League of Women Voters Presents: Fracking, Frack-cidents & Frackonomics

Fracking, Frack-cidents & Frackonomics:  What are Fracking's Dangers, Who will be Protected & Who will Benefit?

Have you been hearing about Fracking but want to learn more.  Here is a great opportunity:

League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest will be hosting William C. Rau, Professor Emeritus, Illinois State University & Spokesperson for Illinois People's Action, as keynote speaker on Thursday, May 22, 2014,  7:30 PM. Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake St.  (Second Floor, Veterans Room).  ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS interested in IL Fracking legislation are invited to attend a FREE keynote address.  No need to RSVP.   See flyer for more information.

The keynote address will be preceded at 6:30 PM by the League of Women Voters Annual Meeting for Members Only. 

After passage last May, the press hailed the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Act (HFA) as featuring the "nation's toughest regulations," and Governor Quinn claimed it contained the "nation's strongest environmental protections."  In turn, the oil & gas industry touted fracking as a "game changer" offering a low-cost energy bonanza that will promote national energy independence, economic development, and job growth. Environmental and public health risks were presented as modest, manageable through regulation, and offset by significant benefits.

This presentation will examine these claims and show fracking to be inherently dangerous everywhere while focusing on risks specific to Southern Illinois including extensive floodplains, active earthquake zones capable of magnitude 7+ quakes, and one of the most radioactive oilfields in the US.

Smart City USA Project offers Innovation Opportunity

Information from Village of Oak Park web site “The Smart City USA Project offers Oak Park property owners a unique and exciting opportunity to become innovators in community wide electrical efficiency, while providing proof of the commercial viability of various advanced monitoring and energy management technologies,” said Assistant Village Manager Robert Cole who currently is managing the local aspects of the project.  The Village of Oak Park is announcing the Smart City USA partnership with the Korean Smart Grid Institute.

As many as 200 households (100 single family homes and 100 multi-family units) will be chosen to participate in the Oak Park Smart City USA Project that will showcase the potential cost savings and energy efficiencies of smart grid technologies, including solar power and energy storage.

Participants will receive a variety of technical installations in their homes, including solar panels, battery storage, energy management and demand response programs.  Oak Park residential property owners who want to be considered when the Village facilitates the launch of a smart-grid pilot project are invited to fill out a brief online form posted at www.oak-park.us/smartcityusa.

The online form is the initial step to find participants whose properties may meet the criteria for consideration. Submitting information online will not guarantee selection, officials say, since additional, more in-depth screening will be necessary to identify qualifying properties.

Among the initial criteria for consideration are factors such property ownership, having a surface facing south or west with direct sunlight and an electrical service with circuit breakers.  Participants also must have a high-speed internet connection and be willing to share their home energy data with the project team members for three years. In addition to the Village and KSGI, the project team likely will include partnerships with educational and research institutions interested in smart grid technology and residential electrical usage.

For more information on the project, email sustainability@oak-park.us or call 708.358.5770.

See also more information on the village web site:  Screenings begin for Smart City USA Participants.

See also related GCC articles about early project development:  Oak Park's Smart Grid Initiative in the News, and Smart Grid Technology will Facilitate Local Renewable Energy

3 More Days to Enroll in Oak Park's Green Energy Program

Oak Park residents have until May 8^th to make a difference for people and the planet by choosing 100% renewable energy. As of May 5th approximately 1300 households  (6%) had opted into the green energy option for aggregated electricity in Oak Park.  Hooray! And Thank you!

But, Can We Beat the Odds?

Experts say that at most, only 5-10% of a population will actually take the action to opt-in when they must actively do something rather than go with the default option.  Although the green energy option is starting with a huge disadvantage by not being the default option we believe Oak Park can do better and we are asking you to help accomplish that for the sake of future generations.

Here's what we can do to help beat the odds:

1. Oak Park, IL residents — to opt into 100% renewable (green) energy, please follow these easy instructions before May 8th:
   • With just a quick call (5-10 min), you can select 100% renewable energy for your home.
   • You'll need to have your ComEd account number ready, then just call 1.800.718.1493 and tell the Constellation Customer Service Rep that you want 100% renewable energy.
   • If you have the letter from Constellation, with the "opt-out code"  That is helpful but not required.
2. Please help spread the word to others.  People can't choose renewable energy if they don't know about it.  Choose the methods that work for you to remind friends, neighbors and perfect strangers standing next to you  in the grocery store!  Here are a few ideas to make sharing simpler:

- Send Email, post on Facebook,  or Tweet to your networks.  Consider using the Share buttons at the bottom of this post.

