Image courtesy of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council
Beginning January 1, 2026, Illinois law requires battery manufacturers to fund battery collection for recycling, with no cost to the consumer. Batteries can NOT be recycled in your home recycling bin. They may only be recycled through special drop-off collection locations.
Why battery recycling matters
Batteries are made from metals and minerals mined using processes that are often damaging to the environment. When batteries are recycled, these materials can be captured and reused. This reduces the need for newly mined materials. In addition, certain battery chemistries are dangerous in the waste and household recycling streams. Many contain material that is toxic to the environment or may become a fire or explosion hazard in waste collection vehicles or waste processing facilities.
How do I participate?
Visit https://www.call2recycle.org/illinois/ to find a drop-off location near you. Enter your city or postal code and select the type of battery (rechargeable, single-use, medium format, or damaged/defective) you need to recycle to obtain a list of locations accepting those items.
Be aware that some facilities may take your used batteries in bulk and mixed together. These facilities take the responsibility of packaging them safely for shipping to specialized recyclers. However, many facilities require residents to separate alkaline batteries from rechargeable batteries and will require you to properly protect battery terminals to reduce the risk of fire. This is done by covering battery terminals with clear packing tape (ideal), duct tape (acceptable), or electrical tape (acceptable), or by placing a single battery in very small, individual, clear plastic bag.
Image courtesy of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council
To learn more about batteries and their responsible use and disposal, visit the Illinois Product Stewardship Council website at www.illinoispsc.org/batteries.
Each morning, Monday through Friday, this blog provides an update on sustainability research and case studies from around the world, with a brief description and link to the source material. A wide variety of sustainability topics are covered, with an emphasis on areas of expertise and research interests of staff at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.
To clarify, the “Sustainability in the News” blog does not highlight research or projects conducted by ISTC; those types of updates are available via the ISTC Blog, the ISTC Newsletter (subscribe here), and the Technology Acceleration Program (TAP) Newsletter (subscribe here). Instead, the “Sustainability in the News” feed helps you learn about the issues that ISTC itself is monitoring. Consider it your daily dose of sustainability science inspiration!
To subscribe, visit https://blogs.illinois.edu/publicSubscribe?blogId=9341 and enter your email address. A confirmation email will be sent to you (there may be a short delay before you see it in your inbox). Click on the subscription confirmation link in that email, and you’re all set to receive daily email updates!
Questions or suggestions can be directed to Joy Scrogum.
Temperatures are dropping and many of us are once again doing our winter holiday shopping. Some people find generating gift ideas overwhelming in the best of times, and with rising costs, funding and workforce cuts, and other issues, this year may feel even more tumultuous. To help instill a sense of hygge (a Danish and Norwegian word related to comfort, content, and coziness), this post will focus on another northern tradition—the Icelandic Christmas Book Flood, also known as the Yule Book Flood or Jólabókaflóð.
Iceland has a rich literary history, and after World War II, like many other countries, it was rebuilding its economy and restricting imports. Paper was a commodity that remained relatively cheap, and there were fewer restrictions on paper-based products. So, books were more commonly imported items and thus became popular as Christmas gifts. The tradition of books as holiday gifts officially began in 1944 with the first publication of the Journal of Books (Bókatíðindi), an annual catalog of newly published books that is distributed to all Icelandic houses for free at the beginning of the holiday season (today it’s available online as well as being sent by post). The basic tradition includes the presentation of books as gifts on Christmas Eve, followed by settling down to read and enjoy drinks and snacks. According to Erika Ebsworth-Goold, “No matter how the books are doled out, once they’re opened, and favorites are selected, it’s time to settle and snuggle in for a nice, restful read that helps block out winter’s chill. There’s usually hot chocolate, jólabland (a curious Icelandic combination of brown ale and orange soda), other sweet treats, and a calming sense of quiet, reserved togetherness. It’s tough to imagine anything more peaceful or perfect.”
If you’d like to try out this cozy-sounding tradition, the following books related to sustainability issues might be suitable gifts for loved ones or additions to your own wish list. Both non-fiction and fiction titles are included. This list is by no means exhaustive, and additional resources are offered to guide further exploration of sustainability-related titles.
And while we’re on the subject of books, it should be noted that ISTC’s Sustainability Information Curator and librarian extraordinaire, Laura Barnes, is preparing to retire at the end of December 2025 after 34 years of service. If you’ve had the chance to work with Laura, you may want to contact her and wish her well. Cheers, Laura!
As always, links, companies, or products included in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois. Happy holidays!
What if We Get it Right? Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. “Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side…With clear-eyed essays, vibrant interviews, data, poetry, and art, Ayana guides us through solutions and possibilities at the nexus of science, policy, culture, and justice.”
The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late by Judith Enck and Adam Mahoney. “The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts…the book reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, a warming planet, and overwhelming waste, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities who bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution.”
Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond by Michelle Balz explains the science behind compost, provides tips for using compost, and explores techniques including traditional bin composting (with DIY instructions for building your own bin), vermicomposting, using black soldier fly larvae, keyhole gardens, and trench composting.
The Zero-Waste Chef: Plant Forward Recipes and Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen and Planet by Anne-Marie Bonneau. The popular blogger turned author says ‘In my decade of living with as little plastic, food waste, and stuff as possible, I’ve learned that “zero-waste” is above all an intention, not a hard-and-fast rule. Because, while one person eliminating all their waste is great, if thousands of people do 20 percent better it will have a much bigger impact on the planet. The good news is you likely already have all the tools you need to begin to create your own change at home, especially in the kitchen.’
Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth. The author, an Oxford economist, explains a framework for creating a “safe and just space for humanity” between 12 social foundations (based upon the UN Sustainable Development Goals) and nine planetary boundaries which represent ecological limits beyond which the Earth’s environmental system may not be able to self-regulate. Her diagram of this framework resembles a doughnut, with an interior ring where humanity can thrive while maintaining planetary stability.
Fiction
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall. “In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections…they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they’ve saved.” Note that this and the next book listed are examples of “climate fiction,” also known as “cli-fi.”
Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta. “The world is a landscape of drought and risen seas. A military regime controls the remaining freshwater resources with an iron grip. In the far north, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio is the last in the long line of tea masters. She must soon take responsibility for a secret carefully guarded by her predecessors: her family has been caring for a hidden freshwater spring for generations. As the army turns its attention towards the tea master’s house, Noria learns that knowledge and power are irrevocably connected – and that her choices will determine the fate of everyone she loves.”
