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Ousting Outerwear – Where to Go Part 2

January 8, 2026December 10, 2025

Six years ago we posted “Where to Recycle Winter Wear” about recycling coats, scarves, boots and other cold weather items with us at Chicago Textile Recycling, or donating to one of many coat drives in the Chicagoland area. Because it has been a few years and some options have changed, we thought it would be a good time for an update on the latest “coat and more” collections in our greater Chicago area.

Chicago Bears Coat Drive

The Chicago Bears, Jewel-Osco, Salvation Army and Shur-Way Movers have teamed up for the 37th Annual Coat Drive. This coat drive runs until February 16 and benefits those in need. Call ahead to your local Jewel-Osco or click on the link to find which stores are accepting winter coat donations. If you are in need of Winter coats for you and your family, please reach out to Salvation Army (info also at the link) to find out more info.

Cradles to Crayons Chicago

With children constantly outgrowing items, this winter weather drive is an easy choice to help those in need in our very own Chicago area. Cradles to Crayons runs “Gear Up for Winter” with many options on how to donate winter weather items. From collection bins around Chicago, to hosting a coat drive in your area (or virtually), to fulfilling their Amazon wishlist, and volunteering in their warehouse, there are numerous ways to help children in need get the necessary winter weather items to keep warm this year.

“Winters in our region are brutally cold, and rising energy costs force many households into “heat or eat” decisions. 1 in 2 children in Chicagoland face Clothing Insecurity, and without winter coats, boots, and other warm essentials, kids risk health issues and are often excluded from recess and play.

87% of our Service Partners say they rely on Cradles to Crayons to provide children’s essentials at no cost. With your help, we can keep Chicagoland children safe and warm this winter.” (Cradles to Crayons Chicago)

TaskForce Coat Drive

Another option for those in Chicago is the TaskForce Keep our Community Warm coat and winter weather item drive. It is located at TaskForce Prevention & Community Services at 9 N Cicero Ave in Chicago. They accept new and gently used coats of all sizes, adult and children. They also accept warm winter hats, scarves and mittens.

One Warm Coat

A further option for donating winter coats is with One Warm Coat, a national organization started by one woman that gave one coat to someone in need. The website has a search engine to find local sites in Chicago where you can drop off winter coats for those in need.

Ousting Outerwear Options Abound

In addition to these organizations we’ve listed above AND the option of donation to Chicago Textile Recycling, there are likely more…potentially many more…ways to share our excess winter wear this year. From simple clothing donations to hosting drives to donating money to volunteering your time, there are so many ways to help those in need stay warm this Chicagoland winter. Please reach out to us with any questions via our website or social media pages for information about where to donate in your area. Thank you for recycling your textiles and helping those in need.

Earth Focused Holidays

March 2, 2023

The months of March and April bring many different holidays and remembrances promoting recycling and ways of caring for our planet. These include: Global Recycling Day on March 18, Earth Hour on March 25, Earth Day on April 22 and Fashion Revolution Week the week of April 24. On this first day of March, we would love to share a little more about each of these days and the history as well as the potential impact each can play toward our future. There are many ways to celebrate and to get involved locally and on a larger scale.

Global Recycling Day – March 18

The first of these holidays is Global Recycling Day. Celebrated on March 18 on the heels of St. Patrick’s Day, “Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first.” (found here) It is a day to raise awareness and volunteer in a variety of ways to help care for our planet.

The Global Recycling Commission set out a twofold mission for this holiday:

“1. To tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue, and that a common, joined up approach to recycling is urgently needed.

2. To ask people across the planet to think resource, not waste, when it comes to the goods around us – until this happens, we simply won’t award recycled goods the true value and repurpose they deserve.” (found here)

As the first holiday in our lineup, Global Recycling Day sets out an important agenda for calling on our leaders to unite in pushing for political reforms to highlight the importance of recycling and for enlightening others around the world about its importance in their day to day life choices.

