Experiences & Activities
Find more experiences on the Whova App! Looking for a group meditation, guided tour, networking sessions or other activities? While at Circularity 24, be sure to download the Whova App for more experiences brought to you by Circularity and your fellow attendees.
Field Trips & Activities
Experience The Blue Paradox® Exhibit on the Plastic Pollution Crisis
Hosted by SC Johnson
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM + Thursday, May 23, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: The Museum of Science + Industry
Transportation: Provided, meeting spot in confirmation email*
Close your eyes and imagine a blue hue everywhere around you. Where are you and why? SC Johnson invites you to experience The Blue Paradox®, an immersive exhibit on the plastic pollution crisis located at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The Blue Paradox® aims to illuminate a paradox when it comes to plastic use: while the widespread use of plastic in our daily lives has led to considerable advancements in modern society, increased convenience, and reduced reliance on natural resources, it has become one of the most pervasive pollution issues facing our ocean ecosystem and the planet.
To learn more about The Blue Paradox, presented by SC Johnson and Conservation International, please click here.
Capacity: 25 people/tour
Green Era Campus Tour
Tour the Green Era Campus
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Green Era Campus
Transportation: Provided, meeting spot in confirmation email*
Discover the Green Era Campus in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood—a once-contaminated brownfield now transformed into a vibrant hub for renewable energy and urban agriculture. Led by a knowledgeable representative, this tour offers insights into food waste management, renewable natural gas and nutrient production, urban agriculture, and community empowerment. With initial designs inspired by local youth, the finished campus will reflect the ingenuity and collaboration of Auburn Gresham's residents. Join us for a glimpse into environmental innovation and community resilience.
Capacity: 50 people
Featured mural titled "Texhihuizi" by Chicago-based artist, CHema Skandal!
Chicago Lakefront Naturalist Walk
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Meet in the Marriott Marquis lobby
Capacity: 15 guests, first come first served!
Take a walk along Lake Michigan’s shoreline to McCormick Bird Sanctuary and the Caracol Gathering Space. Learn about local wildlife, restoration efforts, and places where the community connects to this amazing landscape. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a water bottle for this 3.5-mile round-trip hike along the lakefront with Openlands Restoration and Trails staff Laura Barghusen, Chris Bourbois, and Lillian Holden.
After Dark Party
Date/Time: Thursday, May 23, 8:30 PM - 12:00 AM
Location: Reggies Chicago
Address: 2105 S State St, Chicago, IL 60616 (8-minute walk from the hotel)
Elevate your conference experience with our electrifying after-party! Join us for drinks, karaoke, and live music as you connect with fellow attendees. Get ready to unleash your inner rockstar and make unforgettable memories at the ultimate post-conference celebration. And don't worry, the band will keep playing all the classics until your colleagues decide to join in the fun.
Wellness Activities
Full Moon Salutation: A Circular Yoga Practice!
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: Wellness Room, George Pullman
Host: Kayla Russick
Description: Come relax & calm your mind with chandra namaskara, a circular, cooling, and flowing yoga practice to salute May 23rd's full moon; one of our favorite spheres!
Sunrise Loop Run
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
Location: Meet in the circle drive outside the lobby of the Marriott Marquis Chicago.
Host: Katie Ryan
Description: Start Circularity 24 on the right foot. All levels welcome for a casual, sociable 3 - 4 mile run. It's an out and back course, alongside the lovely Lake Michigan, to allow for multiple distances and paces. Meet in the circle drive outside the lobby of the Marriott Marquis Chicago. Bring your own water, shoes, and a (net!) positive attitude.
"Double Bean Loop" Morning Run
Date/Time: Thursday, May 23, 6:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Location: Meet at the parking lot: South West corner of Women’s Park & Gardens
Host: Almog Paz (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
If you're ready for a morning boost on day 2, join us for the invigorating "Double Bean Loop." Starting at Chicago Women's Park & Gardens—just a 7-minute walk from the Marriott Marquis Chicago—we'll pace along the scenic Grant Park, pause to admire Chicago's iconic "Bean" statue, and then loop back for more [coffee] beans at Spoke & Bird coffee shop in South Loop. This is a ~5-mile loop and we'll plan to settle into a pace group or two that works for everyone. This run promises beautiful sights, a touch of whimsy, a great way to meet others, and of course... beans! See the route here.
