From "Buy Nothing Groups" to "Tool Lending Libraries" to "Repair Cafes" and "Waste Wednesday" many Evanstonians have already begun to lead the everyday, community-driven changes that will lead to larger cultural change in how we think about "waste."
Below, we present existing neighbor-driven initiatives, as well as a few that we have imagined, but do not yet have a leader. If you want to lead (or support) one of these initiatives, please contact us and we'll put you in touch with the right people and information.
And there are many other simple things anyone can do, for instance...
• Reduce the number of catalogs that get sent to your house. Go to Catalog Choice to reduce your snail mail.
• Ask restaurants not to include unneeded condiments and utensils.
Seeking people to lead an initiative that will help Evanston's Plastic Bag Ordinance succeed! Could it be you? Read more below and contact us if you have time and energy to lead this.
This is a great interview regarding the connection between increased "circularity" and reducing greenhouse gases.
Seeking people to collect and distribute reusable bags at Evanston's Farmer's Markets! Could it be you? This is a program Wilmette has already implemented. We could too. Read more below and contact us if you have time and energy to lead this.
Repair Cafés are a free meeting space where people fix things together. Come to save money, keep stuff out of the landfill, collaborate, build skills and foster community. These are for both people who know how to fix and people who want to learn.
The West End Tool Library provides neighbors with free access to commonly used home-repair and gardening tools.
22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes each year, and just over half of that ends up in Lake Michigan. Help end that by supporting a bill in the Illinois Legislature to ban styrofoam foodware.
Many local organizations and programs that reduce waste welcome volunteers, including Evanston Repair Café, The Rebuilding Exchange, Evanston School Children's Clothing Association, The WasteShed, and The Recyclery.
Although Climate Action Evanston is a volunteer organization, we have expenses. Increasing our revenues allows us to budget to do more. If you wish you can target donations to a specific program or programs.
We are looking for people to lead an initiative to bring (and return) reusable bags at Farmer's Markets in Evanston this season. Volunteer to staff a table and drum up support, so we can reduce plastic waste and encourage.