Earth Hour – March 25

Our second planet-honoring holiday this season is Earth Hour, which is observed for one hour on the last Saturday in March. From 8:30-9:30pm on Saturday, March 25th people around the country and even world will be turning off their lights to honor Earth Hour. 2022 saw “people from 192 countries and territories [come] together in support of people and our planet. We saw landmarks turn off their lights and supporters switch off at home, as well as a range of activities such as virtual concerts, mangrove planting, street clean-ups and virtual runs.” (found here)

Earth Hour was “started in 2007 by WWF and partners as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney to raise awareness of climate change,” (here) and has now “become a catalyst for positive environmental impact, driving major legislative changes by harnessing the power of the people and collective action.” It is easy to participate in this event. Simply turn off your lights for this one hour in March. And feel free to become involved in bigger ways too – through writing legislators to cleaning up parks and more.

Earth Day – April 22

A third, and very well known, planet loving holiday this Spring is Earth Day. Celebrated on April 22, Earth Day “marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.” (found here) Begun by two senators as teach-ins on college campuses, that first year “Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts.” Over the decades, Earth Day has become a global holiday involving over 100 countries in the mission to take better care of our planet.

On their website, Earth Day 2023 has six ways to make a difference this year:

Educate our youth through classroom learning
Break free from single use plastics
Plant trees (through the Canopy Project)
Use your voting power to protect our environment
Clean up communities, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails and parks
Choose sustainable fashion over fast fashion

Many cities post about Earth Day celebrations – so be on the lookout for ways to get involved in your own neck of the woods and help care for planet Earth.

Fashion Revolution – Week of April 24

The final way we spread awareness, and honor the care of our planet over these few months is through Fashion Revolution Week, which always falls on the week of April 24, commemorating the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh. You can read more about this in our blog “5 Ways to Fight Fast Fashion.” In 2013, over one thousand young women were killed and more than 2,500 more were injured when the building collapsed.

On their website, they list numerous ways to get involved here, including packets on ways to get involved, hosting an event, educational resources for teachers and educators and posters to print to help spread awareness. Also on our blog listed above, we share five ways to get involved in the fight against fast fashion.

We Can Care All Year Long

Though these four commemorations and holidays all fall within the months of March and April, don’t feel limited to volunteer or spread the word only during these months. Park services are always looking for volunteers to help clean up and take care of parks and beaches. There are many months where you can help plant trees or butterfly and bumblebee friendly plants. Educating others and spreading awareness can happen any time of the year. And we can always change our way of living by starting to recycle and making more conscientious decisions about the things we purchase.

Sustainable Shopping this Season, and Every Season

November 29, 2022

The Holidays are upon us. Twinkly lights, Holiday music, the Nutcracker ballet, peppermint mocha, and gift shopping..lots and lots of gift shopping. We buy all kinds of gifts for the Holidays…electronics, jewelry, music, shoes, toys, clothing and much more. And for the average buyer, not much thought is put into where these items were made and how the environment was affected by their purchase, and what kind of quality of life the workers who made this item have. For the purpose of focusing on what we know best, textiles, we would like to encourage you, dear follower, to think about these questions as you make purchases of textiles this Holiday season, and every season. When purchasing clothing items for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or any other occasion, there are many ways you can think about and look into sustainable options, which support the worker and the environment. What does it mean to shop sustainably?

“Sustainability means maintaining an ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of natural resources. But sustainability is commonly extended to social systems—ensuring they promote the well being of all the individuals and communities affected. Sustainability also speaks to longevity – environmental, social and economic systems and industries need to be designed in a way that means they are in balance and can be maintained well into the future. So sustainable fashion is simply about fostering a fashion industry that takes a long term approach to the design, manufacturing, and consumption of clothes and accessories. It’s about fashion that both creates good and avoids harm, whether to people, the planet or animals.” (Found here)

What to Look For

What can a consumer look for in their purchases to help ensure that the clothing is as sustainable as possible?

