Waste Less

Compost

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It is one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce our trash, address climate change, and build healthy soil. By turning our food scraps and yard trim into compost, we can transform our waste streams into a beneficial, value-added soil amendment and use it to protect the environment and create resilient communities.

Village compost program. Take advantage of the Village’s curbside composting program, an easy, economical way to turn your food waste into compost.
Backyard or Countertop composting. Instead of disposing of yard trimmings and kitchen scraps, you can compost them in your own backyard. Composting is an easy, fun and natural way to recycle. Compost can be made from most organic materials such as leaves, kitchen scraps, and yard trimmings, and it can improve the health of your soil and plants. Check out the NRDC’s guide to composting for tips and information:
Vermiculture. Worm composting is using worms to recycle food scraps and other organic material into a valuable soil amendment called worm compost. Click here for more information

Reduce

Green Block Parties & the Zero Waste Station Loaner Program

The Village has several Zero Waste Stations that are available for residents to borrow for neighborhood events. Waste Stations allow participants to sort their trash, recyclables, and compost materials into separate bags and then dispose of all the bags as part of the Village's weekly trash, recyclable, and compost pickups. The Waste Stations include the foldable waste station, bags, and instructions on how to sort the waste.

Waste Stations can be reserved using the Sort-It-Out Loan Program Agreement. To reserve the station for a block party, click here and navigate to "other permits."

Ways to Reduce Waste

The below tip and tools are actions you can take to reduce waste:

Avoid single-use plastics. Disposable plastic items don't biodegrade. They just break down into micro particles that contaminate our environment. Microplastics, smaller plastic particles that result from single use plastic breaking down, pollute our water sources and even our food. NRDC guide on single use plastics
Purchase less
Purchase second-hand
Waste Sorting Guides
Quick Tips to Reduce Waste at Home

Reuse

The Repair Cafe

Do you have electronics in need of repair? Stop by Repair Cafe - Oak Park, where you can bring your broken electronic items for repair! A crew of skilled volunteers will work to repair your items for free, helping you limit the waste that ends up in landfills.

Located at 624 S. Oak Park Ave in the Fox Center in Oak Park, Repair Cafe is open the first Saturday of every month from 10am-1:30pm. For more information, click here.

Recycle

Information on the Village's recycling program and special recycling events can be found at the links below.