D65 Sustainability Update: Jan 26

Learn more about our local artist Holly Greenberg and Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene.

An integral part of our D65 Sustainability Plan includes Healthy Environment Goal #3: Outdoor Environments (outdoor learning spaces & nature playgrounds): New outdoor learning spaces are co-designed with students, staff and community at each school that are accessible and representative of the native local ecosystems (rain, shade, edible food, pollinator, trees, etc.).

We are pleased to share an Intro to Co-Design of Outdoor Learning Spaces with our community to support this important work happening in our schools. This introduction serves as a starting resource to share more details on the why of co-design, who should be involved, what co-design can look like, and funding ideas.

Why Co-Design? Our intention is to bring students, staff, families and community members together to collaborate and connect as opportunities arise to co-create outdoor learning spaces at our D65 schools. We believe there is strength in bringing people together across experiences and perspectives and will create better outcomes and opportunities for student learning.

We're excited to celebrate Earth Month (April) in all our schools this year. Check out our D65 Plans and start planning your school celebration now including signing up for a Climate Action Project. We're also socializing via our School Leaders Newsletter, School Sustainability Leads and All Staff Newsletter.

Technology Services and Sustainability are partnering with Genesis, our district’s Canon and HP printer service provider, to recycle used HP and Canon ink and toner cartridges. Each school will have a designated central drop-off location where staff can place empty cartridges, which will be collected and recycled quarterly (March, June, September, and December).

By the end of February, we will have delivered and set-up reusable ink cartridge recycling boxes in all our D65 buildings. We're excited to roll this out district-wide and thanks to all in advance for supporting this district sustainability effort.

Please update your school's contact information for the 25-26 school year, including:

• Climate Action Team Chair(s)
• School Garden Team Chair(s)
• Climate Club
• School PTA and Newsletter emails

The 5th annual District 65 PTA One Fund Native Plant Sale is live! Select from a wide variety of native plants, shrubs and trees and order by Friday, February 21. Proceeds from this district-wide plant sale helps fund every District 65 school via the PTA Equity Project's One Fund Initiative.

Pre-order pick-up will be held on Saturday, May 23 from 10am to 1pm in the Chute Middle School courtyard (1400 Oakton St., Evanston). A limited number of plants, shrubs, and trees will also be available for sale. Late pick-up is available!

To view the items available and make a purchase, please

Visit https://go.rallyup.com/2026nativeplantsale/Campaign/Details. Donations to plant wildflowers and trees on D65 school grounds are also accepted.

The City of Evanston's annual holiday light recycling program will run from Monday, December 1 through Friday, January 30, in conjunction with Elgin Recycling.

Community members are encouraged to take advantage of this free program to help reduce waste during the holiday season. All holiday string lighting is accepted. Garlands, live greens, and wreaths are not accepted.

Unwanted holiday lights can be dropped off at the following Evanston locations during their operating hours:

• Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave.

• Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St.

• Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 N McCormick Blvd.

For more information, please visit elginrecycling.com or call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

The Evanston Community Fridges are looking for community members to help shop for, clean, and deliver food for the three community fridges in Evanston. Evanston’s three community fridges provide free food and toiletries to any community member, anytime. To read about the donation guidelines and fridge locations, please visit https://www.evanstoncommunityfridges.com. To learn how to get more involved, please email evanstoncommunityfridge@gmail.com.

ESCCA, the Evanston School Children’s Clothing Association, is hard at work fulfilling its historic mission - to make sure no Evanston child misses school for lack of warm clothing or shoes. ESCCA opened its doors to District 65 children just before the start of the school year so they could visit our store and choose warm clothing, coats, shoes, boots, socks, undergarments, and more. ESCCA has received over 150 referrals so far this school year.

There are many ways to get involved with ESCCA:

• Consider purchasing something from our Amazon Wishlist which we continue to update with the items we need most. Click HERE!

• Contribute financially to ESCCA to help us purchase clothing for the shop. Click HERE!

• Drop off warm clothing in The Clothing Bin - located at 1500 McDaniel Drive (behind the D65 Building)

• Volunteer with ESCCA!

• Gro More Goods Grassroots Grant - due Jan 30 2026
• Whole Foods Market Foundation Garden Grant - due March 1 2026
• Educator Mini Grants - due March 1 2026
• ComEd Green Region Grant: Creating Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change - due March 13 2026
• SWANCC Waste Reduction and Litter Clean Up Grants - open year-round

• D65 Sustainability Website
• D65 Sustainability and Garden Resources Library
• D65 Climate Action & Garden Community Contact List
• D65 Sustainability Positive Impact: 24-25 School Year
• D65 Sustainability Positive Impact: 23-24 School Year
• D65 Sustainability Positive Impact: 22-23 School Year
• D65 Sustainability Newsletter Archive