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. “Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made—and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price.”
Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and Eco-Speculationedited by Phoebe Wagner and Brontë Christopher Wieland is an anthology of short stories, artwork, and poetry from the “solarpunk” genre. According to Wikipedia, the genre “works to address how the future might look if humanity succeeded in solving major contemporary challenges with an emphasis on sustainability, human impact on the environment, and addressing climate change and pollution.” The publisher’s description says the book “focuses on the stories of those inhabiting the crucial moments when great change can be made by people with the right tools; stories of people living during tipping points, and the spaces before and after them; and stories of those who fight to effect change and seek solutions to ecological disruption.”
108: An Eco-Thrillerby Dheepa R. Maturi. “While working the night shift at a San Francisco news agency, Bayla Jeevan has a shocking out-of-body experience. Her consciousness is transported deep into an Indian forest, where she witnesses a noxious liquid spreading through the soil. At the same time, she receives a message from her father, presumed dead for fifteen years, warning her of imminent danger. Coincidence? Unlikely. Halfway around the world, agrochemical corporation ZedChem-led by billionaire Krakun Zed-tests its latest innovation, a product heralded as the solution to topsoil erosion. But the data reveals something else entirely…In this action-packed eco-thriller, the bonds of family-and the power to save Earth-are put to the test.”
Cast Away: Poems for Our Timeby Naomi Shihab Nye. “Acclaimed poet and Young People’s Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye shines a spotlight on the things we cast away, from plastic water bottles to those less fortunate, in this collection of more than eighty original and never-before-published poems…With poems about food wrappers, lost mittens, plastic straws, refugee children, trashy talk, the environment, connection, community, responsibility to the planet, politics, immigration, time, junk mail, trash collectors, garbage trucks, all that we carry and all that we discard, this is a rich, engaging, moving, and sometimes humorous collection for readers ages twelve to adult.”
Additional resources
Environmental Novels. This University of Illinois LibGuide compiled by Laura Barnes, Lauren Bordson Dodge, and Charlotte Roh serves as a guide to juvenile, young adult, and adult novels with environmental themes, generally focused on pollution and climate change. It also highlights environmental book awards to help you keep abreast of new and notable titles.
Dragonfly.eco. Curated by Mary Woodbury, this site ‘explores the wild, crazy, and breathtaking literary trail of eco-fiction, with a large book database, spotlights, interviews, and more. Our motto is “blowing your mind with wild words and worlds.”’
These previous ISTC blog posts may provide some inspiration for the non-readers on your list. Please note that due to the age of these posts, some links included in them may no longer be available.
The following tools and resources will help you reduce food waste associated with your holiday celebrations and hopefully help you establish new habits to prevent food waste year-round. As always, please keep in mind that links to specific products or services are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.
Meal planning
The Guest-imator from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Save the Food website is an interactive calculator to help determine the right amount of food to prepare for a party. You can enter the number of guests based on whether they’re light, average, or big eaters, and even factor in how many leftover meals you’d like when the party’s over. That’s great if you’re the type of person who likes to cook extra food for holiday gatherings so you can send home care packages of leftovers with your guests. You can then choose the style of meal (vegetarian, classic dinner party, or a little of everything smorgasbord), input details on the types of entrees, sides, and desserts you want to get measurements such as the number of pounds of meat to prepare, the ounces of veggies to cook for sides, the number of pies to makes, etc. based on the parameters you’ve entered. Note that for whatever reason, clicking on “Finalize the menu” button does nothing (regardless of the browser you’re using); however, once you’re at the point to add or subtract mains, sides, and desserts, the measurements you’ll need will update on the table graphic at the top of the page with each addition or subtraction. Just scroll back up to see the new information.
Utah State University Extension—Meal Planning. This website guides you through the process of assessing what you already have in your pantry, thinking about your meals for the week, and creating a grocery list. It also includes free printable templates for planning nutritious meals and creating relevant shopping lists, and describes free meal planning apps for your phone to make planning simpler.
Proper storage & food safety
Store It. A key strategy for preventing food waste is storing your ingredients and leftovers properly to keep them viable for as long as possible. This section of the NRDC Save the Food website provides information on how to store a wide variety of foods, including when and how to refrigerate, how to freeze, and tips for using up the last bits of a given ingredient.
FoodSafety.gov (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). In particular, check out the Cold Food Storage Chart and the FoodKeeper App to learn about proper storage of different foods and ingredients. The FoodKeeper App is also available for Android and Apple mobile devices. Further, this website provides resources for keeping food safe by event and season. Following these guidelines can help prevent food waste caused by improper preparation or storage practices. Explore the downloadable guides for cooking for groups, guidance for parties and buffets, Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays, and more.
Sometimes the best strategy to prevent food waste is to find inspiration on how to use an ingredient in a new way, use up a surplus of a given item, or repurpose leftovers in a new dish. The following websites and tools will help you create meals based on what you have on hand.
The 5 Ways website suggests using canned beans as a substitute for half of the fats in baked goods like brownies and cookies to use them up and add protein to treats. Photo by Andrei Starostin – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
5 Ways With Commonly Wasted Foods. This section of Canada’s Love Food Hate Waste website allows you explore new options for using various ingredients. Images of items are presented with a list of 5 different uses. Click on any image for details, which include links to specific recipes. You can also explore the “Recipes” section of the website to search for items you have on hand that might not be featured on the “5 Ways” page.
Food Hero. Another excellent resource from Oregon State University Extension, this site provides a database of recipes, resources to help celebrate the food of different cultures, gardening tips, and other guidance to support a healthy lifestyle. You can search their resources by ingredient to find recipes, videos, and other inspiration for items in your pantry or fridge.
Of course, you can always just perform an Internet search for your available ingredients, but you might be overwhelmed by the number of search results. Check out these additional recipe database sites to help you find what you’re looking for more easily. Many of these are also available as apps for your phone.
Supercook. Use the dropdown menus to select multiple ingredients at a time.
MyFridgeFood. If you’re a creative chef, this site not only allows you to search for recipes based on what you have, but also to submit recipe ideas to assist others.
Cookpad. Similarly, you can search and share your own recipes. You can search without creating a free account, but need one to submit recipes.
Cookin’ With Google. This is a Google Customized Search engine that lets you input multiple ingredients and find relevant recipes.
Use Up Leftovers. Enter three ingredients and get results from a database of over a million recipes. Don’t worry about being overwhelmed; the results will consist of the five best matches from the database.
