We are thrilled to announce that One Earth Collective and Laurie Casey of COOP are both recipients of the Village of Oak Park’s 2023 Green Awards, recognizing outstanding efforts in sustainability and environmental stewardship in the community.

Through her work with "Hollywood's Climate Advisors," Aishah-Nyeta champions the integration of accurate climate change portrayals in cinema, leveraging her multifaceted talents in music, performing arts, and fine arts to drive innovation in climate communication.

In Chicago, it’s possible to buy an old, deteriorating building for one dollar, provided you promise to save it from the wrecking ball and spend your money renovating it. Not only do you avoid the wasted energy and resources associated with demolition and starting from scratch, but you can also make the building more sustainable in the process.

Chicago’s West Side has a new Queen of Mac. Shawnie Jones, chef and owner of a catering business, created the delectable recipe, “Mac’Alicious Macaroni” – which utilized Gouda cheese, sour cream and a premium grade butter to make it stand out – to win the Best of the West Mac & Cheese Cookoff. 

Sunday October 22, a sunny, mild day with fall leaf color in full splendor. About 62 people—mostly from Oak Park, but a few from Chicago neighborhoods Austin and Pullman—came to central Oak Park for the Fall Tree Stroll. We soaked up the glorious fall color, got to know our giant, gracious green neighbors a little better.

In this time of global warming, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, these lands do more than provide scenery as we drive by. They help clean our air, filter our water, prevent flooding, shelter hundreds of species of wild animals and plants (including over 100 that are threatened or endangered) and, all the while, entice us out to enjoy nature, with its known health benefits, any day we choose—no admission charged!