There are so many things we are celebrating this time of year that require us to shop, cook, travel, dress up, etc. This week, take a breath and celebrate the return of light after the longest night of the year -- the winter solstice. It's a great time to take a walk, connect with nature, and let the stress of the holiday season dissipate. We have asked Andrea Laszlo, Forest Bathing Guide and GE resident, to step in this week to teach us a little bit about the winter solstice.

Thank you Boy Scout Troop 45!

It's go time for the holidays! During the Thanksgiving to New Year's season Americans throw away 25% more trash than at any other time period. It's a consumption-focused time of the year for sure! So here's a handy guide for holiday recycling as we head toward the New Year!

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and... shopping!  We are all for spreading cheer, supporting the local economy AND making green choices, so we've come up with ten ways to make holiday gift-giving more sustainable this year.

There's always a time during any social gathering I attend where my friends gather round, and I share a story about...plastic. (and yet, they keep inviting me back! :) This weekend, I celebrated a "Friendsgiving," and we talked about black plastic in the kitchen. 

It's hard for me to believe that Go Green Glen Ellyn celebrated our 3rd birthday in October!  We've taken some time to reflect and compile all we did as an organization over the last year and are sharing this green goodness in this week's newsletter. 

November arrives today and with it darker evenings (clocks fall back this weekend!), lots of leaves, and a couple of elections!  Go Green has a checklist for you for this first November weekend so you can kickstart your month!

Did you know we have another election on November 2? This one is for the Civic Betterment Committee (CBC) Candidates.  These candidates, if elected, would serve in Village offices beginning in 2025.  As with any election, your vote is your voice!  We encourage you to learn more about this election, the voting process, and of course, the candidates views on being green!  Read on for more info!

Did you catch the comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas this week? It has been visible to the naked eye (more helpful with binoculars!) just above the west/southwestern horizon after sunset. If you missed the comet, you have until the end of the month. Then it won't be back this way for 80,000 years. Thanks to reader Ben H. for this comet capture photo!

We are putting a wrap on our OAKtober events!  On Wednesday night, Go Green Glen Ellyn members gathered with others in the community to attend the "Trees on Tap" event at Two Hound Red, sponsored by the Village Environmental Commission.  A full house of enthusiastic tree lovers engaged with an expert panel to learn about the trees in Glen Ellyn, all the benefits they provide, and how to protect them.  It was a wonderful way to wrap up the last 3 weeks of events!  We hope you were able to attend our signature OAKtoberfest event!

We spotted someone doing something green! First Congregational Church usually lights their beautiful bell tower late into the night. But for the migration season, they are turning off the up-lights at 10pm. It's for the birds!

Pic by Karin

Fall is my absolute favorite season, and I don’t even like pumpkin spice! But I do love the crisp fall air, the leaves changing color, the stars being out earlier AND witnessing the presence of migrating visitors from far off lands (yes, birds!). 

What can be a better than a crisp, sunny, fall day spent with friends and family enjoying Maryknoll Park and celebrating our wonderful OAKS! That's right, OAKtoberfest is back this year with things to do for all ages! Read on to see our schedule of events and see all the great sustainable-minded organizations taking part in OAKtoberfest 2024!

Because most disposable hosting items like plastic plates, silverware, cups, and tablecloths CANNOT be recycled, the waste from these events can pile up quickly.  While we have shared some tips earlier this summer, we wanted to share a local option we have used ourselves to help you host greener!  Read on to learn about SCARCE's Green Your Gig program!

Ahhh-- the fall air is crisp, and October is just around the corner and that means .... OAKtober!  We have been busy working with our community partners to help create a week's plus worth of fun and educational activities for all ages!  We have an OAKtober Storytime for our littlest greenies, a free screening of the classic The Lorax for kids of all ages, and a Trees on Tap discussion with local tree experts at Two Hound Red for the whole family. The Glen Ellyn Park District is hosting tree planting how-to, nature walks and bird watching!  And of course, the signature OAKtober event - OAKtoberfest on Oct 5th! Get out your calendars and make plans to celebrate fall and our magnificent oaks! 

As a 501c3, Go Green Glen Ellyn is a nonpartisan organization and does not support particular candidates or parties. However, as a nonprofit, we are able to support legislation or referendums that are not specific to a particular party.  And one thing we do speak for is the trees!

As our children head back to school (mine just left for her freshman year of college in California!), let's focus on how we can make life better in Glen Ellyn for this generation and the next! Today let's focus on keeping artificial (plastic) turf out of our elementary schools! Learn more about what Go Greeners can do to make positive changes right here in Glen Ellyn!

Around this time of year, many people are buying new shoes for back to school. It can be exciting…a fresh new pair of shoes that feels like you are walking on pillows. However, sometimes we don’t always think of what happens to the old shoes.  In the United States, at least 200 million pairs of shoes end up in landfills each year.  If that shocks your sole (pun intended) then read on.

As our children head back to school, let's focus on how we can make life better in Glen Ellyn for this generation and the next! Today, let’s focus on an environmental issue in GE -- Hen keeping! Let's learn more about what Go Greeners can do to make positive changes right here in Glen Ellyn!