World Environment Day

Saturday, June 2

A daylong celebration of awareness and action

Bring your family to the Chicago Botanic Garden's fifth annual celebration of World Environment Day on Saturday, June 2. Activities and programs held throughout the Garden will explore how people of all ages can protect the earth through awareness and action. The theme is "Unite for a Sustainable Chicago."

Event Highlights

Opening of the Grunsfeld Children's Growing Garden

The day begins with a 9 a.m. dedication ceremony celebrating the opening of the Grunsfeld Children's Growing Garden. A ribbon cutting, tours of the garden, and activity stations for children will include children, parents, and teachers who have participated in Garden programs that connect children with nature.

PHOTO: Skilling Keynote Presentation

Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist; Bob Jordan, WGN-TV Anchor; and Dr. Don Wuebbles, professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
10:30 a.m. Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center

Tickets are available online or at the Visitor Center Information Desk.

Tom Skilling, WGN-TV's chief meteorologist; Bob Jordan, weekend anchor at WGN-TV's News at Nine; and Dr. Don Wuebbles, professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will present a panel discussion on the topic of Chicago's weather and its impact locally and globally.

Plastic Plant Container Recycling

Gardeners can recycle their plastic plant containers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in parking lot 4.

Sustainable Gardening Demonstrations

Garden scientists, ecologists, and horticulturists share their expertise through free and informal displays and demonstrations, beginning at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., take a walking tour with the Garden's aquatic curator to learn more about the North Lake Shoreline restoration project currently underway.

Take advantage of these special opportunities by visiting the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center and the Esplanade, where an information marketplace will bring together community groups, corporations, and elected officials.

Cleetus Friedman, chef for our summer Farm Dinners, will demonstrate recipes made with fresh, locally grown produce as part of the Garden Chef Series at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Stop by the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden throughout the day for your free heirloom tomato plant, Blondkopfchen tomato. Afterwards, visit the Windy City Harvest farmers’ market and take home fresh, seasonal produce grown with ecologically sound practices by students in our community gardening program.

All visitors are invited to visit the Garden Café. There you will discover exciting changes as well as information on our commitment to using sustainable practices throughout the Garden. From initiatives that reduce the amount of electricity we need to programs for lowering the amount of chemicals we use and trash we generate, the Garden is using as well as demonstrating ecologically sound practices that we hope will inspire our more than 900,000 annual visitors.

World Environment Day is generously supported by

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