Fabric Choice

The first consideration when shopping sustainably is paying attention to fabric choice. Not all fabrics are equal when it comes to sustainability. Whereas “silk, hemp, linen, and wool are all natural, low-impact textiles” (found here), certain fabrics are made from plastic fibers and release plastic microfibers during the washing process which eventually end up polluting our bodies of water. The best fabrics to choose as sustainable options are “cotton, linen, silk, wool, hemp, etc. — which will last the longest in your closet. Specifically, silk was found to be the longest-lasting fabric in terms of how long it remained in use, with wool in second place.” (found here) These choices are more beneficial at their end of life also because “when they do wear out, natural fabrics are biodegradable and recyclable.” (found Here) At times, we will need to purchase other pieces that don’t fall into one of these fabric choices, such as for a bathing suit. “If you must buy polyester or another synthetic fiber, look for polyester that’s made of recycled water bottles, fishing nets, carpet, and other post-consumer products.” (Found here)

Eco Certifications

The second consideration when shopping sustainably is checking for different eco certifications on the items for purchase or companies selling them. Here are a few certifications you can look for when shopping sustainably:

“OEKO-TEX is an independent test and certification system for textiles, and it offers multiple levels of certification, the most basic of which indicates that the product is free of hazardous chemicals.” (Found here)

“Fair Trade certification indicates that the factory workers are paid at least the minimum wage, and that the working conditions are safe.” (Found here)

“B-Corp is a general seal of approval for brands that have proven their commitment to sustainability and transparency.” (Found here)

“Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which bills itself as the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world, reduces the impact of cotton farming and improves the livelihoods of farmers and their families.” (Found here)

In addition to these certifications and programs, there are also a few apps and web browser extensions that can assist you in your search to shop sustainably. One of these is Good on You. “The Good on You app lets you search for a brand’s environmental impact, labor policies, and even animal-friendly considerations, plus makes recommendations in different categories (dresses, hosiery, outerwear) of sustainable and ethical brands.” (Found Here) When shopping this Holiday season, take your time and check out some of these important certifications and sustainable apps to assist you in your gift hunting.

Durable and Versatile

A third consideration when shopping sustainably is finding textile pieces that are created to last – those that are durable – and pieces that can pair with multiple items in your wardrobe – those that are versatile. Sustainable companies take more care with the pieces they create, making products that are made of quality fabric and made to last across years.

When shopping sustainably looks like buying less clothing, it’s important to carefully choose those items that can benefit your wardrobe and pair with multiple pieces you already own. A year ago we shared a blog about choosing consciously and highlighted the idea of a capsule wardrobe, which involves paring down your closet to primarily pieces with a timeless style that can pair with multiple items you own. Capsule wardrobes mostly involve vintage, secondhand and sustainable pieces.

Other Ways to Shop Sustainably

In addition to what to look for in shopping from sustainable companies, here are a few more ideas on ways you can shop to show care for the environment and the workers involved.

Buy Secondhand

A few years ago we posted an article about shopping secondhand during the Holiday season. With the ability to find rare and vintage items by shopping resale for gift giving, loved ones can receive gifts that are one of a kind. Shopping secondhand is another sustainable option as you are giving a second life to items that have already been made, and not adding to the environmental effects of creating something new.

Buy Local

“Staying local is the key to sustainable shopping.” (Found here) Buying locally involves less of a footprint made by using gas to go from here to there, and can also benefit local artisans and mom and pop stores that may focus more on quality and sustainability.

Buy Online

In addition, some articles referenced in this blog have shown that shopping online can reduce your environmental footprint by combining numerous products in one delivery truck vs multiple cars driving to and from stores to shop around. When internet shopping is available, remember to look into the certifications and app or web extension browsers that can help you find companies that are sustainable.

The Holiday Season

We hope as you begin your Holiday shopping that this blog will help educate you, our readers, on the myriad of ways you can shop sustainably this season, and in every season. For more ideas, check out some of the articles we referenced above. Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we wish everyone a warm and happy Holiday season and a Happy 2023.