Happy holidays and good luck whittling down your food waste!
Every October, colleges and universities around the world celebrate Campus Sustainability Month. According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the goal of Campus Sustainability Month is “to raise the visibility of campus sustainability and provide campus sustainability advocates with a platform through which to deepen campus engagement around sustainability. It provides an excellent opportunity to recruit new leaders and set goals for the rest of the year. It serves as a complement to Earth Day, which is held each year in April, and is often a time for celebration and recognition of the good work that took place over the course of the academic year.”
The following resources will help members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus community learn more about and contribute to sustainability efforts on campus. This list is extensive but not exhaustive. You’re encouraged to explore websites referenced below for further information or reach out to the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) at sustainability@illinois.edu with questions.
Staff members of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), including the PRI Office of the Executive Director and the five State Scientific Surveys, can join the PRI Sustainability Microsoft Team to share resources, ask questions, and collaborate on solutions. Open the Teams app on your work computer and search for “PRI Sustainability” or contact Joy Scrogum to join. Staff from the Urbana campus Facilities & Services (F&S) unit, including the campus zero waste coordinator, also participate in this group.
Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). This plan, updated every five years, represents the university’s commitment to environmental stewardship and outlines strategies that are being pursued to reach carbon neutrality as soon as possible (no later than 2050). Objectives relate to energy, transportation, land and water, zero waste, education, engagement, resilience, and implementation. The latest edition of the iCAP was published in 2020 (which means a revision is currently underway). Check out the 2020 iCAP athttps://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/5293/iCAP-2020-FINAL-WEB.pdf.
Progress toward iCAP goals involves detailed analysis, research, and formulation of recommendations by topical iCAP teams (previously referred to as Sustainability Working Advisory Teams, or SWATs) comprised of faculty, staff, and student members. Topics covered by these teams roughly correspond to iCAP objectives and include Education, Energy, Transportation, Land & Water, Zero Waste, and Engagement. Interested staff, faculty, and students can reach out to team chairs (listed as “Project Leaders” on the team pages) to express interest in joining topical teams. All recommendations made by iCAP topical teams are available on the iCAP Portal (described below).
Recommendations made by the topical teams are then considered by the iCAP Working Group, a committee of mid-level administrators as well as students, staff, and faculty members, which evaluates and routes them to appropriate campus units or to the Sustainability Council for further evaluation and implementation. The Sustainability Council is chaired by the Chancellor, vice-chaired by the Director of the iSEE, and is composed of campus decision makers at the highest level. The flowchart below illustrates the process of progress toward iCAP objectives.
Illustration of the iCAP recommendation and approval process from the iCAP Portal.
The iCAP Portal: Launched in 2012, this is an online repository of information on various sustainability efforts across campus, including past projects, those currently underway, and those in the planning stages. The iCAP Portal features updates, historical context, metrics, and contact information for all current and past iCAP projects. Project descriptions are organized into10 themes on the portal: Energy, Transportation, Land and Water, Zero Waste, Resilience, Reporting Progress, Engagement, Education, Research Opportunities, and Funding. Aproject’s status may be listed as Proposed (prior to approval), In Progress (projects actively being implemented), Ongoing (for projects running on their own, or for summaries of overarching efforts with multiple subprojects), Completed, or even Cancelled (for efforts that didn’t work out or ceased for some reason). The “Objectives Dashboard” can help portal users find updates and track progress toward the various objectives outlined in the current iCAP.
The iCAP Portal is a massive resource, and it contains a wealth of information about campus sustainability efforts, though many campus community members remain unaware of this repository. Content maintenance and portal design are led by Facilities & Services (F&S), iSEE, and the College of Education’s Office for Math, Science, and Technology Education (MSTE). Other contributors include the iCAP Working Group and topical iCAP teams (and associated student clerk and interns), under iSEE’s direction, as well as the Student Sustainability Committee (described below under “Student Organizations”). As you can imagine, keeping this type of extensive record up to date takes a lot of time and effort. The various projects the portal outlines are contributed to by students, faculty, and staff, which are all populations comprised of busy people with varying degrees of turnover. As a result, you may occasionally find outdated information (e.g., old contact names) or a lack of recent project updates on the portal. So, if you happen to have knowledge of a project and/or are browsing the iCAP Portal and see something that needs to be updated, use the online “Suggestions” form to inform the team working on portal maintenance. That same form can also be used to suggest ideas for new projects (after checking the list of existing projects, categorized by topic).
Green Guide: Published in spring 2025 through a collaboration of F&S, iSEE, and Student Affairs, this document is designed to highlight opportunities for campus sustainability engagement. It overlaps with much of the information provided below, while providing a few specific examples of student organizations, cultural and resource centers, key campus programs, relevant facilities that you can tour, and tips for sustainable behaviors for individuals to pursue.
Student Sustainability Home Page: This section of the Urbana campus Student Affairs website is the gateway to student engagement in campus sustainability efforts. Included are subsections on the following:
Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Illinois Green Fund (IGF). The IGF is North America’s largest university sustainability funding pool, financed by two student-initiated fees, the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee (CETF) and the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee (SCEF). The SSC is a student-led university funding board charged with distributing IGF funds. Working with staff and faculty advisers, the SSC allocates $1.5 million annually toward the development and seed funding of projects that have an environmental impact on the university community.
Student Organizations. There are over 1,000 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) related to sustainability or environmental issues on the Urbana campus. A comprehensive list is available online. A few examples include:
ActGreen, which is focused on sustainable business.
Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC). This group serves as a hub to facilitate collaboration and communication between student groups, administration, and community members; spearhead and assist educational programming; and advocate for students’ campus sustainability concerns.
Sustainability Training Videos: These videos can help individuals understand how they might contribute to the iCAP objectives. Different videos are available for students, faculty and researchers, and for other staff members, administrators, and community members. Links to surveys are available for viewers to provide feedback on what campus is doing right and what needs to be prioritized moving forward.
Greener Campus Certification Programs: Did you know that your office, sorority or fraternity chapter, or your campus event could receive recognition for the implementation of simple, inexpensive sustainable actions? This section of the iSEE website outlines the campus green certification programs and how to participate.
Sustainability research on campus. Each year, iSEE calls for proposals to provide seed money for faculty-led teams to engage with interdisciplinary sustainability issues on campus or in neighboring communities as part of theCampus as a Living Lab research program. The goal is to leverage this seed money to attract external funds for research relevant to achieve the iCAP objectives. Check out the link above to learn about previously funded projects and watch that space for information on calls for proposals.
