Earth Month Resources Recap

Missed our Earth Month 2020 on Twitter? We have compiled all of those resources here, in one convenient location.

For our Earth Month, DES focused on providing resources and actions that assisted in reducing emissions from waste, energy, and transportation that could be done from home.

Make an Impact from Home:

Resources from Make an Impact From Home:

Meals without Meat:

• Report from Natural Resources Defense Council highlighting the carbon costs of beef
• Article from Huffington Post: “Is The Movement To Eat Less Meat Actually Making A Difference?”
• Meatless recipes to reduce diet-based emissions
• Virtual farmers markets to support local farmers while maintaining social distancing policies

Water Saving Resources:

• Steps on how to test your toilet for leaks
• Calculator for household water usage

Garden Resources:

• Gardening resources from University of Illinois Extension
• Video: Indoor Seed Starting with the Evanston Ecology Center
• Suggestions for planting native plants from Forest Preserves of Cook County
• Article: “COVID-19 Outdoor Activity Of The Day: Plant A Veggie Edition”

Identifying Guides:

• Guide: “Beginner’s Field Guide-Spring in Chicagoland”
• Guide: “Chicago Region Trees in Winter”

Batteries:

• Tips for safe charging and storing of rechargeable batteries

Reuse:

• Ideas on how to recreate your clothes

Curb Waste at Home:

Resources from Curb Waste at Home:

Food Waste Resources:

• Blog: “Eight Ways to Stretch Your Food While Quarantined” by CalRecycle
• Post: “How to Compost in a Chicago Apartment” by Recycle by City
• Guide: “Composting Food Scraps from Home” by Illinois Food Scrap Coalition
• Resources to reduce food waste, like a meal prep tool, storage guide, and recipes using food scraps
• Report on food waste nationwide from Natural Resources Defense Council
• Post: “Trash It or Eat It? The Truth About Expiration Dates”
• Tips on how to reduce packaging in you day-to-day from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Post: “What’s Better for the Environment, Disposable or Reusable?”

Plastic Resources:

• Interactive report from UN Environment about the history of the global plastic problem
• Video: “The Problem with Plastics” from Shedd Aquarium

Reuse Resources:

• Article: “62 Ways to Make Something New Out of Something Old” by Country Living
• Lesson Plan: “30 Earth Day Crafts and Activities Using Recycled Materials”
• Post: “20 Recycled Crafts for Kids”
• Article: “14 Ways to Reuse Paper”

Waste Reduction Resources:

• Graphic: The Life Cycle of Secondhand Clothing
• Article: “9 Simple Ways to Reduce Waste In Your Home”
• Tips on reducing waste at home, school, and work from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Article: “I Didn’t Know That Was Compostable!”

Reduce Energy at Home:

Resources from Reduce Energy at Home:

• Video: “Weatherizing Your Home” from DES
• Blog Post :How to find hidden energy hogs from Natural Resources Defense Council
• Guide : U.S. Department of Energy about LEDs
• Guide: U.S. Department of Energy about thermostats
• Incentive from ComEd for smart thermostats
• Energy Calculator for appliances from U.S. Department of Energy
• Blog: Weatherization tips from DES
• Guide : Lowering temperature of water heaters from U.S. Department of Energy

Transportation:

Resources from Tackle Transportation Emissions from Home:

• Guide for Bike Maintenance from REI
• Post: “Then and Now: A Brief History of the Chicago ‘L’”
• Digitized work: “Horse to horsepower: a pictorial review of local transportation in Chicago since 1859”
• Guide: “Everyday Biking: from Active Transportation Alliance
• Guide: “Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road”
• Blog: “Electric Vehicles 101” from Natural Resources Defense Council
• Guide: “Green Vehicle Guide” from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Commute Calculator from Pace Suburban Bus
• RoutePlanner from MapQuest