Green Corps to Make 49th Ward Greener This Weekend
Dear Neighbor,
The 49th Ward Green Corps Action Team is in high gear this weekend. As you may recall, I established the Action Team last year to help achieve my goal of making the 49th Ward the Greenest and most environmentally sustainable community in Chicago.
Modeled after the Chicago Conservation Corps project, the 49th Ward Green Corps Action Team are neighborhood volunteers who work to improve the quality of life in the 49th Ward through environmental service projects that protect our water, clean our air, restore our land and save energy.
Green Corps volunteer, Susan Fox, her husband and other volunteers will be distributing reusable shopping bags at the Morse Fruit and Meat Market, 1430 W. Morse, and the Rogers Park Fruit Market, 7401 N. Rogers, this Saturday morning, June 28th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. She will give free bags to the first 100 customers she greets at each location, along with information on the importance of eliminating plastic bags from our stores. I want to thank our two neighborhood markets for their cooperation in this important project. I look forward to the day when all of our local shops are plastic bag free.
For facts on the harm plastic shopping bags cause our environment, visit these two web sites:
http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1499
If you wish to recycle your plastic bags, drop them off in the recycled bag dispenser at Dominick's in the Gateway Centre Plaza at Howard and Clark Streets.
Rogers Park resident, Kirk Markus, is spending his weekend installing a rain garden on the 1100 block of W. Lunt. Kirk and his neighbors worked with Bill Eyring, Senior Engineer at the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), to select plants and plan their rain garden. CNT installed a bioswale at St. Margaret Mary's School, 2324 W. Chase, last year, and as part of that program they are encouraging the installation of additional bioswales and rain gardens throughout our community. There are several more planned for the 49th Ward, including gardens at Loyola Park.
My hope is that these demonstration projects will educate and inspire more 49th Ward residents and organizations to consider native species rain gardens on their properties. Congratulations, Kirk!
For a copy of a CNT publication on bioswales and rain gardens, visit:
http://cnt.org/repository/Water_booklet_final.pdf
The balance of the 49th Ward Green Corps will be meeting this Saturday, 8:30 a.m., at my 49th Ward Service Office, 7356 N. Greenview. The guest speaker this Saturday is Jen Walling, Chief of Staff to State Senator Heather Steans. Jen recently served at the Environmental Law and Policy Center as a Policy Advocate, focusing on encouraging municipal electric utilities to purchase clean renewable energy and invest in energy efficiency, and discouraging investments in new conventional technology coal plants.
Jen grew up in Naperville, Illinois and obtained her law degree from the University of Illinois Law School, after gaining her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois, as well. While in law school, Jen led the charge for the U of I to significantly increase its purchase and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Jen worked as a law student intern on energy issues for Lt. Governor Pat Quinn.
I invite you to join me this Saturday at my Ward Service Office to share in what promises to be an informative meeting on legislative efforts on behalf of the environment.
And finally, don't forget to attend this Monday's workshop on Green Roofs, moderated by 49th Ward Green Corp volunteer, Leo Harduvel. I'm co-sponsoring this very exciting and informative session on green roofs that will include an impressive panel of experts on the trends in the green roof movement and ways to finance the construction of green roofs.
The Green Roof Workshop will take place Monday, June 30th, 6:30 p.m. at the Loyola Park Fieldhouse, 1230 W. Greenleaf (at the Lake), 2nd Floor.
I look forward to seeing you at one of these green events!
Sincerely,
Joe Moore
