Author: Caroline Williams

My First Day of Ramadan at the Wild Things Conference

Posted on by Caroline Williams in Close to Nature, CMGT News, Conservation, Environmental Justice, Inspiration, Youth

On March 1, 2025, I attended the 29th Annual Wild Things Conference in Rosemont, IL. It is the the largest conservation gathering in the Midwest, regularly drawing nearly 2,000 of nature enthusiasts, hosted by the Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves.

Honestly, I was hesitant to attend it because it was also the first day of Ramadan. I usually have a headache on my first day of fasting, so I did not think I could survive and enjoy being in the crowd. Turned out, I was wrong. I had so much fun there meeting people and gaining new interesting knowledge.

The booklets from Wild Things Conference in 2019 and 2025.

Previously, I attended the 23rd Wild Things Conference in February 2019. At that time, I knew only a couple of people. This year, I saw so many familiar faces. The Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT) sent three members to the conference, myself as the Board President, CEO Layalee Beirat, and Outdoor Recreation Program Manager, Sara Siddique. I am grateful to receive a scholarship and travel reimbursement to attend the conference.

From the agenda, I saw many interesting topics related to my passion, Community Science. I attended the session, “Expanding and Democratizing Science Trough Teen-created Research Projects” presented by David Bild, Community Science Manager at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

David Bild presents Expanding and Democratizing Science Trough Teen-created Research Projects.

Bild presented an interesting summer STEM program for teens. It is a 6-week paid internship that engages 30 Chicago high school students in lab and field-based activities focused on urban ecology to develop their critical learning and skills.

This topic represents my idealism on science that everyone including youths can have fun applying the scientific method to appreciate nature.

I first learned about Community Science in 2018 from Bild when I attended the Chicago Conservation Corps training at the Nature Museum. My educational background is Physics, so I am naturally interested in anything related to science.

My interest in Community Science grew as far as getting a scholarship to attend the 2019 Citizen Science Association’s Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. I became an Ambassador for the Citizen Science Asia and wrote a report, “The Importance of Regional Citizen Science Organizations“.

I also organized Citizen Science events for CMGT, the 2020 Introduction to Citizen Science Workshop at Nature Museum and the 2021 Community Building with Zooniverse Webinar with Adler Planetarium. I am still determined to spread awareness about Citizen Science or Community Science. I am glad to find out at the conference that the topic is still being discussed and keeps expanding.

The next Community Science session I attended was “Plants of Concern: Community Science Rare Plant Monitoring in Action” presented by the Chicago Botanic Garden. Whenever I explore the outdoor, I love taking pictures of wild flowers because they represent beauty and resiliency in nature. It was awesome to learn about beautiful rare plants in Illinois and how community members can actively help scientists to find and collect data of these unique plants.

Grant Fessler presents Plants of Concern: Community Science Rare Plant Monitoring in Action.

Another interesting topic is “Systemic Racism and Urban Ecology: Application in Community Science” presented by Illinois Master Naturalists. The session showed how Community Science was applied as a tool to demonstrate concrete examples of systemic and environmental racism in our urban ecology.

This topic clearly aligns with the mission of the Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT) to increase awareness about Environmental Justice issues in our community. In the past, Joy Bailey, one of the Illinois Master Naturalists connected CMGT to the Friends of the Chicago River and helped us participated at the 2023 Chicago River Day at Kickapoo Woods.

Joy Bailey presents Systemic Racism and Urban Ecology: Application in Community Science.

The next session I attended was, “Making River Restoration Work for Migratory Birds” presented by Chicago Bird Alliance. It was not related to Community Science, but I learned about the result of research and data collected on migratory birds to support the river bank restoration for their natural habitat.

Additionally, from one of the presenters, Raed Mansour, I learned about how community members had fun participating in the restoration activities and enjoyed watching the wild life in areas located not far from where I live. Now I can not wait for Spring to be able to ride my bike and observe nature in those areas.

Raed Mansour presents Making River Restoration Work for Migratory Birds.

Mansour who formerly worked at the Chicago Department of Public Health and now working for the Metropolitan Planning Council connected the CMGT to Our Roots Chicago program and the Tree Equity Working Group in Chicago and beyond. This is why, the next session we attended was the “Community Roots: Bottom-up Approaches to Tree Stewardship and Advocacy” presented by the Chicago Region Tree Initiative (CRTI) Morton arboretum.