- Walk your block and chat with your neighbors about it.

- At a book club meeting, school concert, sports event or other event where people will gather this week? -- Consider asking people if they have enrolled in the Green Energy Option.

- Tell us your creative ideas about how to get the word out!

Note:  If you would like half sheet fliers with instructions about how to opt into 100% renewable energy to share with others please contact Sally Stovall (773-315-1109 or sally@greencommunityconnections.org).  The Village has created materials on the enrollment process that you may use to disseminate to your friends and neighbors - just click here.

Together we can do it!

Together we can beat the odds and boost the percentage of residents who  opt-in to green energy over the next 3 days ! Can we get 15%? 20%? Wouldn't it be amazing to get 25% or more?

Thank you for your help! And our children and grandchildren thank you, too!

Working Forum for Congregation Green Teams

Congregation green teams and other interested persons are invited to participate in a forum on Thursday, May 8, 7 - 8:30 pm, at the Oak Park Library, Veterans Room.  The agenda will include:

1. PlanItGreen

• Present “Check-off” list for congregations, followed by discussion. (Gary Cuneen, Seven Generations Ahead)
• Break out session, regarding the critical topic areas:Energy – Transportation – Education  --  Water  --  Food  -- Waste - Open Space
• Each congregation is invited to send at least 3-5 people from their green team to participate in different breakout groups.

2. Energy Impact Illinois

• Presentation of house of worship energy efficiency program.—Skyler Larrimore, Elevate Energy
• Case study: First United Methodist Church.
• Energy efficiency for private residences. And a congregation contest!

The community has been alerted to the importance of restoring the health of our environment, and as was stated at the recent OP Village Board meeting, “There is a lot at stake.”  This is a good opportunity to reruit new members. Educate friends. Now is the time to make change for the good of all, together!

​Please RSVP to James Babcock: jlbabck@sbcglobal.net or 630.740.0638 or Dick Alton:  Richard.Alton@gmail.com or 773-344-7172.​

Oak Park Residents Voice Strong Support for Green Energy

Oak Park residents packed the house to send a message to Village trustees: We want green energy back! Citizens came out in full force to voice support for green energy at the Oak Park Village Board meeting on Monday, April 21. The audience filled all the seats, sat in the aisles, stood at the back of the room and even went up into the balcony. Participants let the Village Board know that they disagreed with the decision to go with a brown energy supplier for Oak Park's municipal aggregation electricity program.  They pointed out the climate impact of continued fossil fuel use, clearly a key concern for many in the room.  It was a powerful and inspiring experience for residents and trustees alike.

Twenty residents spoke during the public comment period, which lasted more than an hour.  Even residents who didn't directly address the trustees were lively and engaged. The audience applauded their neighbors' eloquence, nodded vigorously in agreement with their passionate arguments and sometimes vocalized displeasure with the Board.

As resident Mac Robinet said, “We’re all learning from this.”   The 60 minutes of public comments highlight Oak Park’s history of taking leadership on difficult issues, point out the important role that cities are playing in addressing climate change and illustrate, in a variety of ways, that what Oak Park does matters.    The perspective of new home buyers who are considering Oak Park and looking for a socially conscious community was presented.  Also heard was that although the brown energy option was on its face the lowest cost option, residents identified a myriad of hidden costs that affect health and prospects for the future.  You can view a recorded telecast of the entire meeting online here.

Afterward, when it was the trustees' turn to speak, Colette Lueck, who has been serving in Oak Park  government for 25 years, told the audience that this issue spurred the strongest outpouring of resident participation she's ever seen. In addition to packing the board meeting, residents sent emails and letters, called the trustees, wrote opinion pieces for the newspapers, and delivered a petition with over 500 signatures.

Read more in the Wednesday Journal: http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/4-22-2014/Sounding-down-on-brown-energy/ and in Oak Leaves: http://oakpark.suntimes.com/news/government/electric-OAK-05012014:article

Oak Park IL residents -- to opt for 100% renewable (green) energy, please follow these easy instructions before May 8! Please also spread the word to others.

OPT for 100% Renewable Energy Before May 8!

Oak Park IL residents -- to opt for 100% renewable (green) energy, please follow these easy instructions before May 8! Please also spread the word to others.

