Happy 1st BD Go Green GE!
Happy Birthday to us! We launched this group a year ago with a mission to make it easier for Glen Ellyn residents and businesses to be greener.
We aimed to do this by serving as a hub of information for local environmental resources as well as a catalyst for community activation and volunteerism.
We wanted to make being green easy, inviting, and accessible for everyone.
And we wanted to accomplish this through a “learn, do, and participate” model, as we believe awareness is the first step towards eventual action.
Our 2022 priorities included:
Nurturing and creating usable green space, at home and in our community and
Sustainable use of resources at home and business.
Here’s a look at our first year…
Learn - Educational outreach via our newsletter and social media
We sent 60 newsletters sharing information on how to learn, do, and participate in ways to make Glen Ellyn a greener, healthier place.
During that time, our mailing list has grown from the 2 of us (and people like our husbands, parents, and BFFs) to over 200 residents in Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Lombard, Carol Stream, Wilmette, Winnetka, Florida, Maryland and more. Our newsletter has an average open rate of over 60%. It's one of the things we hear people love the most! So, we will keep sending them!
We’ve gained a bit of a following. We built pages on Instagram and Facebook and gained 585 total followers. Through shares and other engagement of our content, our overall social media reach hit over 20,000 views this year! Thank you for sharing!
Do - Community building through education and volunteerism at local events
One of our main goals in establishing Go Green Glen Ellyn was to actually be out and about in our community. This group is not about us or a specific agenda - it’s about listening to resident questions and needs when it comes to the environment, doing our best to share information - and have some fun along the way!
We hosted 15 different events, encompassing 800 attendees, with something for everyone:
Our trash pick-up and educational hike along Glacial Ridge Park on Nov 6, 2021, led by Bruce Blake
The ABCs of EVs educational webinar with Go Green Wilmette and Go Green Highland Park on December 6, 2021
A winter solstice walk around Lake Ellyn on December 21, 2021
Solar for Homeowners educational webinar with Go Green Wilmette, Go Green Highland Park and Go Green Northbrook on February 23
An Introduction to Go Green Glen Ellyn as part of the Park District’s winter eco lecture series on February 24
Community meet ups on March 10, June 11 and July 20th for casual conversation and updates on community environmental initiatives
Wines & Vines with Homegrown Gardens on May 25 and August 26 to learn organic gardening tips
Sport Swap with the Glen Ellyn Park District on April 16 and July 23, which kept over 200 balls, 40 bats, 90 pairs of cleats, 40 lbs of clothing and 250 other sports items out of the landfill. They were either recirculated in the community or donated to local organizations like the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center
A free and educational Illinois Solar Tour on September 24, the largest solar tour in the western suburbs, in cooperation with the Illinois Solar Education Association
A nature themed story time with the Glen Ellyn Public LIbrary as part of their Storytime in the Parks: Friends Edition on October 6 for almost 50 participants
OAKTOBERFEST on October 8 with the Glen Ellyn Park District, which gathered 12 different community organizations and nearly 300 residents to celebrate fall and learn something new
Participate - Team up with other area organizations, schools and non-profits to amplify the good work being done in our community
We also love to give back to the community and promote other awesome organizations in the area! So in the last year, we…
Participated in several events with the Glen Ellyn Chamber of commerce, including Scarecrow Rows (where we won an honorable mention for “Oscar the Reformed Recycler!”), the “Trees of Glen Ellyn Photo Contest” which highlighted beautiful trees in the area and awarded a youth and adult winner, and the “Trees of Glen Ellyn” downtown flower pots project, which showcased creativity of different local organizations and educated the community about the value of trees
Presented at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School’s High Interest day to 80 enthusiastic 2nd graders
Volunteered at events such as the Village of Glen Ellyn recycling extravaganza and Glen Ellyn Park District’s native tree and shrub sale
Collaborated with a number of local organizations and small businesses including: the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters, D41 Kids Foundation, the Glen Ellyn Park District, the Village of Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission, Prairie Food Co-op, Glen Ellyn Public Library, Friends of the East DuPage River Bike Trail, the Glenbard West Eco Club, SCARCE, the DuPage County Forest Preserve, The Conservation Foundation, the International Dark Sky Association, Two Hound Red, a la main, Homegrown Gardens and other Go Green groups in Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, Vernon Hills and more
Donated over $1,700 to the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Park District Scholarship Fund through our own donations as well as funds raised during the SportSwap
Finally, we researched, shared information, and generated community support for two local environmental initiatives: the Glen Ellyn Park District referendum and the opportunity to invest in a downtown greenspace at the former US Bank site. Both of these initiatives were directly aligned with our priority for nurturing and creating usable greenspace at home and in our community, and we are thrilled they both passed!
What’s next for Go Green Glen Ellyn?
We are in the process of officially incorporating as a 501c3. One goal with our official non profit status is we will eventually be able to give micro-grants to schools, other nonprofits, community groups and even sustainable small businesses.
As a 501c3, we are forming a board. We are incredibly excited to have Renae Frigo and Dave Meehan join as members of our board. Renae is well known for her tremendous work with the Glen Ellyn Park District prior to her current role with the Conservation Foundation. Dave is the former chair of the Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission. With their leadership, we will jointly determine our community focus areas for 2023.
We are continuing to look for ways to share things we can learn and do to make Glen Ellyn a greener place. We have some exciting partnerships and events coming up with Glen Ellyn Moms Village, the Glen Ellyn Park District, the Glen Ellyn Public Library, the Environmental Commission, and more.
We are working with Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin Elementary School as part of the state-wide Illinois Green Schools Project for 2022-2023 and will serve as a project coordinator.
And whatever ideas you’d like to share with us!
We are so thankful of the professional mentorship we’ve received from other Go Green Illinois groups and environmental leaders in the Glen Ellyn community, as well as the support we’ve received from all of our members. We are incredibly proud of all we have accomplished and look forward to a new year of making Glen Ellyn a more healthy, more beautiful, and more environmentally friendly place for all.
Jac Casazza & Karin Daly
Co-founders, Go Green Glen Ellyn
