Climate Caregivers: Connie Schmidt’s advocacy starts at home

Thirty-year Sierra Club member Connie Schmidt’s introduction to environmental advocacy began in her back yard — and she’s kept it that way.

When Schmidt found out about the impending construction of a power line through the historic Illinois Prairie Path near her home in the mid-1990s, she found herself opposing the project at DuPage County headquarters and even the Illinois Commerce Commission’s office in downtown Chicago.

The development wasn’t completely scrapped, but it was shortened and moved off the centerline of the path. The experience stuck with Schmidt, a Riverside native and resident of Warrenville. She promptly joined Sierra Illinois and took up the mantle as the organization’s first local-issues chairperson.

Schmidt widened her breadth, moving up to serve as chair and vice chair of the executive committee of the statewide chapter for four and three years, respectively. But whether it was biodiversity, water management or climate change, she always found herself gravitating back to that local angle.

“I got involved because of a local issue, and I stayed involved. I'm now very much still back to focusing on local issues,” Schmidt said. “It’s essential that we have good federal and statewide laws that help protect us and guide some of our local municipalities and our county. However, I think it’s really important that we take a more active role in preserving our communities to be the best they can be for our future generations.”

Schmidt also looks to the past for inspiration: She grew up in a politically active family, her father being the township assessor for Riverside for 40 years.

Now retired from teaching, Schmidt serves as a trustee on the Warrenville Library Board alongside her volunteer work with the Sierra Club.

“At the last election, it was just really important (to run),” she said. “Our municipal offices and our local school boards and whatnot, those offices touch on our everyday lives even more than our congressional representation does.”

Schmidt also is connected with local cultural and social justice groups such as Immigrant Solidarity DuPage and DuPage County NAACP, the latter of which she previously served as environmental chair for two years.

“It's vitally important to hold space to share environmental things that are going on, and also, because of environmental justice issues, to make sure we’re listening,” she said. “Sierra Club is the environment, but it's also justice and concern about healthy communities in general.”

With her term as vice chair of Sierra Club Illinois having recently expired, Schmidt now is focused on the River Prairie Group chapter, based in DuPage County. Her recent pursuits include clean transportation — electric school buses in particular — as well as partnering with the DuPage Monarch Project.

The project is a collaborative group that hosts hands-on initiatives to support monarchs and other pollinators while also prioritizing education and engagement.

“It seems to me we have two major existential threats that are dependent on each other in the world today: One is climate, and one is biodiversity and elimination of species. They go hand in hand,” Schmidt said. “Although monarchs are the flagship of the work, protecting native habitat for biodiversity is our priority, specifically for the huge variety of pollinator species that we have.”

Lonnie Morris, the founder and coordinator of the DuPage Monarch Project, said Schmidt not only has the knowledge and networking skills to advocate for the environment, but she also has the charisma.

“Her incredible charisma and warmth is so important for an activist because it draws people in. She is naturally inclusive, which when you’re talking about climate change, that’s a tough sell for a lot of people,” Morris said. “If you come on too strong, people tend to give up hope, and if you get too technical, it sounds too hard. But Connie has the perfect introduction for people because she makes you feel like we’re all gonna come together and make this happen.”

As its name suggests, the River Prairie Group also is heavily involved in local streams and rivers. This month, the organization hosted an informative meeting about restoration work along Salt Creek, particularly exploring the recent removal of the Grague Mill dam from Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve.

The in-person meeting drew a crowd of about 40 curious residents. It was the type of gathering where Schmidt polls for interest of anyone looking to get more involved. This time, when she passed the clipboard around, she got about five responses.

“I'm just trying all kinds of ways to get people involved,” Schmidt said. “A concern I have is hoping that other people and especially young families feel an ownership in wanting to help preserve the environment for their future generations. I do hope somehow the trend starts to change where everyone starts to feel a sense of responsibility to do their personal best, and then maybe even be involved in a community organization to help further.”

Morris, who’s worked with Schmidt for about 20 years and has taken many a road trip to attend climate marches with her, added one of Schmidt’s most valuable qualities as an advocate is simple: She makes things fun.

“It really is important,” Morris said. “Not only is she warm and charismatic, but she makes things fun. Time spent with her is enjoyable.”

• This story is one in a series of profiles of suburban residents who play an extraordinary role in protecting the environment. If you know someone whose efforts deserve to be recognized, send your recommendation to Jenny Whidden at jwhidden@dailyherald.com. Whidden is a climate change and environment writer working with the Daily Herald through a partnership with Report For America supported by The Nature Conservancy. To help support her work with a tax-deductible donation, see dailyherald.com/rfa.