With federal priorities scaling back from climate change mitigation, local climate efforts are taking the lead. LWVE’s Climate Change Local Program Group hosted an event on April 7, 2025 at the Evanston Public Library to connect local climate advocacy organizations with area residents interested in volunteering or making climate-friendly changes in their daily lives. The program began with a panel of representatives from each organization who described their mission, volunteer needs, and educational offerings. Attendees then met at small group stations to discuss further involvement. Here’s a summary of the organizations that participated:
Climate Action Evanston: Executive Director Jack Jordan introduced Climate Action Evanston (CAE), a comprehensive advocacy group and umbrella organization for the Energy Action Team, Natural Habitat Evanston, Beyond Waste, Environmental Justice Evanston, and Edible Evanston. Jack described CAE’s goal to invest in people to strengthen the social infrastructure around place-based environmental work. CAE collaborates with other local organizations such as the school districts, houses of worship, NAACP, LWVE, youth organizations, and municipal resources, as well as individual volunteers, and builds coalitions such as the Environmental Justice Coalition, Healthy Buildings Coalition, Chicago Avenue Coalition, and a Youth Coalition to further amplify their work. CAE can use volunteers in several subsidiary programs (see descriptions of individual programs below). They also need help with public relations, graphic design, organizing, project management, and writing, and volunteers for Edible Evanston’s Food Forest Saturday workdays at Eggleston Park.
• Climate Action Evanston website
• CAE Newsletter sign-up and volunteer interest form
• Volunteer with the Food Forest
Beyond Waste: Kelly Fidei represented Beyond Waste, which has a mission to recapture and recirculate resources for the benefit of our neighbors and the planet. Twice a month, Beyond Waste and the Evanston Library host the Repair Café, where residents can bring electronics, clothing, small appliances, bikes, and other items to work alongside repair experts to repair them and keep them out of the landfill. Beyond Waste created a Circular Evanston Roadmap blueprint for Evanston’s future and provides volunteers for community events to minimize waste going to landfills. Volunteers are needed to organize staffing for community events.
• Beyond Waste website
• Volunteer with Beyond Waste (through the CAE newsletter form)
• You can also volunteer by emailing Tom Mulhern at tom.mulhern@gmail.com
• Repair Café Registration
Evanston Grows: Board President Jean Fies described Evanston Grows, which formed during the pandemic to address food insecurity and workforce development. They operate five urban farms in Evanston, will soon add another with Participatory Budgeting funds, and distribute food surplus from Whole Foods. Last year they donated 20,000 pounds of fresh produce and served as a source of locally grown food with minimal transportation. Volunteers are needed to tend farms and greenhouse, pick up donations from Whole Foods, make and deliver flower bouquets, and assist with fundraising.
• Evanston Grows website
• Volunteer with Evanston Grows
• You can also volunteer by emailing info@evanstongrows.org
Natural Habitat Evanston: Program Lead Leslie Shad described the organization’s goal to change the culture around lawns in favor of native plants and trees that support the food web, especially pollinator-important oak trees. They plant free trees at schools and in the Fifth and Second Wards, host the ““Nurturing Nature” speaker series, and offer guidance on native plantings. Volunteers are needed to help with tree planting, Fifth Ward outreach, communications, and social media. Natural Habitat Evanston partners with Natural Area Stewards, who also participated on April 7th, to maintain public green spaces.
• Natural Habitat Evanston website
• Volunteer with Natural Habitat Evanston: email NaturalHabitat@ClimateActionEvanston.org
• Volunteer with Natural Area Stewards
Third Act Illinois: Kathy Tate-Bradish represented Third Act, an organization for people 60 and over founded by environmentalist Bill McKibben to “harness generational power to safeguard our climate and democracy”. Third Act Illinois publishes newsletters, canvasses, partners with organizations such as Indivisible and 350 Chicago (most recently to advocate for the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act), and hosts Friday Zoom coffee discussions.
• Third Act Illinois Working Group website
• Join Third Act Illinois
Go Green Skokie: Lauren Grodnicki, a Go Green Skokie leader, described the organization’s goal to educate and advocate for sustainable action in Skokie. They advocate with candidates and Skokie’s Sustainability Advisory Commission, host cleanups and workdays, perform home waste audits, provide native planting advice, host climate cafes for teens, and provide educational materials for residents and block parties on reducing waste. They are looking for a volunteer with video skills to help produce informational videos, and volunteer support with communications. Contact gogreenskokie@gmail.com.
• Go Green Skokie website
• Calendar of Events and Actions
Energy Action Team/Climate Action Coaches: Energy Action Team Leader Joel Freeman described their focus on reducing energy use in buildings, including advocacy for Evanston’s Green Buildings Ordinance, Healthy Buildings Ordinance, and adoption of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code. Their most recent project is Climate Action Coaches, who help homeowners and building owners plan ahead to decarbonize over time. Plans could include energy audits, weatherization, heat pumps, induction stoves, and community or rooftop solar. Coaches can discuss available options, products, planning, and financial incentives. Coaching sessions will be held soon at the Evanston Public Library, as well as tabling at the Evanston Farmers Market. Volunteers are needed to promote coaching, track progress, and tell stories of experiences with energy efficient modifications.
• Volunteer or request coaching from the Energy Action Team (through the CAE newsletter form)
• You can also learn more about their coaching sessions by visiting the group’s table at the Evanston Farmers Market or checking the Evanston Public Library's events page.
Collective Resource Compost Cooperative: Although not on the panel, Collective Resource was on hand to provide information on their services. For a monthly fee, residences, commercial buildings, and neighborhoods can order 5-gallon buckets or 32-gallon totes to collect compostable material. Receptacles are picked up and swapped for clean ones. They can service waste-free one-time events as well.
• Collective Resource Compost Cooperative website
As this event demonstrated, Evanston offers a wealth of opportunities to get involved and make a substantial contribution to reducing climate impact while also building community.