Back to School

August 18, 2022

The time has come…that time of year when children ages five to eighteen, and sometimes younger and many times older, are making preparations to return to school. For some this is full of worries: Who will my new teacher be? Will I like him/her? Will I have friends in my new class? And for many this is full of excitement: I can’t wait! I get to see all of my friends again. Mommy/Daddy/Grandma always takes me back to school shopping. Whatever your children may be feeling as school approaches and these first few weeks of school begin, we are wishing each of you a great year. And as you head to the stores for back to school shopping and return home to reevaluate dressers and closets and stand amazed by how tall your child has grown over a few short summer months, we are here for all of your “no longer fits or too worn out” needs.

My! How You’ve Grown!

The days are long and the years are short, and children never stop growing it seems. Especially as the seasons change and your children start wearing pants and long sleeves, it becomes quickly apparent just how much they have grown. Chicago Textile Recycling accepts all children’s clothing and shoes, even those that are stained, torn and very worn. Here is a list of our acceptable items and the following are some categories to sift through as you reassess what still fits.

Pants and Shorts

Just like in our blog on Spring Cleaning, it’s important to have lists or categories of what to go through as you are cleaning out. The first textile it seems children outgrow are pants. Seemingly overnight they can grow another inch no longer fitting their entire wardrobe of pants. Similarly shorts can go from fitting at an appropriate length to being too short or too tight as waists expand likewise.

Shirts

In similar fashion to pants, long sleeved shirts is another category that can change overnight. As arms lengthen, sleeves that once fit down to the wrist can a day later be much shorter. T-shirts also can quickly go from hip-length to midriff proportions, necessitating a trip to the donation pile.

Pajamas

Closely related to pants and shirts, pajamas too can grow shorter and tighter over years, or even months. One big growth spurt can lead to an entire collection of pajamas no longer fitting. Back to school is a good time to sift through as seasons also change around this time and little ones will move from pajama shorts to pants and even fleece or flannel.

Underwear and Swimsuits

Another category to clean out is underwear and swimsuits. As bodies grow bigger and longer, these textiles can grow tighter and shorter, deeming them inappropriate to wear. As children move out of swim season and into Autumn as they start school, it is a good time to go through swimsuits and see what can be donated to those in need.

Socks and Shoes

Bodies grow in length and waists grow in circumference, and feet grow as well through the years. Back to school is a great time to reassess what size feet your children have. Typical of back to school shopping, new shoes are oftentimes purchased to complete the look so knowing what size feet your little ones have is necessary. When they size up, make sure to go through shoes and socks and donate any of these that no longer fit.

Outerwear

The last category to clean out is outerwear. Jackets and coats, hats, gloves, snow bibs and scarves, these items typically only last a few years at best as bodies change and grow. Quicker than we realize, soon after school begins, temperatures will cool and many of these will be needed. As you sift through other clothes and shoes, make sure to look through these items too so that you know what you need for the Fall and Winter ahead.

Back to School Shopping

After we clean out all of the ill-fitting and worn out textiles, it is time to get ready for the school year ahead. For many this means heading to malls or stand alone stores for new item purchases. However, this could also mean thrift shopping and consignment sales for barely worn and new to you purchases. If your children have grown a complete size up in shoes or clothing, buying everything new will likely require more than your budget will allow. At Chicago Textile Recycling, we strongly encourage donating textiles AND buying gently used textiles when in need of clothing and shoes. This cuts down on textile waste and environmental harm from creating so many new items. Read more at our blog here on why donating textiles and buying used is important.

As you complete your cleanout of children’s clothing and shoes for the new school year, please contact us to locate your nearest donation bin or partner resale store. And HAVE A GREAT YEAR!

