Helping make Des Plaines a greener city one day at a time.
THINK GREEN. ACT GREEN.
Go Green Des Plaines wants to recognize efforts being made in our community that exemplify our mission of showing how everyone can be more sustainable, make an environmental difference and do their part in making the world a better place. Therefore, we will be shining a light on individuals, groups, schools, classes, or businesses that have worked to educate others to reach this goal.
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If you would like to nominate someone or a group or business, please reach out to us at Info@gogreendesplaines.org.
We will be naming Changemakers on a quarterly basis and will feature them here and announce them at a
Des Plaines City Council meeting.
Go Green Des Plaines is thrilled to announce that we have named Alderman Mark Walsten our next ChangeMaker! Mark has been an active and passionate supporter of sustainability for decades and he is not slowing down! He has been a supporter of Go Green Des Plaines since our beginning, has been an advocate for us on the Des Plaines City Council while helping us navigate the governmental waters.
Mark takes potential threats to the environment seriously. He recently organized an informational town hall meeting about data centers and invited The Sierra Club, the Citizens Utility Board and Prairie Rivers Network to share information on the environmental impact of data centers. This timely presentation drew a standing-room only crowd of over 100 people.
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Mark has been instrumental in many successful programs, including: “green movie” nights at the local theater; a new green custodial plan which converts all cleaning solutions in city-owned buildings to zero VOC emissions; the purchase of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for the city’s fleet which reduces pollution by 80%; the use of permeable pavement for the city’s alley reconstruction program that returns rain water to the aquifer and reduces area flooding; the “No Idle Zone” area at local railroad crossings; the bi-annual computer and electronics recycling program, increasing the number of trees planted on city parkways; and lobbying for support of Illinois House Bill 6660 (promoting wind turbine net metering alliance).
As a resident of Des Plaines for over 27 years, many of you know Mark. Next time you see him, be sure to thank him for all his work to make Des Plaines, and Mother Earth, a greener, better place to live!