The Chicago Park District has a comprehensive program about joining or starting a community garden:   

https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/community-garden

Both the Chicago Ornithological Society and the Chicago Audubon Society are excellent resources for bird lovers:

https://www.chicagobirder.org/      https://www.chicagoaudubon.org/

Here is the Chicago Tool Library site:  (This one is amazing!)

https://www.chicagotoollibrary.org/

Are you a film buff?  Check out this environmentally themed film fest:

         http://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/?utm_content=2/25/2023&DE=WBEZEmail

What is “upcycling”?  Upcycling is a form of recycling where, instead of turning waste into new materials, you take a product that you would otherwise throw away and give it a new use in life. Rather than recycle using a recycling bin, you use your creativity to update and renew old items.  Here’s an article with ideas big and small:

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/how-to/g139/genius-upcycling-ideas/?slide=7