Ways We Help
Furthering our cause is the most important goal of our organization. We seek to support, empower, and provide high quality resources to the San Long Grove community. Our success isn’t measured in terms of wealth or profit margin, but by the value we provide to those we serve. Learn more about what we do below.
Green Pulse Education x Project Learning Tree(PLT.ORG) Collaboration
Green Pulse Education, in collaboration with Project Learning Tree (PLT.ORG), utilizes trees and forests as gateways to enhance students' comprehension of the environment and the actions they can take to preserve it. Since 1976, PLT has reached 138 million students and trained 765,000 educators, empowering students to develop critical thinking skills in relation to intricate environmental matters.
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Green Pulse Education/PLT fosters students' awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the environment while nurturing their abilities to make informed decisions and assume personal responsibility for sustaining the environment and our quality of life, which relies upon it.
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How does the Green Pulse Education awareness program function?
The Green Pulse Education/PLT program consists of three equally vital components:
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High-quality educational materials tailored for grades PreK-12.
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Thoughtfully designed professional development opportunities. Our interactive activities make teaching and learning enjoyable, connecting children with nature, engaging students in the learning process and enhancing academic achievement. These materials are distributed alongside professional development, offered through in-person workshops or online courses.
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An extensive distribution and support network.
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Through the Green Pulse Education/PLT program, students are encouraged to make a difference in their schools, homes, and neighborhoods by participating in community action components and online learning programs like Green Schools. By teaching students how to think rather than what to think about complex environmental issues, we equip them with problem-solving skills necessary for making informed choices. Additionally, we contribute to preparing a 21st-century workforce capable of devising solutions to increasingly intricate environmental challenges, such as climate change and energy.
Green Pulse Go Green Single Use Plastic + Paper Bag Ban
Plastic pollution poses a grave threat to our environment, and the "Go Green" initiative, in partnership with Green Pulse Education, aims to address this pressing issue. Single-use plastic items, including plastic bags, have an astonishing lifespan of over 500 years but are often used for mere minutes before finding their way into our environment through burning, burial, or littering.
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Scientists have uncovered plastic pollution worldwide, from mountaintops to ocean trenches, and even inside our bodies. Startling studies reveal that humans ingest around 5 grams of plastics per week, and microplastics have been detected in human blood and deep within the lungs. Moreover, chemicals added to plastics, such as phthalates and PFAS, are known to disrupt hormonal activity, potentially leading to diabetes, cancer, and reproductive disorders.
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The "Green Pulse Go Green" initiative recognizes the critical role of single-use plastic bags in contributing to America's plastic pollution dilemma. With an alarming usage of 100 billion plastic bags per year in the country, the impact on places like Vernon Hills, where approximately 9.8 million plastic bags are consumed annually, cannot be ignored. Shockingly, only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled, and many end up as harmful litter in communities and oceans, posing health risks to the public.
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While paper bags are biodegradable, their production involves cutting down trees, consuming significant water, and employing toxic chemicals, fossil fuels, and heavy machinery. Therefore, as we strive to reduce single-use plastic bags, it's essential to be mindful of not exacerbating the environmental burden with an increased consumption of paper bags.
As part of the "Green Pulse Go Green" initiative, we encourage the adoption of eco-friendly alternatives, such as reusable shopping and produce bags. Increasing awareness of the detrimental impact of single-use plastics has led to successful legislation in various states and municipalities across the nation. However, the Midwest region, including Vernon Hills, must step up its efforts to protect our precious Great Lakes.
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We, the residents of Vernon Hills, call upon The Village of Vernon Hills to embrace the "Green Pulse Go Green: Single-Use Plastic and Paper Bag Ban" Initiative. This includes implementing a .20 cent local fee on all single-use plastic and paper bags, with exemptions for consumers eligible for SNAP benefits. The proceeds from this fee will be dedicated to establishing a sustainability committee for the Village, allowing Vernon Hills to develop and implement innovative strategies for a cleaner, greener future.
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Sign the petition HERE