Lean Mean Green Machine

From left, Ana Garcia Doyle, Derek Eder, Christine Poreba, Adrian Ayres Fischer, Chris Thomas, and Laurie Casey. Photo by Cesar Almeida.

By Joshua Bynum

We are thrilled to announce that One Earth Collective and Laurie Casey of COOP are both recipients of the Village of Oak Park’s 2023 Green Awards, recognizing outstanding efforts in sustainability and environmental stewardship in the community. Year-round incredible work is being done by individuals, businesses, and organizations in Oak Park to create a more sustainable future for all. 

One Earth Collective is a vibrant community of individuals and programs dedicated to promoting sustainability, environmental conservation, and social equity. Through a variety of initiatives, events, and campaigns, One Earth Collective seeks to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues and inspire action towards a more sustainable future. For example, One Earth Film Festival, a program of One Earth Collective, will be in its 13th year in 2024, and is the premier environmental film festival in the Midwest. 

Laurie Casey is a passionate advocate for community resilience and sustainable living, serving as founder of COOP (Community Outreach to Oak Park). With a background in environmental science and community organizing, Laurie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work. She also continues her work with One Earth Local, where she helps engage the community through community-based projects. Laurie's leadership and commitment to positive change make her an invaluable asset to COOP and the Oak Park community as a whole.

We reached out to Laurie Casey for a quote and she had this to say: "I felt honored to be recognized among many smart people I admire in this movement—the wonderfully brilliant Ana Garcia Doyle of One Earth, kind and smart Christine Poreba of Oak Park Public Library, hard-working and community-minded Erica Helms of the Village of Oak Park, and the ingenious and creative Derek Eder & Aya O'Connor of Oak Park Climate Action Network, among others."

One Earth Collective is proud to be a recognized leader in environmental activism for the village of Oak Park and beyond.