Sustainability-Driven Westfield Old Orchard Helps North Shore Community Recycle Items in April Through Partnerships With Village of Skokie and Abt Electronics
Known for its environmentally conscious efforts and being a part of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, one of the most sustainability-focused commercial real estate companies around, Westfield Old Orchard successfully collected a record breaking number of items to be reused and recycled through community events during the month of April.
Kicking off the campaign, Chicagoland's premier shopping center and lifestyle destination partnered with the Village of Skokie's annual Spring Greening Recycling event on April 2. The event was held at Westfield Old Orchard's West parking lot; North Shore residents donated everything from electronic items to prom dresses and fluorescent bulbs that could be repurposed and recycled. The Spring Greening Recycling event collected and diverted over 30 tons of e-waste and other sensitive materials away from landfills in that one single event.
"We appreciate Westfield Old Orchard and our many community partners, including the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, Skokie Park District and Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, for supporting sustainability and environmental stewardship in our community," said Village of Skokie director of Public Works Max Slankard. "Initiatives like the popular Spring Greening Recycling event at Westfield Old Orchard assist the Village in achieving our ambitious Environmental Sustainability Plan goals, including decreasing landfill waste by 10 percent by 2030, while providing residents with a convenient way to responsibly dispose of e-waste and other items."
On Earth Day (April 22), Westfield Old Orchard partnered with Abt Electronics, the independent North Shore electronics and appliances retailer that is largely recognized for its expansive and renowned green initiatives. Throughout the day, community members dropped off unusable and worn-out electronics, including cell phones, blenders and satellite receivers, to an Abt Electronics truck stationed in the center's West parking lot. With the teamwork of Westfield Old Orchard and Abt Electronics, two trucks filled with electronic items were recycled throughout the day.
These single-day events come alongside Westfield Old Orchard's long standing commitment to partner with retailers and organizations that share in its prioritization of sustainable practices. Westfield Old Orchard is proud of its retailer partners with year-round green initiatives that allow community members to get involved, including:
• Clothing and Book Donations Spots: Westfield Old Orchard has year round clothing and book donation bins to give surplus items a second life.
• Madewell: Shoppers can bring in any brand of old jeans and receive a $20 coupon off for any full-price jeans.
• Nordstrom: Shoppers can donate empty containers that will be recycled; collection bins are located in the beauty department.
• Marine Layer: Shoppers can drop off old t-shirts that will be re-spun and received to receive an instant credit.
• LUSH: Shoppers that bring in five empty black or clear pots will receive a free fresh face mask.
Sustainability will always be the center of focus for Westfield Old Orchard, as the current initiatives include renewable energy through energy efficient LED retrofits that saves over 1.4M KwH annually and real-time water monitoring and leak detection system that was installed on main meter back in 2021. As previously announced, the shopping center is still on track to hit one hundred percentage waste diversion by 2030.
"Westfield Old Orchard always strives to make a sustainable impact on our community and environment through our retailer partnerships and community stakeholder collaborations like the Village of Skokie and Abt Electronics," said Westfield Old Orchard senior general manager Serge Khalimsky. "We look forward to enhancing our green initiatives throughout the shopping center and some already in progress for the summer season that include improved landscaping with native trees and plants."
To learn more, visit https://www.westfield.com/oldorchard.
About Westfield Old Orchard
Westfield Old Orchard is Chicagoland's premier shopping center and lifestyle destination. With an incredible wealth of over 150 retailers, dining options and event spaces including Louis Vuitton, Bloomie's, Bar Siena and Tory Burch, and an exciting lineup of new initiatives and programming in the coming year, the center is transforming the in-person shopping experience for Chicago's North Shore and beyond. Learn more about Westfield Old Orchard, its retailers, upcoming events and initiatives at www.westfield.com/oldorchard, or visit the center at 4905 Old Orchard Center at the intersection of Skokie Blvd and Old Orchard Road in Skokie, Ill.