expeditions to the South Pole, on Greenland, and on Ellesmere Island.  

This presentation takes you to the frontlines of climate change, the Arctic. John’s stories from the North Pole and the Canadian Arctic demonstrate how climate change is affecting the polar regions. Without a significant reduction in atmospheric carbon levels, there may not be enough ice to ski to the North Pole in the near future. This presentation is about melting ice and the beautiful Arctic, but it is also about working together to make forward-thinking choices.  

Plan to join us for an evening of stunning photographs and motivational stories.  As an added bonus, John’s book will be available as the perfect holiday gift for adventurers in your family.  He has offered to give personalize signatures as well. 

Our meeting will be the Glen Ellyn Civic Center, December 2, 2015 at 7 pm, Sponsored by the River Prairie Group.  (As posted on the RPG's web page)

DuPage County Eco-Events and Actions

Upcoming Events!

October 21 (Glen Ellyn) - Glen Ellyn Sustainability Group's ECO-SOCIAL at Shannon's Irish Pub in downtown Glen Ellyn, 7 p.m.

(October 23 (Lombard) - SCARCE's 25th Anniversary Green Tie Gala, SCARCE

October 24 (Glen Ellyn) - Illinois Prairie Path Cleanup with the Sierra Club (actually a pleasant 2 mile hike), River Prairie Group

October 28 (Champaign) - Illinois Bike Summit, League of Illinois Bicyclists

November 14 (Glen Ellyn) - From 9:00 a.m. - noon, we are trying something new at the scheduled workday. The Glen Ellyn Park District is teaming up with Sustain DuPage to cut young buckthorn that will be used to make a wattle hurdle. A what? A wattle hurdle is a panel of woven fence. You can use it to pen-up your waddling wattled-turkeys, use it as a decorative piece in your yard, or weave a nice holiday gift for someone. We will provide the loppers to cut the buckthorn, but please bring a pair of hand pruners if you have them to help de-branch the saplings. Andrew Van Gorp will be on hand to demonstrate the techniques and possibly wield his trusty hatchet to speed up the de-branching efforts.  Help with ecological restoration and take home a personal creation as a reward.

-Renae Frigo, Park District Naturalist

December 2 (Glen Ellyn) - Sierra Club lecture by John Huston, polar explorer, Sierra Club River Prairie Group

Featured Web site:  Greater DuPage Wild Ones
Eco-Action:

• If you support clean energy in Illinois, now is the time to let your state elected officials know your thoughts, Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, Citizens Climate Lobby
• DuPage County green announcements regarding safe pharmaceutical disposal, and more, DuPage County

Listings without Web page links have details pending.  Due to the diversity of views within the environmental movement, this calendar does not imply endorsement by the Glen Ellyn Sustainability Group of all events listed or the positions taken by various groups.

Energy Efficiency Program

Energy Efficiency Is Interesting When You Can Save $500/year

SCARCE, a local nonprofit, is working with Elevate Energy, a Chicago non-profit that creates and promotes programs that provide smarter energy use.  This educational effort can help you save money and become more comfortable in your home right away by providing options for buying and using electricity and through prioritized home improvements.

Go further by making practical and lasting improvements to your home. Schedule a $99 assessment to learn how to fix your home, or host an energy house party and get your assessment for free. Qualified contractors will find the most cost-effective approaches, identify instant rebates, and SCARCE will ensure the work gets done right. Join the 4000+ homeowners who have made improvements and are reducing their energy bills by 15% or more.

To learn more about this program and other energy-related information, attend SCARCE's Energy Palooza on Friday, July 17.  A variety of organizations have been invited.  See http://www.scarceecoed.org/  Otherwsie, contact SCARCE at 630-545-9710 or info@scarce.org to be connected with your local energy advocate