More than recycling

Gary Church's Green Team continuously looks for ways to care for God's creation. We encourage you to read The United Methodist Church's Social Principles: Community of All Creation.


In addition to the quarterly Styrofoam recycling events (see below), the team invites you to bring your own reusable dishes and utensils for all your food and fellowship opportunities at church, including when you provide treats.


As the Green Team explores the carbon footprint of Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, Illinois, look to the e-news for new ways in how you can help.


How can you help?

● Keep bringing your reusable drinkware to church for cold and hot beverages and try to use only one paper towel in the church bathroom (or the electric hand dryer).
● Remember to recycle at municipal electronics collections (e.g., 2nd Saturdays in Wheaton) and at SCARCE.
● See below for more opportunities!


Is your church group interested in learning more about how they can support low-waste events or be involved in caring for creation? Contact the Green Team through the Church Office - we’d love to explore this with you.

Summer focus

This summer we encourage you to

  • look for a rain barrel around the Wesley Center that is collecting water for the gardens
  • join us at our second net-zero waste picnic after Worship in the Park in August 16 at 10 a.m. in Memorial Park
  • bring your Styrofoam on July 19 for collection in the South Driveway before and after worship – we will drive it to Dart Container recycling center in Aurora – or you can take it yourself. PLEASE – do not bring material before July 19 and put it in the storage room “garage” space – we cannot store this material there.

Common Ground garden
Plant, weed, water and harvest Gary Church’s garden plots at Wheaton Park District’s Atten Park. Produce grown in the Common Ground garden will be delivered to local food pantries. Sign up here to help.


Styrofoam recycling

As part of our Christian responsibility to care for God’s creation, Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, IL, has operated a Styrofoam recycling ministry for several years, with the goal to keep this useful but non-degradable material out of our landfills. Increased online purchasing has exacerbated the desire by all to reduce disposal of this material. Our volunteers take the collected items to the Dart Container Corporation 24/7 public recycling center, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.


2026 Styrofoam recycling dates

The recycling collection Sundays in 2026 are Jan. 11, April 19, July 19 and Oct. 18, 8:45–10:30 a.m., South Driveway. Can you help one time or more for collection or driving duties? If so, please contact Elaine McCluskey through the Church Office.  If you miss the dates, feel free to drop off Styrofoam at Dart Container Corporation, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.




QUIZ: CAN THESE BE RECYCLED IN YOUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING CAN?

Cardboard egg cartons
Clean aluminum foil
Paper towels
Paperback books
Bags that contained flour or sugar


It’s important to learn more about what can and cannot be recycled, so you don’t contaminate your entire recycling can with one item. Take the quiz above. Answers can be found on your city’s website or on a helpful list of items that should not be placed in curbside bins, which is available from SCARCE.

Remember that #6 plastic (Styrofoam) is one of the things you cannot place in curbside recycling.

~Elaine McCluskey and the Styrofoam Recycling Team


To find out more about recycling in your community, go to your city’s website and search “recycling” or find links to the city and county webpages below.