Local environmental news and happenings for DuPage County.

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October 2023

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ABC's of Smart Recycling

Letter U - Utensils, Unicorns & Umbrellas: What to do with the Unusual?

There are all kinds of household and classroom items that can be recycled if you're in-the-know.

Improve your recycling habit with these tips for collecting unusual items that are no longer useful or needed.

Letter U is for What To Do With The Unusual ?

It's Pumpkin Smash-ing Time!

Saturday, Nov. 4

Follow up your festive jack-o-lantern carving with some

eco-fun-tastic pumpkin smashing! Volunteers are needed!

Pumpkin Smash is an annual event that helps keep compostable pumpkins and gourds out of the landfill and turn them into valuable compost. Did you know Illinois is the largest pumpkin producer in the country? Last year over 230 TONS of pumpkins were kept out of the landfill through the Smash!

To find a Smash event near you or to volunteer, visit the SCARCE's website at Pumpkin Smash 2023.

Make It a Greener Fall!

Taking a Woodland Walk? Pick Up 5!

DuPage County is lucky to have many beautiful trails for hiking and walking. If you go out this fall, consider taking a bag along to pick up litter and collect any recyclables you find!

With over 900,000 residents in our county, picking up just 5 items each, we could keep over 4 million pieces of litter out of our waterways--protecting the plants, insects and animals around us.

Learn more about Pick Up 5

Plant a Native Tree - It's More Important Then Ever

Climate change has made forest fires more common across North America. According to NOAA, this year has already seen over 39 thousand forest fires in the US alone and a loss of millions of trees across North America.

Planting native trees in your yard can help keep our world cooler and greener. Encourage your school or town to also plant trees to help offset this loss. (NPR reports federal funding will be made available for planting urban trees.)

Fall is a great time to plant a tree in our area. Illinois Extension service has a list of native trees to help you find the right tree for you!

Celebrate Illinois oaks at OAKtoberfest! Sat. October 14, 1-4pm. (Weather permitting.) Sponsored by the Glen Ellyn Park District, this a free, family event. Food, games, live performances and local environmental organizations will be around to make this a fun day out.

October 18- Celebrate the 51st Anniversary of the Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act protects our health and the environment. Celebrate this year by getting involved!

In the fall, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center trains volunteers to help monitor the salt levels in local streams and waterways during winter. (In spring, volunteers can train to monitor streams, mussels and water temperature.) Fall workshops are virtual.

Learn more about volunteering this fall with Illinois RiverWatch.

Love Lightning Bugs?

Leave the Leaves!

According to scientists at Clemson University lightning bugs, or fireflies, are a species of beetle that often lays their eggs in leaf litter. They love those slightly damp, leafy places under bushes and trees.

Don't over tidy your garden this fall--leave some leaves for the lightning bugs!

Learn how to protect lightning bugs

DuPage Opens New Cooking Oil Collection Sites

Cooking oil damages your home's pipes and our cities' stormwater drains. But disposed of properly, cooking oil can be given another use as bio-fuel. Why not?!

SCARCE and DuPage County Stormwater Management recently announced the addition of two new cooking oil collection sites. Lisle Township Office and the City of Wood Dale have added liquid vegetable cooking oil collection in their towns, just in time for holiday turkey frying!

Protect our waterways. Find a cooking oil site near you and recycle that oil! For more info, visit:

Permanent Cooking Oil Recycling Sites in DuPage County

Repair Fair

Saturday, October 28 9:30-11:30am

Don't toss it, repair it! Learn about knife sharpening, tool, textile, and lamp repair during a morning with experts. Information and examples will be on display, including advice on all your repair challenges.

Email info@scarce.org if you'd like to join the fun!

SCARCE's Birthday Party Fun!

SCARCE staff looking good!

Lots of friends stopped by to celebrate! (Someone seems to be wondering:

but where's the birthday cake?)

Recycling Events

Oct 7

Wood Dale Green Fair 10am - 2pm

Milton Township Recycling Extravaganza 9am -12noon

Oct 14

Wheaton Monthly Recycling Event 9am -12noon

Oct 21

Rotary Club of Darien - Recycling Extravaganza 9am 9am -12noon

Oct 28

Elmhurst Quarterly Electronics & Textile Recycling 8am -12noon

National Drug Take Back Day

View full list of recycling events

Know a Teacher?

Tell them about our Teacher Open House!

Tuesday, Oct. 24 4:30-6:30pm

SCARCE Open House helps teachers plan for educational training days, discover new materials, learn about field trips to our Environmental Education Center and fun ideas for creative reuse projects!

All teachers are welcome--preschool through high school, both public and private schools.

Stop in Tuesday, October 24 from 4:30-6:30pm for a fun-filled afternoon including snacks, free books, and door prizes!

PHOTO: One of our favorite fall reuse projects, a SCARCEcrow created by our summer intern, Meg.