LIz Kunkle with Gogreenwinnetka on Sustainability
In this episode, Dave and Liz Kunkle discuss:
The importance and impact of advocating for the environment within Winnetka
How recycling and composting contribute to effective waste management
Busting myths and unveiling the real challenges in recycling
How collaboration between grassroots organizations and municipal authorities can bolster environmental initiatives
Equipping yourself with sustainable practices and reliable resources to champion green living
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Can you tell us a little about yourself? Waste reduction, reusing, and repairing - all of those things just made sense to me. I kind of dabbled in it in college. When I had kids and we lived in Colorado, it became kind of striking, the disconnect between our natural world. But being there in Colorado, that kind of propelled me down the zero waste path even more. Then again, I picked it up here. But all of that was volunteer. I work for the Environmental Council now. But that was a big part of my trajectory. For 20 years, I also practiced law, but not in the environmental space. So all of this work was on the volunteer side. I just kept doing more of it. I became self-taught in it but used my legal training and background to research, investigate, make connections, and build relationships in the state and around the country on these issues.
What are practical steps people can take? Follow your natural inclination. You can make a difference. You can make a shift in behavior, especially in Winnetka. We’re affluent, we’re well-educated. We have all these amazing resources, and I don’t want to waste them. I don’t want the natural beauty that is Winnetka to become less beautiful either because we’re literally trashing it by littering or squandering. “There is no away.” Don’t say throw things away. You’re not throwing it away. It’s going somewhere, and somebody else is dealing with it. It’s all about being open. And being aware of how the decisions you’re making have an effect of what the consequences are.
GoGreenWinnetka, what is it? GoGreenWinnetka is not an isolated group. We’re part of a network of GoGreen groups. GoGreenWinnetka was formed in 2011. We did a one-day sustainability fair in the village that was actually initiated by two librarians at the Winnetka Northfield Public Library, but they didn’t live in Winnetka. So once the fair ended, we did it actually around a sidewalk sale in 2011. It took me about a year to pick up GoGreenWinnetka as a citizens group. I was able to reconnect with people who had been part of the planning group for the one-day fair. It was an amazing group of Public Works, Park District, The Community House, the volunteer center, the Chamber of Commerce, and the library. It was everybody you would want to talk to about getting things done.
What resources can people access? GoGreenWinnetka, GoGreenWilmette, and the Book Stall partner in a book discussion group. We meet every other month, typically on the 2nd or 3rd Monday. Then the other resource [is]the US EPA’s website. management, sustainable materials management, they’ve put out some great guidance. One of my favorite recycling posters actually is a poster called the Top 10 in the Bin. It’s the top 10 materials that are accepted in curbside recycling programs nationwide. I can [also] help you figure out what the options are in Winnetka. How to get a system set up in your house, your school, and your office building.
Today’s Guest, Marshall & Allison Brown:
Quotable: “By reducing waste, reusing, and composting, we can transform our world. It's time to think before we throw and create a sustainable future.” — Liz Kunkle
Connect with Liz:
Website: https://gogreenwinnetka.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-kunkle-b002076/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/GoGreenWinnetka
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gogreenwinnetka/
your host, dave nimick:
Thought Leader & Chicago REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty
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