Earth Day Happenings

March 30, 2022

April 22nd is Earth Day, and as the world is slowly opening up again to the possibility of a time after Covid-19, there are many fun ways to get involved this year and help clean up our planet. From park/forest clean ups to educational opportunities to playdates helping teach the next generation about the care of Mother Earth, Chicagoland is offering numerous events to show support this Earth Day.

Chicagoland Events

There are so many exciting events happening this Earth Day. This list does not contain all of them, so feel free to reach out to your local forest preserve or village hall to ask about local events also. Here are some of the events happening in the Chicagoland area.

April 16 (10-12) – Join the Chicago Rotary Club for a morning cleanup of Grant Park.
April 20 (4-5pm) – Palatine Library is offering an hour of Earth Day related stories, science and activities for ages 4-7. Sign up begins 4/6.
April 21 (10:30-12) – If you have kids that love nature, there will be a Nature Play Date at Lincoln Marsh in the Prairie Patch Play Area with activities and open play. Afterwards, there is a picnic lunch.
April 21 (1-1:30) – Come learn how to recycle and create art out of recycled materials at Naper Settlement.
April 22 (1-3) – Clean up litter in Schiller Woods – East. We will provide all of the supplies needed.
April 22 (11-1) – BackYard Nature Center is hosting an Earth Day Celebration at Erickson Woods in Winnetka. There will be hiking, stick carving, nature play and more.
April 22 (3:30-4:45) – Trailside Museum of Natural History is hosting After School Earth Day Activities of planting a tree, making a bird feeder or recycled art.
April 22 (10-2) – Clean up litter in Sauk Trail Woods – Central. We will provide all of the needed supplies.
April 22 (3:30-5:30) – There will be Earth Day Activities offered at Century Park Pavilion all afternoon for families.
April 23 (11-2) – Clean up litter in Beaubien Woods. We will provide all of the needed supplies.
April 23 (12-3) – Crabtree Nature Center is hosting family-friendly Earth Day Activities in their three acre nature play area.
April 24 (All Day) – There are so many fun Earth Day events happening at Brookfield Zoo.

Other Ways to Love our Planet

If you are unable to make one of the above events or a local one in your area, there are other ways to get involved this Earth Day. As noted in our Earth Day post from two years ago, attending an event is not the only way you can show love to our planet. Other ways to be involved are:

Start Your Own Compost

Find out how much garbage you can reduce by placing all of your food scraps into a compost bin instead.

Recycle Textiles

Clean out your closets and dresser this Earth Day and donate all items no longer needed to your closest CTR bin or partner resale store.

Pick Up Trash in Your Neighborhood

Simply step outside your front door to help care for our planet. Go on a family walk with a trash bag and gloves and see what litter you can help clean up around your neighborhood.

Plant Flowers to Attract Bumblebees and Butterflies

Look up which flowers attract butterflies and bumblebees and plant them in your yard to promote the longevity of these species and pollination.

To read more about these ideas on caring for our planet, click on the link above. And if you know of any other events happening in your area, please share them by commenting on the social media post so we can add them to our list. There are many simple ways to get involved and if we all work together and do our part, they all add up to big changes for our planet.

Holiday Clutter

January 27, 2022January 25, 2022

Holiday gift giving and the typical excess that comes with it is a month behind us. A new year has arrived and with it possible resolutions to live healthier (amongst others) in a myriad of ways. You may be walking through your home thinking how do I own this much stuff? Even if your home hasn’t reached hoarder level capacity, clutter has a definite effect on stress levels and finding joy in where you live. I experience it myself in our cozy home with three young children. Toys are everywhere! Clutter abounds and I feel as if I spend most of my waking moments cleaning or tidying and attempting to secretly give things away to donation sites. So what can you do when excess and clutter abound, as you feel your stress levels rise and your fuse grow short with those who share your living space?