Sustainability Education Opportunities: Finally, be sure to check out this section of the iSEE website for more information on sustainability education opportunities on the Urbana campus. These web pages offer a wealth of information on sustainability-related fellowships, certificates, and programs (including courses, majors and minors) that students can pursue.
Photo by bernardbodo – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
In her 2018 TED Talk, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe asserted that the most important thing one can do to combat climate change is to talk about it. Citing long-term opinion research conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, she pointed out that although a majority of people (~70%) in the United States agree that climate change is happening, and that it will also harm plants, animals, and future generations of humans (~70% for each type of impact), only about two-thirds of the population believe it will impact them personally. And two-thirds of the population never talk about climate change, even occasionally. If you explore the interactive Yale Climate Opinions Map based on 2024 data, you’ll see that these statistics remain roughly the same today within a few percentage points. So, it seems there is widespread belief that climate change is real and will be impactful, but for many, there’s still a disconnect between that uncomfortable truth and our immediate lives. Dr. Hayhoe posits that as long as we don’t talk about it, we’ll continue to convince ourselves that climate change is a distant problem removed from our experience, and this attitude will delay progress toward solutions.
If the subject of climate change feels taboo, how does one begin climate conversations, especially in a society that seems to be increasingly polarized? In this post, we’ll explore some ideas and resources to help you broach the topic.
Keep an open mind about how open others are
If the above statistics about the belief in the existence and impact of climate change surprised you, you may also be operating under assumptions about how polarized we are in general. It may seem as if you’re surrounded by people with extreme opinions, on the opposite side of the spectrum from you on just about any topic, let alone climate change. This perception might feed into an unwillingness to even try to talk to others about important issues.
But the keyword there is perception. If you assume that you already know what other people think and that they won’t be open to your views, and further allow that assumption to halt conversations before they begin, you’ll never actually find out if your assumption was true. And the more you base your action—or rather inaction—on a potentially false assumption, the more likely you are to reinforce an atmosphere in which individuals fail to connect and simply accept division as insurmountable. While it’s certainly true that people can disagree strongly about specific issues, it’s also true that we’re all human. We all eat, pay bills, love our families, experience loss, etc. By focusing on the differences between us, we make the conscious decision to ignore all that we share.
In the July 2024 Time article “The Growing Evidence That Americans Are Less Divided Than You May Think,” Karl Vick describes research that illustrates the disparity between individuals’ opinions on what is important and what those individuals thought other people would find important, along with psychological principles that tend to skew human perceptions and behaviors to create a sense of isolation. A recent report from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, “Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2025″ reflects a high degree of support for climate change policy and various mitigation strategies among all registered voters (view the Executive Summary for results regardless of political party; details by party are provided within the report). For example, 52% of registered voters think global warming should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress; 71% support tax credits or rebates to encourage people to buy electric appliances, such as heat pumps and induction stoves; and 79% of registered voters support strengthening enforcement of industrial pollution limits in low-income communities and communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by air and water pollution. Writing for the Summer 2025 edition of the Carnegie Reporter magazine, Dame Louise Richardson stated: “Preliminary research and polling that we have supported suggest that the population at large is less polarized than our political leaders and that smaller communities are less polarized than larger ones. Moreover, they demonstrate that there is actually a strong convergence of opinion among Americans on many core issues, but widespread misunderstanding of the views of those on the other side of the political spectrum.” She cites and provides links to the various studies that support her assertions.
In other words, remember that your impressions might not be accurate, and if you’re going to make assumptions, err on the side of assuming that the number of things most people have in common outweigh their differences. This can combat the fear of conflict that might form a barrier to engagement.
Connecting rather than convincing
Dr. Hayhoe suggests the best way to begin climate conversations is not by spouting data or citing research to try to make the other person adopt a particular viewpoint. If people feel overwhelmed by information because of its quantity or complexity, or if they perceive your lecture as a personal attack on their character, they’re likely to stop listening to you. Instead of approaching climate conversations as an opportunity to convince, see them as an opportunity to connect with a fellow human being. Ask the other person questions about themselves (e.g., what are their hobbies, where are they from, what is their family like, what do they enjoy, etc.) and really listen to what they have to say so you can start to understand who they are and what they care about. Then consider if what they’ve said resonates in any way with your values and experiences. Find what you have in common.
Illustrate immediacy through common connections
Once you’ve found what you have in common, you can build a bridge by talking about it. Then you have the opportunity to introduce the idea of climate change as it relates to your common interest or experience. This can help transform the subject from an abstract and removed concept to a tangible and directly relevant issue. If you both like to garden, you might talk about how the USDA plant hardiness zones were updated a few seasons ago; maybe now you can confidently grow plants that were once reserved for warmer areas. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you can start your garden earlier in the year or that you need to water more than you used to. Perhaps you’ve noticed a change in the types or number of insects or birds present while you’re working in your garden. If you’re both parents, you might observe that your kids get time off from school these days due to high heat advisories in the warm months, or windchill factors instead of snowfall in the colder months. If you’ve bonded over needing a cup of coffee to start your morning, you might talk about hearing that climate change might impact coffee yields and where coffee can be grown, among other things.
You don’t have to be prepared with an arsenal of trivia; again, the point is not to present a litany of facts but to connect the impacts of climate change to something you both care about. If you aren’t already aware of a fact related to your shared value or experience, it could be enough to wonder aloud about the potential impact (e.g., “I wonder if climate change will impact coffee production? I don’t think I could cope if there was a coffee shortage!”). You don’t have to be an expert in every possible impact of climate change, just a fellow human being willing to share concerns, questions, and reactions to a changing world.
Respect emotions
Be prepared for the fact that climate change can trigger a wide variety of emotions. If the other person wants to share their experiences, let them, and again, listening mindfully is important. Remember that all feelings are valid. If the other person expresses something that you don’t personally feel, don’t belittle their feelings (e.g., “there’s no reason to be afraid of sea level rise in this area…”), just listen respectfully and respond with empathy. Be willing to share your own emotions authentically, regardless of whether the other person volunteers their feelings. If, for example, the other person tells you what scares them about climate change, share your own related fears. If you don’t have any fears about climate change, share what you do feel (e.g., grief, anger, anxiety, etc.). Again, having the conversation can help normalize the idea that climate change is an emotional reality as well as a physical one, and that we don’t need to bury those emotions.
