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Reversing Environmental Rollbacks

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Reversing Environmental Rollbacks

In November 2017, I participated in a panel discussion on climate change policy in Indianapolis, headlined by a then-former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assistant administrator named Janet McCabe. She had left EPA at the beginning of the Trump administration and taken a post as director of the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University. When asked what could be done to thwart the administration in its effort to roll back environmental protections, Ms. McCabe offered some ironic assurance.

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The Circular Economy: Part 3

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The Circular Economy: Part 3

Green Era’s current project is a great model of the circular economy because it involves diverting inedible food waste from landfills and, via a process called anaerobic digestion, producing clean, renewable energy as well as nutrient-rich soil, which will then be used to expand fresh local food production. All this will occur on a vacant, brownfield site in South Chicago, in an area with an urgent need for cleanup and economic development.

In August 2020, after a yearlong competition, Green Era, part of the Always Growing Auburn Gresham team, won the $10 million Chicago Prize to develop their vision of a healthy lifestyle hub and renewable energy and urban farming campus. In addition, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a $2 million investment from the state’s Rebuild Illinois program to fill the final funding gap for the Green Era Renewable Energy & Urban Farming Campus.

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First Virtual Movie Club Night A Great Success

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First Virtual Movie Club Night A Great Success

The first-ever Virtual Movie Club Night kicked off on July 15 with a discussion of the documentary “The Ants and the Grasshopper,” directed by Raj Patel and Zac Piper. Exclusively for One Earth Collective Members (membership starts at $25 annually), the Virtual Movie Club will meet regularly to analyze environmental films, provide like-minded community, and promote change. New members are welcome to join at any time.

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Tips from the Tomato Lady: How to Grow the Tastiest Tomatoes

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Tips from the Tomato Lady: How to Grow the Tastiest Tomatoes

Q: Any special tips for growing those lovely tomatoes, especially in this hot, dry weather we’ve been having?

A: First, plant deep, to get more root growth. Overall, tomatoes are annuals, so they’re ready to go; they know it’s this year or nothing, so you don’t need to snip their roots or take them out of the peat pots. Just plant them deep. All those little hairs on the stem that you can see will become roots once they are set underground, so it’s a great way to give your plants an amazing head start.

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The Circular Economy: Part 2

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The Circular Economy: Part 2

Q: And you’d like to see this [circular economic] model applied on both a local and a global level?

A: Yes. Rheaply’s vision is to make the world’s resources visible, easily transferable, and more valuable in our global economy. Closer to home, the Circular Chicago Coalition is bringing together 16 partners, including Rheaply and Plant Chicago, with the intention of seeding a circular city on the south and west sides, asking communities of color what they want rather than prescribing solutions. So we are looking at the city of Chicago and asking how we can eliminate waste within an urban environment, how we can transform the city into an efficient resource-sharing hub. For example, how do we connect nonprofits to larger companies, thereby creating loops for assets?

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Join the Circular Economy: COMPOST

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Join the Circular Economy: COMPOST

Keeping food waste out of landfills via composting is a perfect example of how the circular economy can work. Following is a list of Chicagoland composting resources recommended by Jonathan Pereira of Plant Chicago. For those outside of Illinois, search for similar resources in your area to get involved.

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The Circular Economy: Part 1

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The Circular Economy: Part 1

Q: How has the past year—the pandemic year—affected your work and the work of those you partner with?

A: Growers and food companies that had been selling to restaurants had to go more to a retail model or not exist. After the lockdown began and Illinois was put under a shelter-in-place order, Plant Chicago helped farmers pivot toward online sales. And, despite the challenges, we re-launched the farmers market in Davis Square Park, opened our year-round marketplace, offered subsidized local food boxes, piloted a shared-use indoor victory garden, and began accepting food scraps for composting from neighbors. We store the food scraps on site for Urban Canopy to haul away. We’re just now transitioning back into working in person, and we interact with the public a lot, so we’re still masking and probably will be for a while.

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GCC Midwest Becomes One Earth Collective

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GCC Midwest Becomes One Earth Collective

We’re getting a new look and a new name! GCC Midwest Inc. is now One Earth Collective. Our 501(c)(3) organization will retain the same board of directors and has a new logo and new digital home at www.oneearthcollective.org.

One Earth Collective has three program areas: One Earth Film Festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary season in 2021; One Earth Youth Voices, which focuses on programs for youth ages 8-25; and One Earth Local/Green Community Connections, which focuses on local sustainability programs in Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois.

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GCC/One Earth Expands Board of Directors from 4 to 7 Members

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GCC/One Earth Expands Board of Directors from 4 to 7 Members

The Green Community Connections/One Earth Board welcomed three new members at its November board meeting. They will join the other 4 sitting directors. We are grateful and excited to have them join the board. Their unique talents, expertise and perspectives will help us further our mission to support the growth of environmental awareness and inspire the adoption of solution-oriented actions through inclusive educational events and programs.

Below are biographies and brief Q&As for each of our new directors so you can learn a little about their background and what they will bring to our organization.

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Two Secrets in a Chrysalis: Butterfly Guardians Remembered

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Two Secrets in a Chrysalis: Butterfly Guardians Remembered

The art show “Third Coast Disrupted: Artists + Scientists on Climate” was scheduled to close on Friday, Oct. 30, but will reopen Monday, Jan. 11, and continue through Friday, Feb. 19, at Columbia College Chicago’s Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash.

After seeing the show recently, one of its artworks continues to haunt me.