Green Living: Your gift to the planet - Make your holiday travel green

Are you visiting family this year or traveling somewhere looking for a white Christmas? Why not make it a green holiday?  You can save money and reduce your carbon footprint with this eco-friendlier travel guide. Did you know that one vacation can produce more carbon than commuting for a year?!  According to Getting There Greener: The Guide to Your Lower-Carbon Vacation published by the Union of Concerned Scientists the environmental impact of domestic vacation travel can add up quickly.  Their research shows that three key factors determine the environmental impact of your travel:

• The type of vehicle you are taking
• The distance you are traveling
• The number of people traveling with you

Some of their findings may surprise you.  For example, did you know that flying first class can double your carbon footprint?  See the summary chart for 100-500-1000 miles for solo travelers, pairs and a family of four.  Find the complete Getting There Greener Report here.

Take the bus or train. Compared with flying economy class, traveling on a bus or train can cut a trip's carbon dioxide emissions by 55 to 75 percent, depending on the distance traveled and the number of people traveling.  Compared with even a fuel-efficient hybrid car, a bus trip can cut a trip’s emissions nearly in half. Plus travel by bus (aka "Motor Coach")generally costs less than flying and can even be cheaper than driving.  Some bus companies offer fares as low as $1 each way. Think Mega Bus.

Rent a hybrid car.  If you should decide that driving makes sense for you, leave your SUV at home. If your own vehicle is large and not fuel-efficient, rent an economy or hybrid car instead.

Tips for preparing to leave home . . .

• When packing, use fewer plastic bottles.  Instead of continually buying travel shampoo and conditioners, refill the container with shampoo and conditioner from home.
• Suspend newspaper delivery.   A quick call to the newspaper company saves trees.
• Adjust your thermostat for while you're away?   Depending on the type of heat that you have, you can save energy in the winter by lowering the thermostat while you're away from home, but no lower than 50 degrees and possibly higher if you need to take pets or plants into consideration.  (See details from US Dept of Energy and Rocky Mountain Power.)
• Have boarding passes downloaded to your smart phone.  You’ll reduce paper waste.  Have travel receipts emailed instead of printed or faxed.

Once you arrive at your destination use public transportation instead of a taxis or rental cars.  Better yet, walk or rent a bike!

Submitted by Cassandra West,  cwest@newmediaaccess.com

Connect to Action: Take action against accelerating climate change

“Warming of the climate is unequivocal.” This is one of the first statements in the recently released report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  The Fifth Assessment Report summarizes the scientific findings of thousands of the world’s climate scientists over the last 6 years, and the prognosis for the health of our climate system continues to be an alarming one. The report examines an accelerating path of several of the known effects of climate change. Sea level rise for instance—the rate of sea level rise over the last 40 years is shown to be double the rate from the last 100 years. A recently-found phenomenon is the accelerated melting of the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. From 2002 to 2011 those large ice sheets were melting 5-6 times faster than in the previous decade.

Fortunately, there are things we can do to make a difference.  Three actions you can take for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions include:

--Putting a price on carbon:  Get involved with the local chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby.  Learn more on the Green Community Connections Climate Action Resources page.  

--Promoting deployment of clean energy sources:  Find out about the latest statistics on wind energy in Illinois, please find the AWEA state fact sheet here and sign up today to become part of our Power of Wind advocacy network.  

--Instituting stronger energy efficiency practices:  Reduce your energy cost and make your home more comfortable by weatherizing your home!  There are energy rebates available to help you make home improvements.  Check out Energy Impact Illinois.

Continue reading for more information from the report of the  UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

It is confirmed that with warming, extreme climate events will increase. Heat waves, for instance, will “very likely” become more frequent and be longer in duration. Extreme rain storms will also become more frequent and more intense.

Another unsettling finding is that without action to counter warming, the extent of surface permafrost in the northern areas of the world is projected to shrink by between 37% and 81%. This is not good news given that methane, which will be released from the thawing ground, is many times more powerful of a greenhouse gas than the more common CO2.

There is more certainty than ever (95-100%) that man’s activities (primarily the burning of fossil fuels) has caused all of the warming that is evident since 1950. A warning is repeated from the previous report, and the one before that, that we are on track to blow by what is thought to be the maximum “safe” warming of 2°C and reach a warming of 4°C (7°F) by the end of the century.

What humans have done to their climate will have long-lasting effects. As the report says, “Most aspects of climate change will persist for many centuries even if emissions of CO2 are stopped.” Because of the cumulative effect of carbon in the atmosphere, the report indicates that we can afford to emit only a certain additional amount of CO2 in order to have better than a 50/50 chance of staying under a 2°C temperature increase. This translates to the need to keep at least 80% of the known coal, oil, and natural gas reserves in the ground.

