Eco-Extraordinaires March 2020

Check out this month’s local leaders in green.

Do you know a DuPage County organization or person that deserves some green kudos? Email [email protected] to explain who you think should be one of our next Eco-Extraordinaires.

Wiesbrook Green Club Collects 6.5lbs of Bread Tags for Wheelchairs

In just a few months, the Green Club at Wiesbrook Elementary School in Wheaton collected 6.5 pounds of plastic bread tags for SCARCE. That’s over 6,000 bread tags! Wow! Those bread tags will be recycled by SCARCE’s partner, Danielle Cares for Chairs, who will use the profits to fund the purchase of wheelchairs for kids in need. Danielle tells us it takes at least 260,000 bread tags to purchase a simple wheelchair. The small plastic tags are not recyclable in home recycling bins- they are simply too small, so the Wiesbrook Green Club is providing their school community a fantastic opportunity to reduce waste and help those in need. Well done!

Downers Grove South Kicks Off “DGS Thinks Globally & Acts Locally” Campaign

In February, Downers Grove South High School kicked off their annual schoolwide philanthropy project. For the next several months, students and staff will be encouraged to talk about things they do for the environment and learn from one another how to be more socially responsible for our planet. A wide variety of events will also raise awareness as well as funds to support both SCARCE and The Rainforest Trust in our environmental missions. Each week from now through the end of April, there is a Green Social Media Challenge that will focus on a new environmental issue and give a tip to take action. Everyone from Earth Action Club to Umoja and Rock Band as well as many other student organizations are a part of this schoolwide eco-effort. Check out their kick-off video here. Thank you for choosing to support SCARCE and what a wonderful project!

Hinsdale South Students Recognized for Essays on African-American Conservation Leaders

Two students from Hinsdale South High School in Darien were recognized by the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center for their entries to the 2020 African-American Leaders in Conservation Essay contest. HSHS senior Kaitlyn Hurka wrote about Dr. Robert Bullard‘s work to fight environmental injustice. Fellow senior Liam Mitchell’s essay chronicled Tyrone Hayes and his research on the impact of the pesticide atrazine on amphibian populations. Both students are enrolled in AP Environmental Science and, along with their classmates, educated their school community to increase awareness about the work of people of color in the fields of science. Great work and Congratulations!