Be advised that talking to children is very different from talking to adults. Don’t present potentially traumatic information when dealing with very young children, and don’t overwhelm kids with too much information. See the “Resources to explore” section below for links to guidance on talking about climate with young people.
Invite hope to the conversation
The magnitude of climate change issues can evoke a sense of despair or powerlessness. While acknowledging these feelings is important, if your conversation focuses solely on doom and gloom, you’ll end up fostering the idea that climate change isn’t something worth thinking about, talking about, or acting on—in direct opposition to the point of your starting the conversation in the first place. If you’re aware of a case study to mitigate climate change that gives you hope, share that (e.g., “My church recently installed solar panels on the roof,” or “I read there’s been a drop in deforestation in Colombia”). At the very least share one or a few examples of what you are doing, however simple, to fight climate change, and why that relates if the other person doesn’t know (e.g., “I’ve started composting my food scraps,” “I plan my errands to minimize the amount of driving I do,” “I’ve gotten to the point where I almost always wash my clothes in cold water,” etc.). Examples may not only reassure your conversation companion that solutions exist and are being pursued, but also inspire and empower them to take action.
Resources to explore
The following resources can help you prepare for, or conduct, climate conversations with others.
Illinois Extension Climate Stewards:https://extension.illinois.edu/climate/illinois-extension-climate-stewards. This course trains environmental stewards to communicate about climate change and engage in local solutions. Though upcoming dates for the course have not been scheduled, you can contact your local Extension office to express interest. ISTC’s Joy Scrogum completed this course in Fall 2024 and can provide insights on the experience.
Climate Conversations Card Game:https://climateconversationslex.weebly.com/card-game.html. Available to download in English, Spanish, or in K-12 versions for printing or in versions appropriate for remote play. “This game aims to create conversations, having participants work through their own relationships with climate change while envisioning a climate resilient future. Working with a partner, participants pick one card from each of the four conversation levels.” This card game was developed by a network of community members in the Lexington, KY area interested in fostering resilience through climate change conversations.
Talking climate handbook—how to have a climate change conversation:https://climateoutreach.org/reports/how-to-have-a-climate-change-conversation-talking-climate/. Developed by the British organization Climate Outreach, this guide is meant to assist anyone interested in having constructive day-to-day conversations about climate change. Their advice is presented via an acronym representing important steps for good climate conversations (REAL TALK). It includes sections on dealing with specific audiences, such as young people and those strongly opposed to climate action.
Principles for effective communication and public engagement on climate change: A handbook for IPCC Authors: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2017/08/Climate-Outreach-IPCC-communications-handbook.pdf. This brief, evidence-based handbook was commissioned by the Working Group/Technical Support Unit of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and prepared by Climate Outreach.
Talk Climate:https://talkclimate.org/. This Seattle, WA organization offers resources that are “are age-appropriate, emotionally-responsive, and designed to empower people to build emotional and interpersonal capacity for facing the climate era together.”Contributors and collaborators include scientists in various fields, healthcare professionals (including therapists), musicians, and activists. Their website includes sections on talking about climate with birth to kindergarten-aged children, elementary school students, middle to high school-aged students, young adults, and caregivers and adults. They provide resource compilations related to education (K-university), environmental justice, faith and spirituality, healthcare and public health, mental health and wellbeing, and climate science. Site visitors can browse downloadable handouts, music and book suggestions, and more.
The Daily Climate:https://www.dailyclimate.org/. A publication of the nonprofit Environmental Health Sciences, this online newsletter includes sections focused on Solutions and Good News to help you sow the seeds of hope.
Active Hope:https://www.activehope.info/. Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone first published the book, Active Hope, in 2012, and then released a revised 10th anniversary version in 2022. The book focuses on how to face the complex environmental “mess” that we’re in and how to find your role in collective positive change (what the authors call the “Great Turning”). Among other things, the revised edition shifts from seeing the negative impacts that might come about in the future due to various environmental challenges to acknowledging that those negative consequences are underway. This website provides information not only about the book, but related free training and resources.
If you have questions or are interested in exploring ways to have climate conversations within your organization or institution, contact Joy Scrogum.
Photo by wavebreak3– stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Time flies, and August is upon us already, so it will soon be back-to-school time in IL. Whether you’re a parent, student, or educator, if visions of classrooms or campuses are dancing in your head, the following resources will help you prepare for the new school year. As always, please keep in mind that links to specific products or services are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.
Did you know that beginning next fall, IL K-12 public schools are required to provide climate change education? Public Act 103-0837, signed into law by Governor J. B. Pritzker in August 2024, provides that, “Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public school shall provide instruction on climate change, which shall include, but not be limited to, identifying the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities and evaluating solutions for addressing and mitigating the impact of climate change and shall be in alignment with State learning standards, as appropriate. The State Board of Education shall, subject to appropriation, prepare and make available multi-disciplinary instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used to meet the requirements of this subsection.”
An organization called SubjectToClimate is already leading efforts to develop an Illinois Climate Education Hub. The goal of the online hub is to make it easier for Illinois K-12 educators of all grade levels and subjects to teach about climate change by providing access to free, vetted teaching resources, professional development opportunities, lesson plan examples, and more. They’ve previously created similar hubs for New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin, Maine, New York, Connecticut, and Michigan. Check our their “Get Involved” page if you’re interested in being part of the effort, or reach out to Katie Nahrwold, the Illinois State Lead, for more information. While the IL hub has yet to be launched (the tentative launch date is September 10, 2025), teachers may still consider registering for an account on the SubjectToClimate website to browse teaching resources already available. Resources can be searched by grade, subject, resource type, standards, providers, locations, and languages. You can also use online forms to suggest teaching resources or suggest a teacher professional development opportunity.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) defines education for sustainability (EfS) as follows (as relayed on the Getting Started with Sustainability in Schools website): “Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world-views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. It enables individuals and communities to reflect on ways of interpreting and engaging with the world. Sustainability education is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through informed action. Actions that support more sustainable patterns of living require consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence.”
Similarly, UNESCO uses the term “education for sustainable development,” or ESD, stating “Education for Sustainable Development empowers people with the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors to live in a way that is good for the environment, economy, and society. It encourages people to make smart, responsible choices that help create a better future for everyone.” The UNESCO ESD website provides a variety of resources to explore, along with its Education for sustainable development for 2030 toolbox.
The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education provides professional development opportunities, EfS standards and indicators, and a variety of other resources to support educators interested in integrating sustainability in their curricula.
