Gallery: Large Turn Out for 350.org Celebration in Wilmette

When the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly at 2 p.m. on Sept. 24, after a morning of heavy rain and thunderstorms, members of Go Green Wilmette could not have been more delighted. The good weather brought about 120 people to for a gathering to promote climate change solutions.

The event was held in conjunction with events all over the planet. The group was photographed forming the number “350,” which is the safe level of carbon in the atmosphere. The picture was added to the worldwide collection of photos being shown on the 350.org website.

Earlier: Read more about environmentalism around the village.

The clearer skies made it possible for the 50 Girl Scouts organized by Karen Glennemeier to work on bluff habitat restoration. They were Fourth graders from Troop 849 and seventh graders from Troop 411, who worked under the supervision of Barb Kleeman of the Wilmette Park District. In addition, Charlotte Adelman and other guides offered tours of the Wildflower Garden. Many people participated in our Moving Planet Parade, shirt stenciling and information booths.  Students from New Trier and Regina High Schools worked along with GGW volunteers to keep events running smoothly.

There was a great turnout for the reception at FUEL Restaurant where people enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres outside, the weather being lovely and the atmosphere festive.  Inside, guests watched the inspiring images OF environmental events from around the world. Viewing these scenes together reinforced the feeling that our relatively small event was part of something much larger.  (To view these images, go to (www.moving-planet.org) Terrific images of the events during the day were also available, thanks to Linda Frothingham and Dean Lindsay's quick work.

The celebration continued with twenty-two people enjoying a delicious dinner at . Tim Lenon, Fuel’s owner and Caroline, Michael and the rest of his crew really extended themselves and created the perfect ending to the day.

Mary Allen from "The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County"
(SWANCC) offered important information to those who attended her talk at the Wilmette Public Library on September 21 She wanted to be sure people knew about all the resources that can be found on the SWANCC website, SWANCC.org. SWANCC which began in the 1980’s now services 23 communities. It is a valuable resource with many green tips and is much more than a place to bring electronics and other refuse. Her presentation closed with this thought, “Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the implications of small changes. Simple doesn’t mean unimportant. Even the simplest actions can make a difference when multiplied by many.

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