Fortunately, there are ways to get out of this crisis. The Mitigation Report, due in April 2014, will discuss strategies for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. In the past, these solutions have centered on:  

--Putting a price on carbon  

--Promoting deployment of clean energy sources  

--Instituting stronger energy efficiency practices

Submitted by Jim Babcock

LAST DAY to take the Oak Park & River Forest Sustainability Survey!

Take this 10 question survey and enter a drawing to win a $100 prepaid debit card! Green Community Connections is conducting a sustainability survey which is open to all community members in the Oak Park and River Forest Area.  It is not required that survey participants have made changes in their homes or businesses related to sustainability, nor is it necessary for them to have had any experience with Green Community Connections.  Results from this survey will help us shape our work going forward.

If you haven't already  taken the survey, please take the Oak Park & River Forest Sustainability Survey  now.  We estimate the survey will take 5 minutes to complete.  The last date to submit a survey is November 15th at 5:00pm.  Once you have submitted the survey, -- complete the entry form -- to be entered in the drawing for the $100 prepaid debit card drawing.  IMPORTANT:  You will need the Survey Validation Code in order to complete the entry form.  You will find that code in Question #10 at the end of the survey. 

Please take a moment and share this survey with 3 friends and neighbors, especially those who may not be aware of Green Community Connections.

If you have any questions, please contact Sally Stovall at sally@greencommunityconnections.org. If you would like to learn more about Green Community Connections, visit greencommunityconnections.org.

Citizens Climate Lobby Great Lakes Regional Conference

The Great Lakes Region of Citizens Climate Lobby invites you to join with other like minded folks for a weekend of expanding our knowledge and capabilities to influence the direction of our national climate policy – and having fun while doing it. Fighting for a national policy to stop climate change requires discipline, focus, and strong relationships – with the policymakers we are working to motivate, and with each other.

This training is for everyone, regardless of experience. CCL Executive Director Mark Reynolds has designed a program to knock your socks off and move us all to the next level in our skills, no matter where we start from.

The core program, focused on lobby training, will run from 12 noon on Saturday to 1 p.m. on Sunday, but optional events on Friday night and Saturday morning will focus on local climate impacts, climate  science, and messaging skills.  The registration deadline is November 18th. Don't delay!  See the details in the

• Conference Flyer,
• Conference Agenda
• Registration Form

You’ll meet your fabulous CCL counterparts from IL, IN, MI, OH and WI. And not least in importance, you’ll be in a place where you can savor nature as well as save it, because the retreat center is gorgeous!

The base conference fee includes Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast and lunch, and Saturday night lodging. The Friday option includes Friday night lodging and Saturday breakfast. There is also a low-cost no-lodging 'commuter' option. Scholarships are available, so please don’t let money stop you from coming.

Neighbors Share their Experience during the Green Living & Learning Tour

Video by Cassandra West of Seeding Chicago/New Media Access to capture the spirit of the day.  Thank you, Cassandra!

The weather conspired to make Saturday, September 28th, a great day for the 2013 Green Living & Learning Tour.  The tour hosted nearly 400 participants in the 17 tours and demonstrations highlighting innovative examples of sustainable living in Oak Park & River Forest.   The Green Living & Learning Tour was organized by a great team of Green Community Connections' talented, passionate volunteers, and was made possible through the generosity of the site hosts and guides who shared their homes and their experience with their neighbors.

The Green Living & Learning Tour offered participants opportunities to see first hand homes that are using renewable energy -- solar and geothermal, & energy efficiency strategies -- a white roof, tankless hot water heater, and multiple design features that make a home more energy efficient.  Water conservation and management was also a highlight including sites that capture 100% of the rain that falls on the property for use on gardens and lawns.  Use of native landscaping drew significant interest -- both for its beauty and for the benefit of providing water conservation and habitat for bees, butterflies and birds.

Partnerships were key to the success of this year's tour.  The newly organized "Wild Ones!" chapter organized the tour of native plants at Cheney Mansion and the Native Landscape Mini Tour.  Seventy-five people gathered for the closing to enjoy a Harvest Picnic at Field Park co-hosted by the Sugar Beet Co-op.  Sugar Beet did a tremendous job of pulling together a delicious spread of fresh food -- largely from local gardens and farmers.

Special thanks also goes to the tour sponsors.  New sponsors including Cindy Gajewski with Beyond Properties, First United Church of OP and CYLA Design Associates, joined repeat sponsors including  Seven Generations Ahead, the Village of Oak Park, the Village of River Forest, the River Forest Park District, Green Home Experts, and WebTrax Studio.