Illinois Green Schools Project:https://www.illinoisgreenalliance.org/illinois-green-schools-project-home. According to the Illinois Green Alliance, this is “an annual sustainability action and recognition program for K-12 schools in Illinois. We help educators engage students and school stakeholders in hands-on projects that improve health, efficiency, and environmental impact.”
Green Lunchroom Challenge archive: Launched in 2015, the Green Lunchroom Challenge (GLC) was a voluntary pledge program for K-12 schools to improve the sustainability of their food service operations. By registering, participants were accepting the challenge to reduce and prevent food waste in their facilities. The GLC website provided suggested activities that ranged in complexity and commitment, to allow participants to best suit their situation, budget, and available community resources. Participants were not required to complete activities, but with each activity that was completed successfully, they earned points toward recognition at different levels of accomplishment. When the project ended, material from the original website was folded into a topical blog that also included information on food waste reduction for sectors besides K-12 schools. The archived blog is available at https://wayback.archive-it.org/6086/20250528191406/https://green-lunchroom.istc.illinois.edu/ or . See https://tap.istc.illinois.edu/2016/12/07/green-lunchroom-challenge/ for further project information.
Plastic Free July is a campaign coordinated by the Plastic Free Foundation to raise awareness of the negative impacts of plastic pollution and to encourage individuals to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics.
You’ve probably seen news coverage of collections of plastic pollution in the oceans or seen photos of wildlife harmed by ingesting or being trapped in discarded plastic packaging. Microplastics have been detected in a variety of human organs, and in virtually every habitat on Earth. We’re only beginning to understand and investigate the potential negative impacts of plastic pollution and exposure on human and environmental health. To learn more about those potential impacts, see the “Impacts on Environmental and Human Health” section (beginning on page 65) in the “Plastics” chapter of the recent ISTC report, “Illinois Materials Management & Recycling Opportunities,” available at https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127016.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Plastic Free July, and the third year we’ve celebrated the campaign by offering tips on the ISTC Blog. In 2023, we focused on atypical examples of single-use plastics, beyond things like plastic water bottles and grocery bags, to foster further reduction among people who have already tackled the “low-hanging fruit.” In 2024, we focused on ways to reduce plastic pollution from your clothing and textiles. This year, we’ll share a few new tips to reduce plastic consumption throughout various aspects of your life—at home, at work, and on the go. Some of these tips apply to businesses as well as individuals. Be sure to check out the previous posts as well for additional tips! These lists are of course not exhaustive but are meant to provide inspiration for change, and perhaps spark conversation and brainstorming.
As always, please remember that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Information about specific products, manufacturers, or vendors is provided for reference only.
Photo by Studio95 – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Replace plastic dish scrubbers and sponges. Options include compostable Swedish dishcloths made from cellulose and cotton, such as If You Care Sponge Cloths, which are reusable, machine washable, and certified for composting at their end of life in both commercial and home composting systems. Dish scrubber pads made from sisal, coconut coir, or bamboo fibers can also help you reduce plastic. Be careful though—some scrubbing pads made with natural materials such as walnut shells sometimes include recycled plastic from water bottles. Be sure to check the product packaging/description carefully if you want a plastic-free item.
This and the preceding two tips may be useful at work for food service operations like restaurants, cafeterias, or other food-focused businesses.
Opt for wool dryer balls instead of single-use dryer sheets that are typically made from polyester. See “How Long Do Dryer Balls Last? Plus How to Refresh Them” by Mary Marlow Leverette, writing for Real Simple, to ensure your dryer balls last as long as possible–we may be focused on plastic this month, but let’s remember to reduce all waste!
Switch to tablet forms of toothpaste and mouthwash to eliminate plastic tubes and bottles (e.g. these products from Bite) and consider a toothbrush made from bamboo with plant-based bristles (e.g. Brush with Bamboo; note the bristles are not compostable and should be removed if you plan to compost the handle). You can also find plastic-free dental floss, made from natural silk, corn-derived starch, or bamboo. James Miller reviews these floss options in “8 Best Plastic-Free Dental Floss Brands Tested.”
These swaps may also be useful for dentist and orthodontist offices.
Photo by Harry Wedzinga – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Ditch disposable wipes. This one works for office settings too, which may have started keeping these on hand during the pandemic and simply never stopped. Whether you’re talking about disposable sanitizing wipes for surfaces or personal cleansing wipes, these items often include synthetic fibers made from polyester or polypropylene, although cotton, cellulose, or rayon may also be used. See the FDA web page “Disposable Wipes” for more information (and note that different agencies regulate wipes depending on their intended purpose). It can be challenging to determine the fibers used when examining product packaging—for example, the “smart label” information for Chlorox wipes includes the ingredients in the cleaning solution the wipes are impregnated with, but not the ingredients of the wipe itself. Since waste reduction is always a good idea, why not skip the wipes entirely or only use them for really nasty messes when a washable cloth would not be desirable? Even then, using a spray cleaner with paper towels made from recycled paper or bamboo would be more environmentally preferable than a single-use wipe made with plastic. If sanitizing a surface is important, note that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that “In most situations, cleaning alone with soap and water can remove most germs, such as harmful viruses or bacteria, on surfaces.” You could also use a can of spray disinfectant (e.g. Lysol or similar product) with a washable cloth or paper towel.
Avoid disposable coffee pods in the break room. Again, this tip does double duty, since it applies to home kitchens as well, but many offices, especially in public-facing areas like conference rooms or waiting areas, have gravitated toward Keurig-style machines with pods that allow people to brew a single beverage serving. The mountains of resulting plastic waste have been the subject of more than one Internet meme. Honestly, it wasn’t all that long ago when humans managed just fine with regular coffee pots and pitchers of water or other cold drinks at meetings or in waiting areas. Just because pods exist doesn’t mean you have to offer them, and your business might boost its image with customers or employees, if you post a sign near your “old fashioned” offerings tying your choice to waste reduction.
Photo by Elena Medoks – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
If you feel compelled to give individuals choices, and you’re located in an area where commercial composting is available, consider compostable pods. Check out the Corner Coffee Store post “6 Best Eco-Friendly Coffee Pods in 2025: Reviews & Top Picks” by Melissa Gunter to explore options.
If you’re only providing coffee for a small group of employees (or your family at home) and you still want to use pods to allow individual choice, consider providing reusable coffee pods for your crew. In January 2025, Justin Hughes described the pros and cons of “15 Best Reusable Coffee Pods for a Sustainable Brew – Eco-Friendly Choices for Coffee Lovers” on the Cappucino Oracle website.
