DTOP Goes Green

DTOP Goes Green is a forward-thinking initiative designed to empower local businesses and the Downtown Oak Park district to embrace sustainability while strengthening economic vitality.

By providing resources, guidance, and public recognition, DTOP Goes Green helps local businesses reduce their environmental impact, lower operating costs, and attract environmentally conscious customers. At the same time, it reinforces Downtown Oak Park’s identity as a vibrant, resilient, and sustainable commercial district.

Together, we are building a greener downtown – one business and one event at a time.

Riding the Green Wave at Events

Oaktoberfest Sustainability Initiatives

In 2025, DTOPBA introduced several new sustainability initiatives at Oaktoberfest to reduce waste and encourage environmentally friendly practices, including:

Water Buggy: Provided free water refill stations, encouraging attendees to use reusable water bottles and reducing reliance on single-use plastic bottles.
Reusable Aluminum Beer Cups: Replaced plastic beer cups with reusable aluminum cups.
Recyclable Drinkware: Used recyclable cups for single-serve beer and wine.
Waste Diversion Stations: Installed clearly marked stations throughout the festival for landfill, recycling, and compost collection.
Compostable Food Service: Required all participating restaurants and food vendors to use compostable food containers and serviceware.

Thursday Night Out Sustainability Efforts

DTOPBA partnered with the Village of Oak Park to implement waste diversion stations at Thursday Night Out events, providing separate collection for landfill, recycling, and compost. Through this partnership, approximately 60% of event waste was diverted from the landfill.

Supporting Sustainable Business Practices

DTOPBA collaborated with local businesses to encourage the use of environmentally responsible materials by requiring participating restaurants and food vendors at both Thursday Night Out and Oaktoberfest to serve food in compostable containers. These efforts support the organization’s broader commitment to reducing waste and advancing sustainability throughout Downtown Oak Park.