Sponsored by the Evanston Environmental Association and the City of Evanston, the inaugural Evanston Green Ball was held on Friday, May 18 at the Levy Center and raised funds to support the Evanston Ecology Center through increased awareness of sustainability issues.

Thanks to the generous donation of trees and flowering shrubs by Nature's Perspective Landscaping, the large community room of the Levy Center was transformed into a lush indoor garden and enchanted forest. With a sold out crowd, 350 supporters of the Ecology Center enjoyed delicious food and beverages from different local restaurants and food vendors around Evanston and enjoyed music by South Boulevard Band and the Handsome Salamander. The final total for proceeds from the event has yet to be announced, but with event sponsors, straight donations, raffle tickets, live auction, photo booth, rain barrel sales, and herb garden sales the event is sure to bring in significant green for the Ecology Center.

There is still time to support the Ecology Center and all of their great work. You can help by purchasing bird seed, rain barrels, or making a donation through the Evanston Environmental Association.

The City of Evanston will be hosting a Recycling Fair and Public Works Equipment Expo on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Evanston Township High School parking lot. The event will include electronics recycling, paper shredding, educational information and public works equipment demonstrations. Residents can also sign-up to receive a free compost bin as part of Evanston’s Backyard Composting Program. New this year will be collection of plastic bottle caps (laundry detergent, peanut, mayonnaise, drink and milk) that will be used by artists to create pieces for the Green Arts Show and collection of plastic bags by volunteers from the Evanston Presbyterian Home who turn plastic bags into mats for the homeless. Read more >>> 

Volunteers Needed – Over 20 volunteers are needed for the event so check out the listing on Volunteer Evanston and volunteer today.

On April 30, 2012, the Evanston City Council voted unanimously to purchase electricity from Constellation Energy, an Alternate Retail Electricity Supplier (ARES), for the city’s Electricity Aggregation Program. Under the agreement with Constellation Energy, Evanston residents and small businesses that participate in the program will receive a 100% renewable energy mix for a term of 12 months at a rate of $0.04797 per kilowatt hour. This rate is 32% lower when compared to Commonwealth Edison Company's current price. All eligible customers have the right to opt-out of the program and continue to have ComEd purchase their electricity supply. Opt-out notices have been mailed out by Constellation Energy to eligible customers and will arrive in mail boxes in early June. Customers have until June 25th to opt-out of the program using one of the following four methods:

Questions or comments about the Program should be submitted to 3-1-1.

On Saturday, June 9 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., the Highland Garden Club of Evanston will be holding a plant sale at Evanston’s Independence Park on Central Street. This event will provide residents with the opportunity to purchase plants and flowers that have been locally grown from club members’ gardens, as well as access to the club members who can provide advice, tips and answer any questions about plant care. All proceeds from the plant sale will go directly to the club for their garden aesthetics and educational programs throughout Evanston. Read More >>>

Looking for a memorable summer camp experience for your child? The Ecology Center Camps provide an opportunity for children to be active indoors and out and gain a greater appreciation for the environment. City of Evanston staff members with backgrounds in education, natural history and recreation lead all camp programs which are available for seven different age groups. Camps run from June 11 through August 17, 2012. Sign-up today and make a connection between your child and the outdoors that lasts a lifetime. For More Information on camps and registration, visit the Evanston Environmental Association or call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256.

With the summer heat fast approaching, it may seem difficult to conserve energy, save money and stay cool all at the same time. One of the main ways to save energy this summer is by signing up for CUB Energy Saver which provides residents with the opportunity to create a personalized energy saving plan, calculate exactly how much money and energy you can save, and automatically tracks annual energy and money savings. Purchasing a Rain Barrel from the Evanston Ecology Center can help you store water and save money on your energy bill down the line as these rain barrels collect water from your roof and store water that can be later used for your garden, lawn, and many other household needs. Below are some other ways to save energy this summer:

In celebration of National Drinking Water Week May 6-12, the City of Evanston hosted an inaugural Art Contest for 3rd grade artists from Evanston with the theme “Got Water?” to remind us all about the necessity and importance of water. Submissions were received from 35 students across Evanston and on-line voting was conducted to establish the top 10 art projects. On April 23rd the overall winner and the Mayor’s Choice award winner were announced and were each presented with a plaque and a four pack of Evanston Beach Tokens for the 2012 summer. Mary Castellini from King Lab was selected as the overall winner and Chloe Cohn was selected as the Mayor’s Choice Award winner. All art submissions can be viewed on the city's website.