Re-Gift or Swap

One option of what to do with Holiday gifts that didn’t quite meet your needs or was simply one gift too many is to re-gift it to someone you know. Or perhaps swap it with a friend. Did you receive a pair of shoes that don’t quite fit, but your best friend wears that size? Give the shoes to him/her. Or even swap them if your friend offers something in exchange. Reduce your clutter by letting go of items that don’t have a place in your home.

Donate

Another option for too many gifts or toys is to donate them. Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we accept stuffed animals and most textiles – here is our list of acceptable items. Many thrift stores accept all toys (hard and soft) in good condition. They also accept kitchen items, furniture and much more. A different way to donate is through a local “Buy Nothing” Facebook group where one can post free items no longer needed. This option for decluttering can potentially help others out in your community as well. For a textile recycling bin or partner resale store in your area, please contact us.

Donate to Refuge

For a specific way to declutter and help those in need, you can reach out to a local homeless or women’s shelter or other place of refuge. With ongoing admissions at these places of refuge, they are typically always in need of items for their residents. Many popular necessities are clothing, bedding, toiletries, etc. Reach out to your local village hall or simply google places of refuge in your area to find out how to connect with nearby shelters.

Animal shelters are also at times in need of donations, such as blankets, towels and pillows for animal bedding. If these are items you have in excess, call local shelters to ask for needed donations.

Donate Blankets & Winter Wear to Homeless

Last year we posted this blog about where to donate winter wear. Another great option for outgrown or excess winter wear and blankets or sleeping bags is to donate them to the homeless. Typically this can be done through shelters (as mentioned in the previous heading). Sometimes organizations also hold coat drives in the Fall and Winter to help homeless and families in need. As noted in the blog, the Chicago Bears typically hold an annual coat drive in conjunction with the Salvation Army. Though canceled for this year, Salvation Army continues to work to provide those in need with winter coats and offers opportunities for partners to hold coat drives to do the same.

Toys to Hospitals

Once your winter items are cleared out, toys can be the next category to tackle. If your home is similar to mine, it can constantly feel like toys are everywhere. Though we try to contain them in our playroom and the kids’ rooms, we find them spread throughout the kitchen, living room, bathroom and our bedroom on a daily basis. If toys are a large category you would like to downsize, one great place to reach out are local hospitals. For sick children stuck in hospital beds all day for unknown and ranging periods of time, toys can make their stay that much more tolerable. If you have toys in great condition that still work well, look into local hospitals to see what items they accept for donations.

Books to Schools & Libraries

Books are another great item that can be donated to a variety of places. Whether to a library or a school, books offer a way of learning, escape and imagination building to children and adults alike.

If you’re looking for some great organizations that accept book donations for charity and other causes, here is a great article sharing local Chicagoland places to donate.

Return or Exchange

Another option for unwanted gift items is to return or exchange them. If you were given a receipt for a holiday gift or if it still has a sales tag attached, you know exactly where to return the item. For those gifts without receipts or sales tags, you may need to gently ask the giver where he/she bought the item. Returns and exchanges give you the option of buying new items for others or more appropriate and needed items for yourself.

Sell

A last option for clearing out Holiday clutter is selling items you no longer need. There are many online opportunities to sell gifts or possessions, some of which are ebay, facebook marketplace and online resale sites, such as poshmark, mercari, etc. Simply uploading pictures and posting a short description opens opportunities to rid your home of excess.

Options Abound

With all of these options of what to do with excess and clutter, it is easy to clear out belongings you no longer need or want. Regardless of which option you choose, clearing away the clutter will have mental and emotional benefits in decreasing stress in your home. And reducing stress is always a good way to start the new year! For more information on Chicago Textile Recycling and donation locations, please contact us here.

New Year, New You

January 5, 2021December 11, 2020

Happy New Year! 2020 was a year to be remembered. Covid-19 made its way around the entire world, taking countless lives and causing fear in every home. Schools shut down and shifted to e-learning. Countries refused to import used clothing for several months. Thrift stores and donation bins were overwhelmed by donations of those stuck at home during prime spring cleaning time.