The CRTI crews, Paul Gordon, Varak Bosnoian, and Sam Works presented how community engagement comes in different forms for CRTI. They take a bottom-up approach, apply adaptive and creative ways of collaboration for Stewardship and Tree Ambassador Programs. In 2024, they worked with 40 community organizations including CMGT to get over 2,800 trees planted in the Chicago priority neighborhoods.

I can say that CMGT gains significant benefits, including financial and recognition of our hard work from becoming one of CRTI’s partner organizations.

Sam Works presents Community Roots: Bottom-up Approaches to Tree Stewardship and Advocacy. CMGT logo was displayed on the slide.

In these pictures: Caroline, Sara, Layalee from CMGT, Melinda, Sam, Paul, from CRTI, Claudia from Women from Green Spaces, Raed from Metropolitan Planning Council, and Krystyna from Shedd Aquarium.

At the end of the conference, I checked out, “The Effect of Military Activity on Wadi Gaza” a poster presented by Laura Shihadah, a graduate student from University of Illinois in collaboration with Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability.

The poster emphasizes the geographical significance of Wadi Gaza as one of the most importance coastal wetlands in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is an area rich in biodiversity and a stopover for many migrating birds from Africa and Eurasia. Using remote sensing, Shihadah was able to do analysis and assess the environmental degradation due to recent conflicts and natural disaster without ground surveys. The result of the study which was done from May 2023 to 2024 shows increasing bare ground and decreasing vegetation. Future research is suggested to analyze the area for a longer time period to gain better understanding of the trends in vegetation biomass.

The Effect of Military Activity on Wadi Gaza poster presentation by Laura Shihadah.

On the first day of Ramadan this year, Alhamdulillah, I feel grateful to gain new and interesting knowledge from the presenters. I also appreciate the “Quiet Room” provided at the conference. I was able to take a break and pray silently there. It feels amazing to be part of a big network of nature lovers in the Chicago region. In the future, CMGT may be able to present a poster or a speech at the conference to share experience in engaging our community to outdoor activities in order to strengthen our health, mentally and physically.

Learning Environmental History from Philately

Posted on by Caroline Williams in Advocacy, Close to Nature, Conservation, Environmental Justice, Environmental Justice, Info, Inspiration, Youth Activities

From my recent browsing at a flea market, I got an interesting philatelic item. It is the First Day Issue Stamp And Envelope of Anti Pollution Campaign, released in 1970.

There are four stamps attached to the envelope. As described by New York Times, the stamp designs incorporate two segments topped by pleas to “Save Our Soil,” “Save Our Cities,” “Save Our Water” and “Save Our Air.” The left portion of each stamp pictures the world as viewed from outer space. In adjoining panels, the Soil stamp shows wheat bent by the wind. The Cities stamp has children at play and skyscrapers in the background. The Water stamp depicts a fish. The Air stamp shows a bird.

A quote by Richard M. Nixon is printed on the envelope. “… Begin to make reparations for the damage we have done to our air, to our land, and to our water.”

Former President Nixon from the Republican Party was infamous for the Watergate Scandal that led to his resignation. His legacy in environmental policies is not well-known in the US.

From the Nixon Foundation, “President Nixon’s consequential environmental record is surprising to many people. The Nixon administration initiated many of the most important, and enduring, environmental policies in American history including: the signing of the National Environmental Policy Act, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the signing of the Clean Air Act of 1970, the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the signing of the Endangered Species Act, the signing of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the creation of the Legacy of Parks program, which converted more than 80,000 acres of government property to recreational use in 642 new parks.”

In 2017, Harvard Law School had a discussion on “The Remarkable Evolution of American Environmental Law from Nixon to Trump and Beyond.”

They discussed the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was initially created, and later championed, by Republican administrations. One of the panelists, James Barnes, a chief of staff to the first EPA administrator, noted that the environmental movement barely existed before 1970, the year of the first Earth Day.

