A group of Naperville youth will encourage visitors to bring their own reusable bags to farmers markets in Naperville this summer.
The upcoming campaign to reduce the city’s reliance on plastic bags at open markets is one of the projects being undertaken by the recently launched Youth Team, an arm of the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force, or NEST.
The idea for the NEST Youth Team grew from a desire by Metea Valley High School senior Kylie Taczynski to create a sustainability hub at the Alive Center in Naperville.
Taczynski said she’s excited about the work NEST is doing and believes she and other students have a lot to contribute.
“There are so many small changes that could make that could have big effects,” said Taczynski, the team’s teen leader. “It’s our future. We’re the most impacted.”
NEST Chairwoman Cathy Clarkin said she jumped at the chance to include younger people in NEST’s mission.
Clarkin said she was impressed with Taczynski’s presence when the teen spoke to the Naperville City Council during an Aug. 31 workshop on NEST’s Sustainable Naperville 2036 report, making a passionate argument for why young people should have a voice in the city’s sustainability plans.
She also was one of the eight high school students featured in a moving, youth-produced video presented at the workshop that addressed the need to combat climate change at the community level.
The NEST Youth Team will follow the Alive Center’s “teen-led, teen-driven” approach because members need to focus on projects they feel are important, Clarkin said.
“The key to keeping them engaged is seeing that they’re making a concrete difference,” she said.
NEST will provide the guidance and mentoring. “We really want them to be empowered,” Clarkin said.
In addition, the youth team will get the opportunity to talk to decision-makers and meet with council members to provide a much-needed voice in Naperville about measures that directly affect their future.
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“They have a big stake,” Clarkin said. “They need to show they have a place in local government.”
The youth team plans to use members’ expertise in social media to promote NEST’s messages.
“We all understand we’re in a climate emergency,” Taczynski said, but people might not know what they can do to fight it.
Education is the way to give people a better understanding of the issues, she said, and social media is one outlet for getting the word out to people.
Another way is through projects like Earth Day celebrations.
The local event, still in the planning stages, will feature hands-on activities that will raise awareness of climate issues and serve as a recruitment tool to get more people involved.
Youth team membership is open to any high school and college student who lives or studies in and around Naperville.
Those interested are encouraged to go to www.sustainnaperville.org and look for the information about upcoming meetings.