Eliminate other single-use plastics in break rooms and at catered events. Another double-duty tip here, since it can apply to parties you host at home. If your office/business has a break room, consider stocking it with bulk condiments in the refrigerator, rather than single-use sachets. If you have a sink or dishwasher, provide reusable mugs, plates, cutlery, etc. for employees to use and wash, or encourage employees to bring their own from home.
When you cater a meeting or event, if you’re handling the catering yourself, check out Beyond Plastic’s guide “How to Host a Plastic Free Event.” If you’re using a catering service, ask them in advance to avoid single-use condiments and avoid plastic straws, cutlery, and single-use packaging–and that you’re willing to find a different caterer that can fulfill this request if they can’t. The more potential customers that show an interest in plastic reduction, the more likely caterers in your area will be to make plastic waste reduction part of the status quo.
Avoid plastic packaging when shipping items and reuse plastic packaging that you receive. Use paper fill and wraps instead of bubble wrap or plastic air cushions whenever possible, and opt for paper padded mailers. Check out EcoEnclose (https://www.ecoenclose.com/) for more sustainable packaging options, including branded items, reusable packaging, and even plastic-like pouches, such as Sway’s seaweed-based polybags.
If your office has a supply area, stash plastic mailers, bubble wrap and other items you receive there for reuse. If you’re in the Chicago-area, check out EcoShip, https://ecoship.org/. They currently don’t have a permanent physical location (and are in search of one), but in the past this organization has accepted donations (temporarily on hold) of gently used shipping materials for redistribution—for free. Obtaining used shipping materials is a boon to small businesses. Currently, EcoShip is fundraising to find a permanent forever home. Follow them on social media to stay informed about their progress and next steps.
On the go
Consider keeping a reusable “to-go” kit in your car or backpack. You may have adopted the habit of keeping reusable shopping bags in the trunk of your car so you’re never without them. Maybe you even carry a reusable mug with you, and if you’re really prepared, you might have reusable cutlery and a reusable straw in your purse or briefcase. To take it to the next level, consider keeping a reusable glass or stainless steel food storage container, in your vehicle or bag so you can avoid polystyrene or plastic containers for any leftovers from your restaurant stop.
Photo by SBM Creatives – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
You can even ask for takeout food to be put into your own container. Did you know that based on IL Public Act 103-0524, as of January 1, 2024, a “restaurant or retailer may fill or refill a consumer-owned container with ready-to-eat or dry bulk foods.” Note the use of the word “may”—restaurants aren’t required to do this, so expect some of them to say no. However, many establishments may not even be aware of this law, and if you inform them, they might be open. You never know until you try. See the Illinois Department of Public Health guidance on this legislation at https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/food-safety/reducing-food-and-packaging-waste/consumer-owned-containers/guidance.html.
Yadav, H., Khan, M. R. H., Quadir, M., Rusch, K. A., Mondal, P. P., Orr, M., Xu, E. G., & Iskander, S. M. (2023). Cutting Boards: An Overlooked Source of Microplastics in Human Food?. Environmental science & technology, 57(22), 8225–8235. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c00924.
Coalition for Plastic Reduction (CPR): https://www.ilcpr.org/. This IL non-profit is “a membership coalition of organizations, institutions and businesses committed to the vision of an Illinois free of plastic waste. Individuals are also welcome to join.”
Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Late May and early- to mid-June is the time of year to celebrate high school and college graduations as well as dads, grandpas, and father figures of all sorts as Father’s Day approaches (celebrated on June 15 in 2025). As you contemplate gifts for the dads and grads in your life, the following resources will help you make choices that are more “environmentally friendly,” in terms of reducing exposure to hazardous substances and promoting sustainable behavior. As always, please note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.
Pots and pans
If the dad or grad you’re celebrating likes to cook or needs some kitchen supplies for their first apartment, you can reduce their exposure to PFAS by gifting them with stainless steel, cast iron, glass, or ceramic cookware.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS and sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly and persist in the environment, are found in a wide variety of consumer products, including cookware treated with “non-stick” coatings. According to the U.S. EPA, these substances are found in the blood of humans and other animals worldwide and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and the environment. This is a concern since exposure may be linked to harmful health effects and there’s still a lot that we don’t know about their impact on human and environmental health, how much total PFAS people are exposed to, and how to effectively remove PFAS from the environment.
To help you evaluate options, check out Grace Kelly’s recent article for Serious Eats in which she tests several different cast iron skillets to find the best one: “To Find the Best Cast Iron Skillets, I Seared Steaks, Baked Cornbread, and Fried Eggs.” If you don’t want to dive deeply, Kelly summarizes: “The best cast iron skillet is from Lodge. It heats up fast and sears deeply, and only costs around $20. We also like the lightweight Lancaster No. 8 skillet, which is easy on the wrists and cooks food beautifully.” She also points out that cast iron cookware is tough, so in addition to using it in the kitchen, you can also use it on the grill or over a fire pit. This is another bonus if your dad or grad loves to cook out or camp out.
If you’re considering glass bakeware/storage, keep in mind that some brands like Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are now using tempered glass (heat-treated soda-lime glass) for items made in the U.S. instead of the borosilicate glass that they once used. This is important because borosilicate glass is much more resistant to large temperature shifts—like taking a made-ahead casserole out of the fridge or freezer and popping it straight into a hot oven—than tempered glass. Swift movement across these kinds of temperature extremes is sometimes referred to as “thermal shock.” So, even if you remember your grandma moving her Pyrex containers back and forth between hot and cold environments with confidence, modern dishes might shatter when exposed to thermal shock. Pyrex made with borosilicate (older items or modern items made outside the U.S.) tend to feature the brand name in all caps (PYREX) while tempered glass versions feature the name in lowercase letters (pyrex). It’s all good—just something to be aware of. For more info, see “The Actual Difference Between PYREX and pyrex” by Sheela Prakash (for Simply Recipes, 12/9/24) and “If Pyrex Isn’t Safe Anymore, Which Brand of Glass Bakeware Should You Buy?” written—appropriately—by Meghan Glass (for Allrecipes, 3/11/23), who points out that some brands like Oxo are still consistently made of borosilicate glass. (Note that the headline for Glass’s article is somewhat misleading; tempered glass is safe so long as you’re aware that it’s not as resistant to “thermal shock” as borosilicate glass.)