Connect to Action: Taking Determined Steps to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

The report from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), reported on in the New York Times on 3/31/2014, warned of climate risk and the impact on human society in the coming decades.  “Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change,” said the chairman of the IPCC, at the news conference.

As I struggled to think about how to respond to this report, I found myself drawing on the concept of “active hope” conceived by authors Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone.

“Active hope is a practice, like gardening or yoga.  It is something we do rather than something we have.”  (p. 3, Active Hope:  How to Face the Mess We're in Without Going Crazy)

“Active hope involves identifying the outcomes we hope for and then playing an active role in bringing them about.  We don't wait until we are sure of success.  We don't limit our choices to the outcomes that seem likely.  Instead we focus on what we truly, deeply long for, and then we proceed to take determined steps in that direction.”  (p. 37, Active Hope)

 Following are 5 determined steps that you can take right now to reduce your carbon footprint . . . and develop a sense of active hope.

1. Make your home more energy efficient.  If you own a home, call Elevate Energy and schedule a home audit. Better yet, invite some friends and have a party and get it for free. Elevate Energy helps facilitate the Energy Impact Illinois program, which offers rebates, incentives and low cost loans to help you get the recommended work done to increase your home’s energy efficiency. (Skyler Larrimore,, Elevate Energy | 773-407-3784)
2. Support local food resources.  Join the Sugar Beet Coop -- so we can have a year-round, local-food resource here by early 2015.
3. Compost.  If you live in Oak Park, sign up for the village CompostAble program.  Or set up your own backyard composting.  Food waste in landfills is one of the biggest sources of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.
4. Plan trees.  Support our trees and forests through American Forests, the Arbor Day Foundation or another organization that plants trees, and visit your local Forest Preserve.  Trees are effective at capturing carbon dioxide and storing it for a long time.
5. Use your voice.  Join an environmental advocacy organization and get involved in advocating for policies that you want to see become reality.  Some examples in which GCC volunteers participate include:  Citizens Climate Lobby (Chicago West Chapter meets in Oak Park), Frack Free Illinois, 350.org, Food & Water Watch and the Sierra Club.

Referenced New York Times article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/science/earth/climate.html

Referenced book:  Active Hope, How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy, 2012, by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone.

Submitted by Sally Stovall

Citizens Urge Oak Park Board to "Get on Board" with Green Energy

Action Alert: 

On April 11, 2014, the Oak Park Village Board reversed its commitment to renewable energy and voted to change our community choice aggregation investment from green to brown.  (See related Chicago Tribune article.)

It may be too late to change this particular decision by the board, but it is NOT too late -- and it is crucially important -- that we use our voice to express our continuing desire to have Oak Park take leadership in building a sustainable, resilient community and to ensure that the Village Board is "on board" with us!!

If that is a message that you would like to send to the Oak Park Village Board, please consider taking the following actions. join in the Green Energy Appeal:

1. Help us pack the house during the next village board MEETING, scheduled for Monday, April 21 at 8PM at Village Hall (Lombard and Madison). Our attendance will demonstrate support for green energy and sustainability policies.
2. Sign the PETITION, urging the board to recommit Oak Park to 100% renewable (green) energy now. If you want to make additional comments, write to: board@oak-park.us to remind the members that we expect them to be sustainability leaders.  Remember to say “Thank you!” to Trustee Colette Lueck, the lone board member who spoke in favor of choosing a green energy investment option.
3. SHARE a link to the Oak Park Green Energy Appeal page with your family and friends via an email or social media.  Watch for updates, background and additional action ideas.
4. Stay tuned for information about how you can opt out of brown (fossil fuel-based) energy in Oak Park.
5. OTHER CREATIVE ACTIONS as you are so inspired, e.g., write a letter to the editor at Wednesday Journal, Oak Leaves, Tribune, and/or Sun Times. Make signs to bring to Village Board meetings.

As Trustee Lueck said, “This [slight cost increase to support green energy] is a hit I could live with, because I think green is important to Oak Park. . . I also think it is important to the future of our world.”

We do, too!

Background

On October 18, 2011, the Oak Park Village Board approved a plan making Oak Park the first municipality in Illinois to aggregate the resident and small business energy purchasing power and invest in a 100% renewable energy program.  Since then, 91 communities in the state followed suit.

Just over two years later, on April 11, 2014, the Oak Park Village Board reversed its commitment to renewable energy and voted to change our community choice aggregation investment from green to brown.  (See related Chicago Tribune article.)