2021 is a brand new year! We have a new president taking office in the United States. The pandemic remains, but there is hope on the horizon, hope of a vaccine, hope of lower death rates as the initial onslaught subsides, hope of a new way of living as billions stayed at home, slowed down and reconnected. Whatever 2020 brought to your life, the new year is the perfect time to reassess, continuing on with the positive gained from last year, and letting go of the negative.

As you reassess for the year ahead, here are a few positive things you can implement in your own life this new year to care for our planet and for yourself:

5 Easy Recycling Resolutions

Last year, we posted this blog for the new year all about recycling resolutions. In it, we challenged our readers to:

Recycle Textiles
Reduce Textiles
30 Item, 30 Day Wardrobe Challenge
Recycling More than Textiles
Go One Step Further (with alternative wrapping paper, reducing junk mail, etc)

These resolutions help shape finite ways to play a part in caring for our planet and reducing anxiety in your own life around owning too much stuff. Recycling helps us feel good about doing good and slows down the amount of stuff that reaches the landfill each year. These ideas also give you avenues of creativity in finding alternative methods to doing everyday things such as picking clothes to wear or wrapping gifts. For the latter, check out this article posted last month about great alternatives to traditional wrapping paper.

Try Something New

As we continue to endure stay at home orders during our coldest season, why not try something new? If you are like me, being forced inside begins to make me feel like the walls are closing in, and though I am a transplanted southerner that would rather admire winter white by the window from the comfort of my warm home, I have three young children that often require my supervision outdoors.

When being stuck at home gets to be too much to bear, don that exquisite secondhand coat and that American-made, eco-friendly matching hat and gloves and see what fun new things you can try outside. For instance, I have never been on a snowmobile but would love to try it sometime. Neither have I cross-country skied. From what I’ve read from others, the key is dressing appropriately for the cold weather and committing to having fun!

Winter Wear

Have your children outgrown their coats and boots this year? Read this blog to see where to donate winter wear. Children’s resale sales abound in our area, and some have even gone online this year in the pandemic, allowing parents to shop from home and simply pick up items the following week curbside.

Reach out to neighbors and fellow moms to share items that children outgrow. Go through your own items and have your spouse go through theirs to pare down to what you most need and share your bounty with those in true need this winter. For those excess donations headed for your local thrift store, remember to check in with that location to find out pandemic hours and what they can and cannot accept. And never drop off to a location that is closed. Your items will not be resold but most likely head for a landfill if the location is overwhelmed and not accepting donations.

Happy New Year

As we head into this new year of the unknown, let us encourage each other to continue in hope. May we find fulfillment in doing good, in loving our neighbor and those inside our own homes well, in finding new (and old) ways of caring for our planet and in hoping for the future and for a time when this pandemic ends and we continue on in kindness. And may we always recycle our textiles. Happy new year!

Earth Day is Almost Here

April 17, 2020April 9, 2020

Next Wednesday is Earth Day. This year, 2020, marks 50 years of Earth Day being celebrated. On their website about Earth Day, the organizers of the Earth Day movement explain some of the history behind how Earth Day came to be:

“Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.

However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.”

Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. It was created to have a day focused on the environment and the concerns of air and water pollution. The very first Earth Day in 1970 had a turnout of 20 million Americans who “took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.” That first Earth Day “led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.” Twenty years later, Earth Day went global.

Ideas for Earth Day

Every year there are a wide number of events to attend in celebration and honor of Earth Day. This year, however, with coronavirus creating the need for social distancing, here are some other ways you can help in your own neighborhood, yard or corner of the world.

Virtual Event

On Wednesday, April 22nd, Chicago Park Districts Friends of the Parks is hosting a digital Earth Day celebration. Previously, they had organized a city wide parks clean up day for the weekend prior. However, this has been postponed due to coronavirus. They are planning to reschedule the outdoor clean up day once the “shelter in place” order has ended. Check here to find out more about their Digital Earth Day.