The impetus was a string of environmental disasters, i.e., The Cuyahoga River catching fire, the Santa Barbara oil spill, the near-death of Lake Erie, and the near-extinction of the bald eagle. People were also beginning to notice that their favorite fishing hole was no longer producing fish. There were vast outpourings of public concern, an estimated 20 million people at sit-ins and protests. In 1969 Congress passed an environmental act that Nixon signed. He proclaimed that the 1970s will be the decade of the environment.

Unfortunately, environmental issues turned into divided political issues for Republicans and Democrats. Democratic opponents ridiculed George H.W. Bush for being serious about his aim to be “the environmental President.” Richard J. Lazarus from Harvard Law School and author of “The Making of Environmental Law” suggested that, neither Nixon nor Bush got much political return for their pro-environment stance, leading them to rethink their principles.

As President Trump returns to the White House, environmental issues continue being politicized and sharply dividing the American people. In 2012, Trump tweeted, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. In his 2025 Executive Order, Trump stated that, “Climate extremism has exploded inflation and overburdened businesses with regulation.” It is clear that Trump is prioritizing American businesses and manufactures over environmental issues championed by Republicans in the 70s.

Learning history is important to understand the political issues, like the historical shift of the ruling parties in pursuing the American ideal values, i.e., taking care of our environment and using science and technology to build a better civilization on Earth.

Learning history from stamps is one of the reasons I love Philately or stamp collecting. It was a popular hobby in the 80s. I sometimes exchanged and sold my extra stamps to my classmates to grow my collection. Stamps were the window to the world for me who grew up in Indonesia before the era of the Internet and email. To this day, I still enjoy learning history, nature, culture, and science from stamps.

How to Grow, Cook, and Enjoy Stir-fry Kangkung (Water Spinach) in Chicago

Posted on by Caroline Williams in Close to Nature, Green Idea, Inspiration, Life Hacks

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with more than 17,500 islands. The country is a home of 600 distinct ethnic groups with different cultures and traditional dishes. There are various Indonesian traditional plant-based dishes and my favorite one is a stir-fry Kangkung (Water Spinach) or we usually call it, “Tumis Kangkung“.

Indonesia Map (Source: Google Map)

This dish has a special place in my heart because it was part of my survival meal when I was a cash-strapped college student living on an island far away from my parents after high school. For me, who had never cooked before, this dish was cheap and easy to prepare .

Now that I live in Chicago, this dish also cures my homesickness. Thanks to the Asian (Thai-Vietnamese) grocery stores in the Uptown Chicago neighborhood, I can get all the cheap ingredients I need for this dish.

After years of buying Kangkung from the store, I recently started to grow it in front of the window. Instead of composting the leftover stems like I used to do, I placed them in jars full of water. They surprisingly grow well even during winter as long as they are not deprived of water.

After about 4-5 months, I harvested Kangkung and stir-fried it with spicy sauce or sambal I prepared days before. My sambal consisted of red chili peppers, garlics, shallots, candle nuts, lime leaf, and salt. I use this sambal as condiment for other Indonesian dishes. I also added a bit of dried shrimp, slices of ginger to my stir-fry Kangkung. For sweet taste, I added a tablespoon of soy sauce, and cherry tomatoes.

I used the cherry tomatoes that I harvested from my garden and froze them in a Ziplock bag. Cherry tomato is an easy plant to grow from seed. I am grateful to have an abundant harvest every time I grow them and they last for more than a year being frozen in a Ziploc bag. I simply drop frozen cherry tomatoes in a dish or soup whenever I need them.

After finished cooking, I love to enjoy Kangkung with steamed white rice, fried tofu, and more sambal. I usually can finish this Kangkung dish all in one sitting.

Other ways to cook Kangkung can be found on Youtube by searching “Stir-fry Kangkung”.

It feels great to be able to grow veggies and enjoy them in a meal that can remind me, an immigrant, of how I survived my past difficult life in my home country, far far away from Chicago.

An Eco-friendly Way to Start the New Year in Manhattan, NYC

Posted on by Caroline Williams in Close to Nature

“If your New Year’s resolution is to get healthy, join the Urban Park Rangers on a lengthy hike.” That’s the invitation written on the NYC park website for the New Year’s Day Super Hike, a free public event at Central Park on January 1st.