Cultivate Vitality with Breath-Work and Meditation
Date/Time: Thursday, May 23, 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Wellness Room, George Pullman
Host: Jake Mitchell
Join us to build energy and groundedness through the power of breath! Jake will lead you through easy to follow breath-work exercises and close with a loving-kindness meditation. These exercises are designed for simplicity so you can implement them into your regular day-to-day. All levels are welcome, beginners encouraged!
Closing Reflection and Guided Sensory Meditation
Date/Time: Friday, May 24, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Wellness Room, George Pullman
Host: Nethra Rajendran
On the final day of Circularity, let's reflect as a community on our takeaways of the conference while relaxing and recalibrating our senses. Join in on this open discussion followed up a guided meditation to help you flow into the holiday weekend.
Cody Norman Studio
In his studio, Cody designs, builds, and creatively misuses tools, such as a handheld plastic extrusion gun made from an old drill, and a Kuka industrial robot that was retired from a Mercedes factory only to find a new life 3D printing with recycled plastics. Cody collects plastics from over 50 households and businesses in his community. His work challenges viewers to ponder what materials they’re looking at, how the object was made, and what will happen to it when it’s discarded.
Cody’s forms are inspired by nature and sustainability. He designs, builds, and creatively misuses his own tools, such as the handheld plastic extrusion gun, which melts recycled plastic into improvisational organic forms. Cody uses a Kuka industrial robot, formerly a tool of mass production, to create one-of-a-kind objects in unique ways. Through his work, Cody hopes to challenge users to consider how things are made and rethink their consumption of single-use plastics and their contributions to the waste stream. Come see Cody's art in the ballroom!
Website: https://codynorman.studio/
Say goodbye to the awkward moments of inserting yourself into a conversation! Networking shouldn't be nerve-wracking; it should be an enjoyable and meaningful experience. Join us for our curated guided networking sessions, where you can engage in intimate conversations, explore guided questions designed to foster deeper connections, and participate in unique icebreakers and activities! Our hosts are experts in their respective fields, and they have carefully curated exciting new ways to facilitate connections. Check out the guided networking sessions below and elevate your networking experience with us!
Guided Networking for First Time Circularity Attendees
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Location: Networking Lounge, Probability, Level 3
Host: Emily Konchan
Are you new to Circularity and interested in meeting new people and forging genuine connections across this dynamic community? Join this guided networking breakfast to participate in facilitated activities that spark new connections and spur new ways of thinking and opportunities for partnership. This guided session aims to lower the barriers of spontaneous networking.
Guided Networking for Sustainability Communicators
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Networking Lounge, Probability, Level 3
Host: Katie Ryan
Calling all those with a role in strategizing and communicating sustainability impacts! Meet with those in our community you know and get to know the ones you don’t in a way that builds meaningful connection. We’ll jump over the barriers of spontaneous networking and connect over stories from the trenches and talk through what’s working and how to overcome what’s not. See you there!
Guided Networking for LGBTQIA Attendees
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 22, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Networking Lounge, Probability, Level 3
Host: Shannon Lewis + Wylie Heiner
Please join your fellow LGBTQ+ sustainability professionals in a guided networking session hosted by Out in Climate. This is a great opportunity to forge meaningful professional relationships with other queer colleagues working to mitigate climate change!
Guided Networking for Women
Date/Time: Thursday, May 23, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Networking Lounge, Probability, Level 3
Host: Laurie McGinley
Do you want to meet new people and forge genuine connections across the Circularity community? Join this guided networking session for women to participate in facilitated activities that spark new connections and spur new ways of thinking and opportunities for partnership. This guided session aims to lower the barriers of spontaneous networking.
Guided Networking for BIPOC Professionals
Date/Time: Thursday, May 23, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Networking Lounge, Probability, Level 3
Host: Bryan Lewis
Do you want to meet new people and forge genuine connections across the Circularity community? Join this guided networking lunch for BIPOC professionals to participate in facilitated activities that spark new connections and spur new ways of thinking and opportunities for partnership. This guided session aims to lower the barriers to spontaneous networking.
Personal Coaching for World-Changers with Laurie McGinley
Sign-up: Sessions are offered on a first-come, first-served basis here. The meeting place will be confirmed in the event invite.
Laurie McGinley will walk you through what is holding you back in 30 minutes and you'll feel the results immediately. She is a transformative guide who works with world changers in climate to help you have a higher impact, magnetize your messaging, AND feel better with greater balance and ease in your life. Sign up for 30 minutes with her at Circularity 24 and achieve improved outcomes in high-stakes meetings, stop energy leaks that are tanking your performance, and feel relief that will help you take more effective breaks.