• Editor’s Note: This article is written by Kane County Resource Management Coordinator Jessica Mino.

As we have discussed in previous articles, plastic pollution is an issue impacting our lives, the well-being of wildlife, our water resources, and the environment as a whole.

More than 300 million pounds of plastics are produced each year. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, only 9 % of plastics in the United States are recycled each year. The remainder creates plastic pollution in our fields, waterways, and makes its way downstream to the oceans.

As the Plastic Pollution Coalition explains, “Plastic is a substance the earth cannot digest.”

The Fox Valley Sustainability Network’s upcoming forum will address tackling this global issue … locally.

From businesses, government, and local non-profits, everyone is stepping in to reverse this concern. But they need your support, too!

You can start by refusing single-use plastic and attending the Plastic Pollution Forum.

The forum will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin.

Speakers include:

• Gary Cuneen, Seven Generations Ahead
• Mindy Agnew, Village of Oak Park
• Abby Beck, Batavia Environmental Commission
• Cynthia Kanner, Environmental Defenders of McHenry County

Find out what is presently being done and how you can help at the Plastic Pollution Forum.

Admission is FREE but space is limited. Register here to reserve your spot.

About the Fox Valley Sustainability Network

The Fox Valley Sustainability Network brings together the public and private sectors from around the Fox Valley to cut across boundaries and create a healthy, sustainable and vibrant Fox Valley.

The Network is an ongoing entity working on various issues and projects within the Fox Valley. It marries a strong communications infrastructure with a series of action-oriented events to connect the dots to remake our communities and create an environmentally sustainable region. To be successful, we’ll need your help and participation.

SOURCE: Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources, Fox Valley Sustainability Network