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Meet Jillian Patton, Development Director, One Earth Collective

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Meet Jillian Patton, Development Director, One Earth Collective

Join One Earth in offering a warm welcome to our new “squad member,” Jillian Patton, Development Director. She is fresh off a thirteen-year stint in New York City, where she was most recently part of the Development team at NYU School of Law. She was also previously part of the team that raised money to develop the storied High Line, a park built on a former elevated train line on the West Side of Manhattan. Established in 2009, it helped provide a model for similar urban greening projects nationwide, such as Chicago’s 606 path that runs along an old rail line here in the city.

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Biking Gears Up This Summer

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Biking Gears Up This Summer

Remember back in March, right after the COVID shutdown, and how empty the streets were of cars? It was a biker’s dream; many people took to the empty roads on two wheels. Fast forward to August, and the auto traffic has come roaring back. . . but biking is still a hot topic this summer.

Here are some tools and resources for you to have fun/get around/support equity/save the earth on your bike during August, September and beyond.

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Slipping on the Climate Crisis While Contending with the Covid Crisis

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Slipping on the Climate Crisis While Contending with the Covid Crisis

A few weeks after much of the world locked down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the environmental picture looked pretty rosy. Automobile traffic plummeted, causing a big drop in emissions, and images from NASA showed a dramatic drop in air pollution.

For environmentalists everywhere, this was good news. Sadly, it was too good to last.

Dear Santa Pritzker: Opinion by Cyclist Mike Erickson

Dear Santa Pritzker: Opinion by Cyclist Mike Erickson

Dear Santa (Gov. Pritzker):

We’ve been so very good this year! We elected you Governor of Illinois and that is a first!  We think a progressive (fair) income tax is a great idea for all of us worker elves. . . we deserve a raise too, but a fair tax is a great start. . . .

IDOT is asking for 52% of the goods in this gift package for new roads and new highways. Bah humbug! IDOT has not been a good boy for decades. They’ve hired hacks and built programs that give us sprawl and ever more congestion. Their bread and butter puts more carbon dioxide and diesel pollution into everyone’s holiday stew. To choke on their brew is not a gift, it is a curse. Don’t give in to them, Santa!

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Remembering Sally Stovall

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Remembering Sally Stovall

When most people retire, they kick back, take cruises, and visit the grandchildren. Sally Stovall was not most people. She did, indeed, relish visiting her grandchildren, but after she retired from a career in organizational development, Sally embarked on a new, vibrant career as climate activist and community organizer.

In September 2010, Sally and her partner, Dick Alton, were worried about global warming and decided to hold a community meeting to see if others felt the same way. Out of the woodwork poured a cohort of people with the same concerns --no real surprise in progressive Oak Park.

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Reduce Your Carbon Footprint During the Holidays

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Reduce Your Carbon Footprint During the Holidays

Visiting friends or family via airplane this holiday season? Don’t forget to bring Mother Earth a present by offsetting the carbon emissions from your flight.

Carbon offsetting involves financially supporting Earth-friendly projects, such as planting trees or building wind farms, which reduce the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide that your flight generated. Burning jet fuel produces carbon dioxide, one of the harmful greenhouse gases that is causing climate change.

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Young Filmmakers Contest Will Thank Local Teachers

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Young Filmmakers Contest Will Thank Local Teachers

Local students took top prizes in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest at the elementary and middle school levels in both 2018 and 2017. Winning films premiered at the One Earth Film Festival in March at Columbia College along with top films from across the country at high school and college levels. At that time, students were fêted with monetary prizes, certificates, T-shirts, and a reception.

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1,000 Bikers Wanted to Ride on Earth Day Weekend

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1,000 Bikers Wanted to Ride on Earth Day Weekend

In celebration of Earth Day Weekend on April 21-22, Interfaith Green Network Congregations are encouraging residents to leave the cars home and to bike or walk from place to place. The goal is to get 1,000 people to participate in biking and walking around town to raise awareness of efforts we can all take to improve the environment in our community.  Residents can indicate their intent to walk or ride here: tinyurl.com/y7ytr8tz

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Take Action for Clean Air, Public Transit, and Wildlife

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Take Action for Clean Air, Public Transit, and Wildlife

Since 1975, Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has promoted sound environmental laws and policies in Illinois. More than 80 affiliate organizations across the state collaborate through the IEC to create policies that protect Illinois’ air, water, and natural areas. IEC is the only organization that provides regular updates on the issues affecting the environment at the state level. We encourage Green Community Connections readers to sign up for the updates at the IEC website: https://ilenviro.org

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Submissions Accepted Now for Young Filmmakers Contest

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Submissions Accepted Now for Young Filmmakers Contest

Take a peek at our new video encouraging students from grade 3 to college age to enter the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest. In addition to winning cash prizes, all winning films will premiere at the One Earth Film Festival in March 2018. More details here.

Video animation by 2013 contest winner Léa Kichler. Music by Abby Lyons.