Gary Cuneen of Seven Generations Ahead and Donna Ducharme of the Delta Institute discuss the cooperative spirit that brings together many major institutions in both Villages in support of PlanItGreen. Photo courtesy of Lisa Howe-Ebright
Isabel Monaghan (left)and Emma Johnson, co-presidents of the Environmental Club at Oak Park-River Forest High School talk with Foundation Past-President Boyd McDowell at the Community Foundation display at the PlanItGreen Plan Release Event June 23. Isabel and Emma attended the event to meet community leaders and learn about available and emerging resources. Photo courtesy of Lisa Howe-Ebright
Oak Park Village President David Pope, Community Foundation Executive Director Sophia Lloyd and Seven Generations Ahead Executive Director Gary Cuneen pause for a photo before they each spoke at the PlanItGreen Press Event on June 23, 2011. Photo courtesy of Lisa Howe-Ebright
Village of Oak Park Sustainability Coordinator K.C. Poulos and her daughter Grace, a Brooks Middle School 7th grader, pose in front of the Village of Oak Park’s green display at the PlanItGreen Press Release event at Pleasant Home on June 23. Photo courtesy of Lisa Howe-Ebright
Gary Cuneen addresses the crowd at the PlanItGreen Press Release on the veranda at Pleasant Home sharing both the process by which the plan was developed and the actions that the plan embraces. Photo courtesy of Lisa Howe-Ebright
Contributed by Communityworks
Oak Parkers and River Foresters gathered at the Pleasant Home June 23, for the unveiling of PlanItGreen, an environmental sustainability plan for the communities. The plan was initiated by Communityworks, who enlisted the help of Oak Park-based non-profit organization Seven Generations Ahead, whose objective is to “promote ecologically sustainable and healthy communities,” according to the press release.
“To my knowledge, there is not a single sustainability plan, certainly in the Chicago area, in Illinois— maybe in the Midwest, maybe across the country – that is a dual-community plan,” said Executive Director of Seven Generations Ahead, Gary Cuneen.
The report was prepared by the organizations with the help of the Delta Institute and the input from nearly 900 residents. Nine sustainability topic areas were identified: education, energy, waste, water, community development, transportation, green economic development, open space and ecosystem preservation, and food.
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