All of the available options included rate increases; the Oak Park Village Board chose the lowest cost option.  We appreciate that the board is being cost-sensitive on our behalf, but we also know that opting for dirty energy has hidden health and climate costs that are not included in the price.  These are what we can’t afford to pay!

Right here in the U.S., climate change is taking a toll on people's lives, damaging land and wildlife, threatening our food supply, and hurting the economy. Think about it: severe weather was not good for Oak Park this past winter, it is not good for the drought stricken farms of the western U.S., it is not good for the flooded Southeast, and it was not good for the people who lost homes and loved ones in Super Storm Sandy.

Most disconcertingly, the Village Board made its decision just days after the release of a United Nations report on climate change that was written by hundreds of the world's leading climate scientists. The report called for immediate policy action to reduce carbon emissions. One of the best ways to do so is to invest in renewable energy.

Reminder & Updates on the Oak Park Green Energy Appeal

Four ways to make your voice heard in support of green energy in Oak Park TODAY:

1. Help us pack the house and ATTEND tonight's Special Village Board meeting at 8PM to demonstrate support for green energy and sustainability policies. (Room 101 at Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St. - at S. Lombard Ave.)
2. SIGN the petition urging the board to recommit Oak Park to 100% renewable (green) energy. (Link to petition: http://chn.ge/1tewKEo.)
3. OPT IN to a 100% renewable electric energy option. You can learn details at tonight's village board meeting. Various organizations like GCC will also be sharing this information.
4. SHARE this message with Oak Park friends, family and neighbors. We need your help!

Details and Updates on Oak Park's Energy Aggregation Program

Constellation, the Village’s new brown-energy contractor, says it is not possible to replace the brown contract with a green contract because Constellation has already contracted for a specific mix of energy sources, but there will be an opportunity to select 100% renewable energy.  Residents will begin receiving a notice from Constellation starting today which includes the following three choices:

1. Do nothing and you will be included in the DEFAULT brown energy option (a mix of coal, natural gas and nuclear) at a rate of 7.470 cents per kwh).
2. Check the box at the bottom of the form which says “I do not want to participate in the Village of Oak Park Electricity Aggregation Program” and fill in the rest of the form.  This results in you reverting to Com Ed as your energy supplier.
3. The third option is to select the 100% renewable energy option at a rate of 7.570 cents per kwh shown in the mailing by a green box in the lower right side of the mailer.  The 100% renewable option is available through Constellation’s call center only.  It requires a call to an 800#.  THIS IS THE OPTION THAT WE WILL BE ENCOURAGING OP RESIDENTS TO CHOOSE.

This approach -- requiring a separate phone call from each household to opt-in for green -- makes green energy the difficult option, and it will be an uphill battle to get a people enrolled.  The typical community that requires that citizens to opt-in has less than 10% take advantage of the opt-in choice.  Fortunately Oak Park is not typical, and we will be working hard to get a large percentage of OP residents to choose 100% renewable energy.

We will also work tonight to help the board see the bigger picture of their role in the fight against climate change and what can be done at the village level.  At this stage, individual action is not enough to turn things around. We will stress with them that our Village committed over two years ago to the PlanItGreen Sustainability Plan and there is too much at stake to turn around now.  In fact, rather than retreating, as a Village, we should be pushing forward with bigger and bolder policies.  We will be asking the board to ramp up their support for this plan and strategies that move this plan forward.

Please join us!

Green Drinks Focus: A more prosperous pathway to a sustainable future

The Triton College Sustainability Center will host their inaugural Green Drinks program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2.  The event is free and open to the public. It will take place in Room B-223 of the Student Center on Triton’s main campus in River Grove.  The event will also have a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres. The guest speaker Tom Stoner will be, a former energy entrepreneur who authored the book “Small Change, Big Gains: Reflections of an Energy Entrepreneur.”  Stoner will discuss how climate change mitigation is possible and will result in a more prosperous pathway to a sustainable future, as he answers such questions as:

• Is the very nature of business in conflict with the environment?
• To address climate change, will the United States have to incur a massive public bailout to transform our energy economy?
• What are the top three calls to action for environmentally conscious college graduates?

Stoner is also the founder of Project Butterfly (www.projbutterfly.com), a research organization dedicated to finding business solutions to climate change.  Green Drinks is an international network that encourages networking opportunities to discuss sustainability. This event is sponsored by the Triton College Sustainability Center and the Green Committee.  For more information, contact Adrian Fisher at adrianfisher@triton.edu or Alexandra Dragin at alexandradragin@triton.edu.