Category: Local

Tales from the field: Lobby Day first-timers dive into advocacy

First-timers dive into advocacy Edited by Jane Goldenberg One of the best things about Zoom meetings is that they make attending meetings that otherwise would require travel far easier. As a result, we got lots of first-timers advocating for the Clean Energy Jobs Act during our Nov. 12 Lobby Day. Here are their stories. Regina…
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The veto session may have been canceled, but #CEJACantWait

#CEJACantWait By Linc Cohen If you want to take the next steps in our campaign to keep Illinois on track toward a renewable-energy economy, please write letters to your legislators and the governor! Our chapter’s No. 1 priority for 2020 was passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, but the year will end without the…
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Tales from the field: Our first virtual Lobby Day

Tales from the Field Edited by Jane Goldenberg One of the most important things we do as advocates for climate action is to talk to our elected officials — which should be one of the most natural of activities in a democracy because our legislators work for us! For many of us, the first time…
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Ready to fight for our climate

Ready to fight for our climate A longer version of this article previously appeared in The Trapeze, the newspaper of Oak Park and River Forest High School (Oct 30, 2020) By Elizabeth Short At the end of July, I had the opportunity to join people from all over the world at Vice President Al Gore’s…
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Celebrate Thanksgiving the sustainable way!

Have a sustainable Thanksgiving! By Alex Parker With families and friends coming together to celebrate Thanksgiving – in small, socially distanced groups, hopefully! – it’s time to think about how to make your celebration healthy and sustainable. While Thanksgiving is a good time to bust out the good china, if you’re using disposable plates and…
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sunset photo of a mountain with a small group of people in silhouette

Team up for action!

Team up for action! While we’ve all been hunkered down, many of us are also gearing up for action. Together as teams, we have the opportunity to pool our knowledge and resources for elevated, powerful outcomes. Our two global online leadership trainings brought 95 newly trained leaders into our chapter this summer! And climate-concerned citizens…
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Spotlight: Natalie Lynn starts a YouTube channel

Spotlight: Natalie Lynn starts a YouTube channel Editor’s note: This post is part of a new series in which we will highlight and celebrate the environmental work of our Climate Reality Leaders. Please share your story with us at climaterealitychicago@gmail.com. By Natalie Lynn Lichtenbert Environmentally Fashionable/Globally Healthy was borne out of my desire to create…
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Composting Part II: In Apartments

Composting Part II: In Apartments By Alex Parker You might be thinking, well, I live in an apartment; composting isn’t possible. Perhaps! Perhaps not. “Sometimes people will get discouraged about composting because they only know it as a big pile in the back yard, and that’s not a possibility for them,” says Moira Kelley, co-founder…
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You don’t need a big yard to start composting

You don’t need a big yard to start composting By Alex Parker Like many American families, my family struggles with food waste. From neglected produce to avocados that roll to the back of the fridge, it seems a lot of what we buy at the grocery store doesn’t end up on our plates at all.…
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The fight against General Iron is about environmental justice

The fight against General Iron is about environmental justice By Linc Cohen Climate Reality Chicago is working with a coalition of climate-action groups to amplify a battle by Southeast Side environmental groups aimed at keeping General Iron, a scrap preparation company and serial polluter, from relocating into their backyard. We are asking our members who…
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