Paper recycling Award – Enter Today

Enter today – the 2012 American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) Recycling Awards are officially underway! The annual awards recognize outstanding school, business, and community paper recycling efforts. Award winners earn a $2,000 cash prize, original framed ‘paper art’, and local and national recognition. Further, winners and finalists are featured as best practices on the paperrecycles.org website.

Free Weatherization Kits and Workshops

The Chicago Conservation Corps is offering free weatherization kits and workshops.  You must be a resident of Chicago, register and attend a workshop to receive a kit.  Please see the link below for a full calendar of all C3 events, including weatherization workshops.

http://chicagoconservationcorps.org/blog/eventcalendar/

America Recycles Day Celebrated at Thousands of Events

America Recycles Day, November 15, celebrates the successes of recycling while providing an educational platform that helps raise awareness about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling -– every day -– all throughout the year.

Preliminary reports on America Recycles Day 2011 indicate that at least 2,000 events took place throughout the country and more than 6,500 people signed the online pledge to learn more about recycling.

This year’s program provided new opportunities for high-profile events including, for the first time, a partnership with Walmart locations for educational/awareness events at their stores. KAB also joined forces with the College and University Recycling Coalition to produce new resources and guidelines for hosting ARD events at NCAA football games and tailgating events in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Game Day Challenge” initiative.

President Barack Obama signed a Presidential Proclamation for ARD and the Walt Disney Co. carried the ARD message with online and in-store promotion. This year’s program also produced the first-ever ARD video contest – “Recycling is No Joke” — which crowned Ryan Francis as the winner for his recycling rap. Take a look at the videos of the other finalists on America Recycles Day’s YouTube Channel.

Bring the New Green Ribbon Schools Program to Your State

The U.S. Department of Education has launched the new Green Ribbon Schools Award Program for 2011-2012. This new recognition program will mean more schools across the country saving energy, more students learning how to make environmentally responsible choices, and more school leaders providing healthy food and opportunities to be active at school.

In order for schools in your state to be eligible for this award, your state’s department of education must agree to participate in the program by next Tuesday, Nov. 22. Please speak up to ensure that your state is part of this effort to bring green, healthy practices to schools across the country!

Green Ribbon Schools is the first comprehensive green school initiative to come from the U.S. Department of Education. Modeled on the prestigious Blue Ribbon awards, Green Ribbon Schools will encourage schools and communities to promote healthy and sustainable environments and educate students to become environmentally literate citizens.

With your help, Green Ribbon Schools can help bring green, healthy practices to schools across the country.

Go to http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/getinvolved/action/green-ribbon.php to send a letter of support.

Green Energy Challenge

The Green Energy Challenge calls on schools across the nation to improve their energy efficiency through simple changes of behavior. This K-12 sustainability education program empowers children to take small steps that can have a big collective impact on our environment, our economy, and our societies.

By improving the energy efficiency of schools, districts can cut costs without cutting corners. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that schools could save up to 50% of their energy costs by adopting fairly simple energy-saving measures and renovations. Some estimates suggest that a 25% reduction in energy costs would save $1.5 billion! These savings could fund 30,000 new teacher salaries, 40 million textbooks or hundreds of thousands of computers.

Participation is easy!

• Sign-up by registering as a GEF Member. Select Green Energy Challenge in the programs checklist.
• Check out the free start-up kit to identify the initiatives best for you!
• Submit your energy checklist to be entered to win a contest!

Sustainability Education Concepts and Teaching Methods

Sustainability Education Concepts and Teaching Methods

(Pilot Version) There is still time to enroll in Green Education Foundation”s free online course, Sustainability Education Concepts and Teaching Methods! This 15 hour, self-paced course launches on November 1 and participation includes the opportunity to earn PDPs/CEUs and one to two hours of college credit.

 

Register Today!   

 

Green Building Course 

This semester long course is currently being piloted in 11 and 12 grade classrooms across the country. Join the course next semester for a low, introductory rate! It is designed for classes interested in getting a hands-on, in-depth introduction to green building principles, strategies, and audits.

 

Learn more or join the January pilot!

Outdoor Uptown Farmers Market at Weiss Hospital Starts Tomorrow!

The Uptown Farmers Market at Weiss Memorial Hospital (4646 N. Marine Drive) is starting up outside again on Thursday, June 23 at 8am to 1pm.Enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables, jams, and more now through October 2011. The market features locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, as well as organic and healthy breads, jams, honey and teas.

Also, visitors can find information on living a healthy life through exercise and eating, and participate in a variety of medical screenings.

Transition Chicago Meet & Greet this Friday!

You’re Invited….

Transition Chicago and Midwest Permaculture trainers, Becky and Bill Wilson, are hosting an Uptown Meet & Greet this Friday night to invite local residents and organizations a chance to network and learn about new, up and coming community sustainability initiatives. Please join us!

Friday, June 24, 2011

Transition Chicago Meet & Greet

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Location: ICA-USA, 4750 N. Sheridan Chicago, IL 60640

1^st Floor Green Lumumba Room

v  5:30-6:15 pm: Refreshments & networking with Uptown community residents and organizations

v  6:15-6:40 pm: Introduction to Transition Initiatives

v  6:40-7:00 pm – Rob Hopkins Short Film (20 min):

Transitioning to a World without Oil

v  7-7:30 pm: Q & A and post-movie dialogue

RSVP to Nina Winn, nwinn@ica-usa.org 773-769-6363 x301

E-waste Collection Events this Summer

Check out the different opportunities this summer to recycle your old electronics!  No need to store electronics, like your old mobile phones, computers, fax machines, keyboards, or VHS players in the back of your storage.  Click on the picture below to find a drop-off event near you, and to see what types of electronics are accepted:

 

Transition Chicago Webinar – Thursday, June 9

Transition Chicago invites you to join us for one of our free Transition Towns webinars.  Transition Chicago is a community led initiative assisting Chicago neighborhoods and the greater Chicagoland area in designing and implementing a vibrant low energy future in their locality. Currently there are 350+ Transition Initiatives in more than 35 countries and growing. Check out this Free 1-hour Webinar to learn more!

You’re Invited!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

FREE WEBINAR: “What’s a Transition Initiative?”

Presented by Bill & Becky Wilson from Midwest Permaculture

7:00 – 8:00 pm

The webinar will discuss:

v  What is a Transition Initiative?

v  What is it a response to?

v  What’s the Transition approach?

v  How does Transition work?

v  What would such a model do for my neighborhood?

v  How may one get involved?

To join the June 9th Webinar: email transition@midwestpermaculture.com and you will receive an automated email message with call in details.

 

___________________________________________________________

Check out a few of our favorite Transition Initiative videos:

Rob Hopkins TED Talk,

http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_hopkins_transition_to_a_world_without_oil.html

Rob Hopkins on the Transition Movement,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kKJdxvd714

 

Check out Transition Chicago on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Transition-Chicago/50941599213

 

For more information:

https://ica.site-ym.com/?resilientcommunities

 

–Transition Chicago Team–