Ceramic cookware is becoming popular as a PFAS-free alternative to traditional non-stick cookware. To help select ceramic pots and pans, see Nicole Papantoniou’s 2/19/25 article for Good Housekeeping, “6 Best Ceramic Cookware Sets, According to Expert Testing.”
Continuing the subject of cooking, your dad or grad might appreciate a gift that provides them with locally grown or raised foods. Everybody eats, after all! According to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), “there is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. Nevertheless, local and regional foods are increasingly being recognized as an important component to efforts to create more sustainable, resilient, healthier, and equitable food systems…Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions. Notwithstanding, consumer demand for locally produced food is increasing and creating jobs and opportunity throughout rural America for farms, businesses, and entrepreneurs that store, process, market and distribute food locally and regionally.” In any event, consuming food produced locally gives you the opportunity to know the farmers involved and to ask questions about their practices (e.g., whether and which pesticides are used, how livestock are treated, if they employ any conservation practices on their land, etc.). That’s not something you can do at your typical supermarket.
A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription could be a great option for dads or those grads moving into new apartments who have access to reliable transportation. CSA is a type of arrangement in which a farmer offers “shares” of their harvest to the public in the area surrounding their farm. Individuals buy those shares (sometimes called a “subscription” or “membership”) before, or at the very beginning of the growing season, helping the farmer with cash flow and giving them some guaranteed income, which is important since the size of their total harvest is impacted by the weather and other factors beyond their control. Subscribers then receive fresh local produce (or meat, eggs, or other items, depending on the farm involved) at regular intervals throughout the season. This typically involves the subscriber picking up a box, bag, or basket of items on a set schedule on the farm or some other public location. The Local Harvest website can help you find a CSA in your dad or grad’s area and elaborates on the benefits for both farmer and subscriber, as well as variations and the shared risks (e.g., if the farmer’s crop is destroyed by a natural disaster, you’re not likely to receive a refund if you don’t receive your normal boxes of goods).
University of Illinois/Photo by Fred Zwicky.
Young grads going off to college dorms may not want or need the amount of local food a CSA provides, but they can still benefit from gifts centered on local foods. Consider a gift card or membership for a local food co-op store so they can stock their mini fridge–the Local Harvest website also lets you search for co-op stores near a given location. Another idea would be to give them some money, reusable cotton or canvas shopping bags, and perhaps a bus pass, along with directions and other information for farmers markets where they’ll be living. The Local Harvest website lets you search for farmers markets in a given area, and if you grad will be in IL, check out the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) website and use the MarketMaker map to find farmers markets and other food-focused businesses throughout the state.
Safer personal care products
You might be considering the gift of personal care products for your dad or grad—maybe a nice aftershave or fragrance, hair styling products, shaving cream, moisturizer, etc. But you may have heard news related to health impacts of various chemicals that might be present in such products and aren’t even sure you remember the names of some of the substances, let alone how to avoid them. Explore the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database to find a variety of products that have been evaluated based on their ingredients, scientific and industry literature related to those ingredients, intended use, areas of the body to which the products are exposed, the type of exposure, target demographics, and other factors. Products are scored based on the best available information on known and suspected hazards, and the database is updated regularly to reflect advances in scientific research.
The database includes 9 product categories: makeup; nails; face & body; oral care; hair; fragrance; babies & kids; men (which overlaps with some of the other categories but includes items marketed mainly toward men, such as beard oil, shaving creams, and men’s fragrance); and sun (for products like sunscreen, sunless tanning, and even lip balms or moisturizers with SPF ratings). You look at lists for subcategories to find information on specific products, or search the database for specific ingredients, product types, or brand names. If you pull up a list on a specific type of product (e.g. shaving cream), you can click on each listed item to learn more about its score, its ingredients, and when its entry was last updated. You can also sort the list alphabetically (a to z or vice versa), by best to worst score, or by worst to best score. Product entries will also display an evaluation of the data availability on which the rating is based (e.g. limited or fair).
Screenshot of EWG Skin Deep list of shaving creams.
ICAW 2025 poster designed by Abbie Sawyer from Athens, Georgia. Abbie is an artist, nature enthusiast, and Compost Education Specialist for the Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department.
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is celebrated annually during the first full week of May and is a time to learn more about composting organic wastes (e.g., landscape wastes and food scraps) as part of fostering healthier soil and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A theme is chosen for ICAW in the US each year, and the theme becomes the focus of a poster contest, in which artists age 14 and older from around the world compete. The image above is the winning design for 2025, created by Abbie Sawyer from Georgia.
This year’s theme is “Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!” As explained on the Compost Research & Education Foundation website, “This theme was chosen with the goal of highlighting composting in all kinds of communities at any scale – from the backyard home composter to community composters, to large-scale facilities to all those who recognize the many benefits of using compost on our soils. As has been done for the past several years, the theme was chosen by all of the international partners who are part of the International Compost Alliance – making it truly an international theme. This year’s theme was inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”*
Composting reduces methane emissions through aerobic managed decomposition, providing for a more sustainable community.
Composting lowers greenhouse gases by improving carbon sequestration in the soil. Getting the carbon back into the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
Compost provides essential nutrients for plants, promoting vibrant gardens and farms. Healthier soil leads to healthier, more nutritious food for our communities.
Compost use increases the water-holding capacity of our soils. This is important as our communities are more and more often seeing drought and or intense rain events causing soil runoff and erosion.
Community Gardens and Green Spaces: Compost plays a vital role in community gardens, fostering green spaces that provide fresh produce, recreational opportunities, and community gathering places.
Illinois will be hosting over 50 in-person and virtual events during ICAW in over 12 counties. To see a full list of events and find registration information for those that are vitual, check out the IFSCC ICAW 2025 webpage: https://illinoiscomposts.org/icaw-2025/.
If you’re interested in hosting your own ICAW event, check out the IFSCC’s ICAW Host Toolkit, which includes:
tabling signage,
resources for libraries,
a list of relevant children’s books,
resources for park districts,
social media resources,
activities for kids,
a guide for hosting a “compost giveback” event (aka a “compost giveaway” or a “bring your own bucket” event),
a link to a spreadsheet of food scrap municipal composting programs and drop-off locations, and
a link to IFSCC’s guide for where to buy finished compost in IL. (Note that this only includes IFSCC member organizations that are compost manufacturing facilities. If you don’t see a site near you, do an Internet search or consult your county solid waste agency or recycling coordinator for guidance.)
