BN GREEN EVENTS is a free community calendar provided by the Ecology Action Center to promote environmental classes, workshops, presentations, and more within the the Bloomington-Normal area. Submit your event using the public submission form. Inclusion of events within the BN Green Events Calendar does not constitute endorsement by the Ecology Action Center.
Upcoming Events
Events List Navigation
Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0 Solar Power Hour
Thinking about going solar? Residents throughout McLean County have an opportunity to participate in Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0, a grassroots program combining volume purchasing with community education to make solar more accessible and affordable. Property owners and renters alike may participate in this program! Regardless of where you live in the county, you can participate in any of the free informational Solar Power Hours. You’ll learn about the basics of solar, its financial implications for a household, and how the solar…
Find out more »Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0 Solar Power Hour
Thinking about going solar? Residents throughout McLean County have an opportunity to participate in Solar Bloomington-Normal 2.0, a grassroots program combining volume purchasing with community education to make solar more accessible and affordable. Property owners and renters alike may participate in this program! Regardless of where you live in the county, you can participate in any of the free informational Solar Power Hours. You’ll learn about the basics of solar, its financial implications for a household, and how the solar…
Find out more »Rain Barrel Workshop
Join us at our upcoming rain barrel workshop on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 9:00 a.m., where YOU build your own water-saving rain water collection and storage container. Workshop prices are $45 ($35 EAC member price). The workshop includes: A reused, 55-gallon, food-grade, heavy-gauge plastic barrel (non-food-grade, MSDS datasheet provided) A flexible plastic elbow to direct rain water from your downspout to your rain barrel. Fits 3″ downspouts. A 6″ heavy duty screen to prevent entry of mosquitoes and leaves High-quality fittings…
Find out more »Wetlands in Nature
What is is wetland? Well, how a wetland is defined can depend on the agency involved! In this program, Vernon LaGesse will discuss at the history of wetlands in Illinois and also a few current wetland restoration projects in the state. Presenter Bio: Vernon LaGesse has been conducting stewardship and restoration work for 30 years. He is founder and Executive Director of a local not-for-profit land trust The Friends of Sangamon Valley in Springfield, IL. His current work mostly involves organizing all…
Find out more »Sugar Creek Stewards Workday
Come join us for our June workday along Sugar Creek! We need help improving Sugar Creek in designated areas throughout Bloomington and Normal, by clearing invasive plant species and managing the non-invasive plants. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older (or 14 and accompanied by a parent or guardian) and be able to hike along uneven terrain and safely use basic hand tools such as loppers and bow saws. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring your own work gloves and (reusable)…
Find out more »Yard Smart Garden Walk
The Ecology Action Center is holding its sixteenth annual Yard Smart Garden Walk on Saturday, June 23, 2018. This free tour highlights beautiful and functional yards in our community that protect our environment, benefit wildlife, and use few or no synthetic chemicals. The event features a plant and garden tool “Freecycle” Exchange. Bring garden plants (please label them!) or tools to give away— everything must be free. After the garden walk, we reconvene for (a zero waste) lunch, a short…
Find out more »Rain Gardens With Native Plants
Why do we need to be concerned about how we manage storm water around our homes? Storm water can carry pollutants from our lawns into the streams and rivers around our community as well as other problems. What can we do? In this program, Jeff Kohmstedt will share ways to manage this water such as by using rain barrels and creating rain gardens with native plants. He will also share other ways we can help protect the rivers, water, and…
Find out more »Hill Prairies: Past, Present and Future
Illinois is the “Prairie State” but most people have misconceptions of what an actual prairie is. Hill prairies are more than just “prairies on a hill” and because of their landscape position and past land usage, they are one of the most common remnant prairie types left in central Illinois. John Wilker will share with us the many factors affecting development of these rare unique ecosystems. He will tell a compelling story of how they developed, why they are still…
Find out more »Propagating Natives from Seed
This program will discuss the ins and outs of collecting seed from native plants, the best ways to store them, and how to get them to grow. We will take a particularly close look at how to break seed dormancy, perhaps the most challenging and poorly understood aspect of propagation. But, by following a few simple protocols, you will find that most species can be cultivated quite readily. Presenter Bio: Ed Cope is a Restoration Ecologist working for the Natural…
Find out more »
