Local organizers plant the seeds for safe, creative Earth Day celebrations

With Earth Day right around the corner, April 22, residents will have several chances to demonstrate their support for environmental protection at upcoming events around New Trier Township.

The Record compiled a brief roundup of local events recognizing the globally celebrated day.

Wilmette

To mark Earth Day, Go Green Wilmette will hold Going Green 2021,  a live virtual event at 2 p.m. April 21. 

Sponsored by Make It Better Media Group, the event — dubbed “Building Resilience by Living Sustainably” — will welcome panelists Nathan Kipnis, founder and principal architect for Kipnis Architecture and Planning; Patrick Costello, founder, president and CEO for Green River Financial Services; and Andrea Densham, senior director of conservation policy at Shedd Aquarium. 

Free registration is open now HERE.

Go Green Wilmette is also continuing its spring webinar series that is replacing its popular Going Green Matters fair with two virtual discussions before Earth Day.

From noon-1:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, Go Green Wilmette will host Lydia Scott, director of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, for a talk called “Protecting Our Suburban Tree Canopy.”

Scott will talk about “how thinking of trees as infrastructure can help communities to protect and provide for trees in their planning, which helps trees provide the most value,” according to the event listing.

Then, from noon-1 p.m. on April 20, representatives from Go Green Wilmette, The Wilmette Theatre and Trajectory Energy Partners will discuss community solar and the trio’s partnership, according to Go Green Wilmette.

For more information, reach out to Hal Sprague at (847) 204-4170 or hal@trajectoryenergy.com.

Winnetka

In Winnetka, local group Go Green Winnetka is organizing a two-week friendly competition called the Winnetka Earth Day Challenge. 

The challenge “is a communitywide competition for people of all ages who live, work, worship, or attend school in Winnetka, and their friends,” according to information from the village. 

Throughout the challenge, participants should seek to try environmentally friendly behaviors. Organizers are then asking participants to report their progress daily to earn points. 

Locals will have the chance to win cash for a nonprofit organization of their choice, and learn about ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint. 

You can learn more about the Winnetka Earth Day Challenge on its web page.

Glencoe

Glencoe’s Sustainability Task Force and the Glencoe Park District are inviting residents to clean up Glencoe parks and the lakefront on Saturday, April 24, in celebration of Earth Day. 

The event at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 299 Park Ave., runs from 9-11 a.m. 

Event participants will be asked to clean specific areas of the park. Organizers are asking residents to bring reusable bags and gloves, which will not be provided. 

There is no charge for the event, but all should register through the park district’s website. All who attend must sign a volunteer waiver. 

If you can’t make it, the Sustainability Task Force is encouraging residents to organize a neighborhood clean up on their block during the month of April. Officials say those who take part can share their efforts on social media with the hashtag  #GlencoeSustainabilityStar

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