Fractured: A Public Discussion on Fracking and the Environment

On Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, 12:00pm - 1:30pm, an afternoon discussion of fracking and its environmental impacts will kick-off a year-long series of events on Global Energies.Field Museum James Simpson Theater 1400 S Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL, 60605

Hydraulic Fracturing or "fracking" has transformed America's energy landscape. This newly developed extraction technique allows companies to access oil and gas trapped in shale rock and other unconventional geologic formations. However, fracking's impact on water safety, the environment, and the climate have raised grave concerns about its sustainability.

Join us for an afternoon discussion of fracking and its environmental impacts.

Featured presenters include Terry Evans, photographer of "Fractured: North Dakota's Oil Boom" (currently on exhibit at the Field), Margaret MacDonell from the Argonne National Laboratory , Rob Jackson from Duke University, Alaka Wali from the Field Museum, and Mike Ziri from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The event will be moderated by Mark Lycett, Director of the University of Chicago Program on the Global Environment and Interim Director of the Center for International Studies.

NOTE: Please enter the Simpson Theater through the West Door of the Field Museum — entrance is free for the lecture only, and does not include admission to the museum galleries. All other access to the museum requires regular paid admission. A free shuttle bus (first come, first served) will leave from the University of Chicago campus in front of Pick Hall at 11:15am and return to that location after the event.

Cosponsored by the Center for International Studies, the Program on the Global Environment, and the Field Museum.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcis.uchicago.edu%2Fevents%2F2013-2014%2F131012-global-energies-fractured&h=-AQH0IdGz&s=1

Food & Water Watch Sponsors Showing of "Gasland Part II" in Oak Park

Saturday October 19th 2013 – 2:00pm  - 4:30pm

Oak Park Library - Maze Branch 845 Gunderson Ave, Oak ParkIn this explosive follow-up to his oscar-nominated film, Gasland, filmmaker Josh Fox uses his trademark humor to take a deeper, broader look at the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial method of extracting oil and natural gas, now occuring on a global scale. Ready to see for your self?  Plan to be there on Saturday afternoon at the Maze Branch of the Oak Park Public Library.

If you thought the fight against Fracking was over in Illinois, it's time to think again.  The debate is hotter than ever and groups across the state are igniting in a global day of action on October 19th.  In Oak Park, Food & Water Watch is screening Gasland Part II, a documentary that will show you what all of the fuss is about.

Gasland Part II, which premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, shows how the stakes have been raised on all sides in one of the most important environmental issues facing our nation, and especially Illinois, today.

RSVP HERE to let us know you're coming! We look forward to seeing you there!

Three Special Green Living Tour Sites to Visit on Sept. 28

Green Community Connections' upcoming Green Living & Learning Tour 2013 on September 28th offers participants the opportunity to visit an array of homes and gardens that employ a variety of sustainable living practices.  Here are three unique tour stops that we wanted to highlight for you. Ecological Design

807 Forest Ave, River Forest, Tour at 2:30 pm (#4 on 2013 Tour Map)

Ecological principles were designed and built into this sustainably built home - the first of its kind in the Oak Park/River Forest area.  The home includes renewable energy, energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, and toxic free materials.  It's water conservation features include rainwater catchment for irrigation, native landscaping, permeable driveway and water-saving faucets and showerheads.  The homeowners have welcomed many visitors into their home since 2008 when it was built and look forward to this year's tour.

Save $$$, Increase Comfort, Decrease Carbon Footprint

616 Wenonah, Oak Park, Tour at 4:00pm (#9 on 2013 Tour Map)

The Environmentalist’s Dilemma:  Is it possible to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer without doing a whole lot of damage to the environment?  It is, and what's best, it's possible to do it on a reasonable budget.  After sealing and insulating their house, the homeowners had the warmest winter in their home in 15 years and their energy bills were lower than they had ever been.  Learn about air sealing and insulating and the fantastic rebates available to help make a more comfortable, environmentally friendly, (and valuable) home a reality. The Bonus: See a blower door test in action: a diagnostic tool designed to measure the air-tightness of buildings. and to help locate air leakage sites.

Biking Safely in an Urban Area & Biking Supports

Greenline Wheels, 105 S. Marion, Oak Park Drop-in:  1:00-3:00pm (#C on 2013 Tour Map)

Get tips on how to stay safe while biking in an urban area. Greenline Wheels’ safety experts are teaching safety and adventure as part of the Green Living & Learning Tour.  Instruction focuses on basics such as checking and fitting gears, signaling, braking, and more. Greenline Wheels representatives will also familiarize participants with other biking supports that they offer.

Harvest Picnic with Green Community Connections and Sugar-Beet Co-op

For the end of the day, all are invited for a Harvest Picnic gathering at Field Park, hosted by Sugar Beet Co-Op.  All are welcome to join us at 5:00 p.m. in the northwest corner of the park (Berkshire & Woodbine) for fresh food, fun, prizes and community!

