ELECTRIFYING OUR OLD OAK PARK HOME: GOING SOLAR

ELECTRIFYING OUR OLD OAK PARK HOME: GOING SOLAR

As bad news about climate change continues to frequent the headlines, it can feel hopeless. What could we, a single household, possibly do to make a meaningful contribution to such a huge, global problem? Should we recycle more? Stop eating meat? Stop using plastic bags?

We’re often told these kinds of actions help. But if we step back and look at the bigger picture, it becomes clear that these kinds of efficiency and lifestyle changes won’t be enough. Climate scientists and the UN have told us we need to get to net zero emissions by 2050. Is there anything more we could possibly be doing to ensure a more sustainable future for our kids?

Vote YES for the Forest Preserves

Vote YES for the Forest Preserves

In this time of global warming, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, these lands do more than provide scenery as we drive by. They help clean our air, filter our water, prevent flooding, shelter hundreds of species of wild animals and plants (including over 100 that are threatened or endangered) and, all the while, entice us out to enjoy nature, with its known health benefits, any day we choose—no admission charged!

Chicago Area Youth Will Attend COP27 in Egypt

Chicago Area Youth Will Attend COP27 in Egypt

On November 5, five students from the Chicago area youth-driven advocacy group It’s Our Future (IOF) will fly to Egypt to take part in COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh. It's Our Future, a program developed by Seven Generations Ahead and supported by One Earth Collective along with other partners, connects youth climate activists and empowers them to advocate for climate solutions in their schools and communities, and for a healthy livable future for all.

Oak Park, IL, Announces Climate Action Plan; Call for Community Group Participation

Oak Park, IL, Announces Climate Action Plan; Call for Community Group Participation

All around the U.S., communities are taking the lead on fighting climate change and building community resilience. Climate change is here, and it’s just a matter of time before some version of a Hurricane Ian or the Big Ranch Fire impacts any given community: intense storms, flash flooding, prolonged drought, extreme heat and other weather emergencies are intensifying each year.

Composting: It's a Good Thing!

Composting: It's a Good Thing!

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into fertilizer. When you collect your food scraps for composting, you cut down on the amount of trash that goes into landfill. If that organic waste instead ends up in landfill, it breaks down and is emitted into the atmosphere as methane—an extremely potent greenhouse gas. But as nutrient-rich compost—sometimes referred to as black gold—it can be used in gardens, where it enriches the soil, thus reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. This is reuse/recycling/circularity at its natural best!

Austin Town Hall Farmers' Market Offers an Array of Temptations

Austin Town Hall Farmers' Market Offers an Array of Temptations

Local peeps: if you live in Chicago’s Greater West Side (roughly Garfield Park to Bellwood), come by the Austin Town Hall Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. at 5610 West Lake Street, Chicago (312-744-0565). Through the end of October, enjoy a lovely setting—on a sprawling green lawn dotted with trees in front of the historic Austin Town Hall building. The vendors switch in and out: on the early summer day I came, there was a perfect mix of fresh produce, enticing hot meals, frozen meats, sprouted greens and other locally made foods.

Big Idea Bagged 'Plastic Bag Store: The Film'

Big Idea Bagged 'Plastic Bag Store: The Film'

We all know plastic waste is bad. Individual actions (refusing, reducing, reusing) are good, but limited to your own scope of influence (home, work, etc). Banding together with the broader community is the next logical step. Here’s one path that Julie Moller, waste activist, took.

Young Filmmakers Contest Reveals Passion for Animals and Planet

Young Filmmakers Contest Reveals Passion for Animals and Planet

From manatees to koalas to pangolins, endangered wildlife was a recurring theme among 148 submissions to the 2022 One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest. Students ages 8 to 25 revealed the impact of weather extremes and plastic pollution on people, animals, and the planet, with a new note of urgency about the climate crisis in their short films.

Interview with Julie Winokur, Director of 'The Sacrifice Zone'

Interview with Julie Winokur, Director of 'The Sacrifice Zone'

Q: The Sacrifice Zone. That’s a powerful title. It’s raw. Talk about it.

A: The concept is that we have chosen to sacrifice certain people for the benefit of others. They’re collateral damage. There’s an intentionality to it. Collectively, we’ve decided that it’s okay to put all this toxic industry in certain neighborhoods. And somehow we have the idea that the people who live there don’t care, because if they didn’t like it, they’d move.

'Oceania' Official Drinks of the 2022 One Earth Film Festival

'Oceania' Official Drinks of the 2022 One Earth Film Festival

Let's toast to a cleaner, greener, healthier future for our planet during our 4th annual Filmmakers Toast! This year's beverage is the Oceania, created by mixologist Denisse Soto CEO of La Chingona Mik, based in Chicago. If you're joining us from home, here are the recipes, with and without alcohol.