Learn and Do: Simplify Your Summer
Originally written for Go Green Glen Ellyn, adapted with permission for Waste Not Want Not
We all have a lot going on at the moment. No need to list—you know it all by heart. So this is your sign to relax and enjoy summer! Getting outside is going to be our top recommendation. No one has to tell WNWN readers that being outdoors is good for you, but it's always nice to get a nudge! Research suggests that getting outside will help improve mental wellbeing, cognition and mood. Sign us up!
Take a Walk and Notice Stuff. I was walking my dog the other day but decided not to listen to a podcast or make a call. I just noticed. I first noticed how many people are embracing native plants—Yay! If you stop in front of a patch, it won't be long before you see the pollinators buzzing from flower to flower. And so many birds—I have begun my bird nerd journey by downloading the Merlin App from Cornell that identifies birds by sound or sight. Chicago has lovely yards for noticing and listening, as well as a plethora of parks. What is your favorite place to walk and notice stuff? Let us know!
Tour a Garden, or Dig in the Dirt. Gardening is also known to be a mental health booster. I have been replacing my parkway turf with native plants, and I can vouch that this process is also great exercise and a community builder, providing so much opportunity to chat with walkers, and even some driving by.
Go Stargazing. We have written about the Dark Sky movement and reducing light pollution, but it can be tough to see stars in Chicago. Heading west or south can get away from urban lights, but the only certified Dark Sky park in Illinois is Middle Fork River in Champaign County. Have a look at the pics on their website, or better yet, plan a weekend camping trip to enjoy this preserve and a look at the heavens.
Exercise outdoors in a new way. Hit the water and kayak in a local waterway. There are places to canoe or kayak with wilderness or skyscrapers as a backdrop. Try Chicago's Wild Mile or, just west, Fox River boating. Or hit the trail with your bike.
Head to the beach. The Chicago area is full of lovely beaches. Enjoy the last of the summer weather before fall sweeps in!
Hang a hammock or pull up a lawn chair or blanket and read or chill. A good book can be read anywhere, and there is no reason being outside means always being on the move. Check out one of our favorite books, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and enjoy the rest of summer.
Join the Environmental Action Committee as we work to justly affect climate change with the ultimate goal of preserving democracy by maintaining the health of our one and only planet and all that lives on it. Email us at environment@lwvchicago.org for access to our next meeting.