For more information about the event, including registration information for all 18 sites, visit the tour page at Green Community Connections.

Frank Lloyd Wright + Geothermal in Oak Park

A very special East Avenue house on the Green Living and Learning Tour 2013 on September 28th was designed in early 1896 as one of about 30 production houses to be built in a full-block subdivision by Frank Lloyd Wright's friend Charles E. Roberts.  The area is now bounded by four streets in Oak Park: Chicago, Scoville, Superior and Elmwood.  The envisioned subdivision was not executed and “so far as anyone knows, our house is the only design (of at least five separate ones) actually built,” says Mark Donovan, the current homeowner.  The house was built later that same year by a one-time millionaire inventor, Harry Goodrich, and his wife, Louisa.  The Donovan/Ludgin family is the sixth to own the house. "When we purchased the house in 1999, Mary and I didn't originally set out to make the house so efficient and relatively green," said Mark, adding, "We've slowly learned, and sought out, ways to restore the house which respect its history and significance but also incorporate 21st century efficiency technology."

In 2005, the couple was exploring upgrading the heating system both to replace the inefficient old boiler as well as to remove the first floor radiators which compromised historic restoration of the home.  "One thing led to another once I began to educate myself about optimizing the efficiency of hot water heat, " reported Mark.  The couple decided on underfloor radiant heat on the first floor, which led them to lower the basement floor 13" in order to radiantly heat the basement floor.  This step indirectly led to looking into ground source - "geothermal" - heat pumps.  These changes required the services of a local mechanical engineer who happened to be experienced in and a fan of various approaches to energy efficiency including ground source, and, Mark says, "Then we really started to get into it."  All their efficiency upgrades have grown out of this initial experience, via reading and other routes of research.

The owners report the house's mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are now essentially completely new, nearly invisible, and highly efficient.  The house is also nearly fully insulated and air-sealed to the extent feasible without compromising the house's historical character.  The amount of rainwater directed into the Village's sewers is reduced by nearly 50%, and the homeowners use CFLs and LEDs wherever they do not detract from the appearance of antique light fixtures.

The home’s reduced energy consumption over the period 2006-2013, even with significantly enlarged square footage of space now within the conditioned thermal envelope is evident in this graph, created by the homeowner .

You can visit this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home during the Green Living & Learning Tour in Oak Park and River Forest on Sept. 28^th.  For more information about the event, including registration information for all 18 sites, visit the tour page at Green Community Connections.

Eco-conscious Home was Effort of Local Experts

When Craig and Megan Chesney first decided to deconstruct their old home in Oak Park and build a new, larger one, they began to research options for eco-conscious building.  They talked to a lot of people and went on tours similar to the Green Living & Learning Tour to learn more.  According to Megan, the building of their home was intentionally “very much a local effort from an amazing team of experts.”

Megan says Oak Park architect, Drew Nelson of WDN Architecture, LLC, “Did a wonderful job of making a new home blend into an old neighborhood.”  She continued, “Our builder, Dave Himelick (Himelick Contracting) is an Oak Parker who was open to all of our crazy ideas including a 2,000 gallon tank in our basement.  Our neighbor Jim Gill helped us understand photovoltaic science and navigate the government rebate system.  Yet another neighbor helped with design. Finally, many visits were made to Green Home Experts to get advice from Maria [Onesto Moran].”

According to the architect, 80% of the old home was recycled, and the new home is 60% more efficient than current codes require (see more details from the architect in this Wednesday Journal article). The indoor rainwater collection system (including the 2,000 gallon tank!) was adapted from one the Chesneys saw in a home in River Forest “whose owners [Bill Gee and Sue Crothers Gee] so graciously shared their knowledge with us,” said Megan.  She says that in 2008, when they began their project, “green building” was just taking off.  “Geothermal was something done more in Europe than the U.S., and when we inquired about a grey water system, we were told it couldn’t be done in Illinois.”  The new home is heated and cooled by a geothermal system.

At the time, many people told the Chesneys that solar energy was not viable in Illinois or the Midwest, and they found that the Village of Oak Park was just beginning to understand how to process solar permits.  The home now has solar panels to supplement electricity, and to date, according to Megan, the SunPower monitoring system reports that the home “has produced 12,286 kWh, reducing emissions equivalent to not driving 20,191 miles in a standard car or the same as planting 226 seedlings grown for 10 years.”

Megan and Craig are pleased to know that many of the features and materials they have in their home “are now common practice” and those who are conducting even “the smallest of home projects have many great [green] options.”

You can visit the Chesney’s Oak Park home during the Green Living & Learning Tour in Oak Park and River Forest on Sept. 28^th.  For more information about the event, including registration information for all 18 sites, visit the tour page at Green Community Connections.