Get ready the 2013 Green Living and Learning Tour

Saturday September 28th!

The upcoming Green Living & Learning Tour, will take place throughout Oak Park and River Forest on Saturday, Sept. 28. The tour is a great opportunity to learn about practical, everyday ways to apply ecological principles, speak with knowledgeable resource persons and homeowners, and meet like-minded neighbors.

Stops on this year's tour include a local fish farm and wine making operation, the Repair Café where you can get repairs done on all kinds of things by neighbors who are willing to share their skills for free, and the opportunity to learn more about the importance of native plants. Tour stops will also highlight solar and geo-thermal installations in neighbors homes, "going green” in a condo, innovative water conservation methods, yard sharing and community gardening sites.

Tour participants are encouraged to walk, bike or carpool to visit as many sites as they wish during the day. The day will end with a closing celebration open to the public. The tour schedule, map, and ticketing information can be found on the GCC website (www.greencommunityconnections.org) starting Sept. 1.

The Green Living & Learning Tour is a great opportunity to:

Listen to the stories of your neighbors as they describe their green initiatives, their implementation experiences, and the results of their work.
Learn about practical, everyday ways to apply ecological principles
Speak with knowledgeable resource persons and homeowners
Meet like-minded neighbors

Green Living & Learning Tour Inspires Action

OPRF residents check out the mini demonstration solar house. The Green Living & Learning Tour offered participants opportunities to see first hand innovative examples of sustainable living focused on renewable & efficient energy, water conservation and management, waste reduction and recycling, and local healthy food.

At the 2012 Green Living & Learning Tour, 280 people participated in the 27 tours, demos and “how to” workshops that demonstrated innovative examples of sustainable living in Oak Park & River Forest. Plus, an estimated 125 people stopped by the ISEA Miniature Solar House to learn about Solar Power.

A number of participants indicated that they were planning to take some kind of action inspired by their experience on the tour. Specific plans shared included getting an energy assessment, beginning to do canning, keeping bees, getting an estimate on geo-thermal or solar power, planting more native plants in the yard and starting to do worm composting.

The Green Living & Learning Tour was organized by a great team of Green Community Connections' talented, passionate volunteers, and made possible through the generosity of the site hosts and workshop leaders who shared their homes and their experience with their neighbors.

Special thanks goes to the tour sponsors, PlanItGreen/ SGA, the Village of Oak Park, the Village of River Forest, the River Forest Park District, Green Home Experts, Whole Foods and Keep Oak Park Beautiful. GCC is also grateful for the support and collaboration of the Sugar Beet Co-op, Greenline Wheels, the Interfaith Green Network, Active Transportation Alliance and the IL Solar Energy Association.

For more info on the tour or specific projects, please email sally@greencommunityconnections.org.