Manhattan, NYC is famous for its Time Square New Year celebration but not many people know there are healthy and eco-friendly events available for locals and tourists to enjoy for free of charge during the holiday season.

The hiking event at Central Park is part of nationwide First Day Hikes organized by America’s State Parks. It aims to encourage individuals and families to start the year on the right foot – by getting outside and connecting with nature. According to the Park’s website, there are more than 1,000 hikes available, including at Illinois State Parks.

At the hike, the Urban Park Rangers guided us for two hours exploring the park and shared awesome and interesting facts about rock, animals, trees, and history of the Park. For example, the fact that Central Park is a manmade park but it’s a home to natural rock that was formed around 500 million years ago left by a large glacier that covered all of New York City.

Another interesting fact shared by the Rangers is about the Eastern White Pine tree that can be found at the Arthur Ross Pinetum, a four-acre arboretum at Central Park that features a collection of 17 different species of pine trees. The White Pine is a magnificent and historically significant tree. Almost all parts of the tree, including needles, bark, resin, and wood are beneficial for humans.

The Lenape, a Native American tribe who originally inhabited New York used the herbs from the tree to make tea and medicine. The evergreen tree was also a symbol of great peace for native Americans. For the British, it was once the most valuable tree to build and maintain their huge number of ships to defend the Empire. In 1772, Pine Tree Riot happened due to the American colonies’ opposition to the King’s “Pine Tree Law” that culminated in the American Revolution.

After visiting Arthur Ross Pinetum, the Rangers guided us to Seneca Village and shared a history about forced displacement of a thriving community of predominantly African-Americans, many of whom owned property. This happened in the 1850s for the City government to acquire the land for the Park. The history of Seneca Village was long hidden until 2011, when an archaeological excavation of the area uncovered significant remains.

In this two-hour hike, we also visited other interesting spots like The Pool where we learned interesting facts about the ducks, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Turtle Ponds, Belvedere Castle, Bow Bridge and the famous Bethesda Terrace.

For locals and tourists in NYC, the annual First Day Hike event at Central Park is undoubtedly a perfect eco-friendly event to appreciate our health, nature, and history on the first day of the year.

Eastern White Pine Tree

Recycle Art & Craft: Crocheting Plastic Bags

Posted on by Caroline Williams in Info, Life Hacks, Recycle, Waste Management

Clean and used grocery plastic bag is not a waste and should not end up in the landfill. We can turn the bags into many useful and fun items, for examples: Welcome Mat, Sleeping Mat, a tote bag, a banner, even a dress to play costume or for other fun occasions.

Here is a very simple guide on how to start the project to upcycle plastic bags:

How to collect Plastic Bags

DO. NOT. PURCHASE. THEM. or collect them from restaurants or other stores.

In Chicago, we have to pay 7 cents to get plastic bags at grocery store. What a waste of money! Yes, we still can get plastic bags from restaurants, but that is NOT an eco-friendly way to collect plastic bags.

The best way to get them is from collection bins located in many grocery stores. Or, ask people to donate their plastic bags.

How to store plastic bags

If you end up collecting lots of plastic bags, save space by folding them into a triangle. This will not only save space but also keep your plastic bags clean and ready to be used for crafting purpose.

Step 1: Fold the end corner of plastic bag into triangle shape
Step 2: Fold it again
Step 3: Repeat it until the end
Step 4: At the end of it, fold the remaining part of the plastic into the pocket

How to create Plarn (plastic yarn)

To create the plastic yarn for crocheting, follow these simple steps:

Step 1:
Cut the plastic bags into 3 parts as shown (top, middle, bottom). Fold the middle part into two and folded it again. Cut it into 4 pieces with the same size. Keep the top and bottom parts to be used for the project or other purposes.

Step 2:
Open up all the 4 pieces to make 4 plarns, as shown in this picture.

Step 3:
Connect all the 4 plarns like shown in the picture. To make it clear, here we use different color of plarn.

Step 4:
After all plarns are connected, we are ready to crochet. For crocheting plarn, we use 19-20 mm hook.

How to crochet plarn for beginners

There are many videos on the internet on how to crochet plarn. This is one of them. It also explains from the beginning how to create plarn and provides many useful tips on crocheting plarn.