Breathe Easier
Aaron Schreiber-Stainthorp: The Low Carbon Diet Workshop
Aaron enlisted 10 community members to join him in taking the Low-Carbon Diet. Their combined efforts have the potential to reduce their total carbon footprint by 50,000 pounds. Community members continue to make strides towards meeting this goal including one member who gave up driving during the process.
Bill Morrisett: Promote CO2 Emissions Reductions by Individuals and Institutions
This project started with promoting a CO2 reduction program called the Low Carbon Diet, developed by David Gershon of the Empowerment Institute. It expanded to promotion of CO2 emissions reductions by individuals and institutions and organizing an volunteer organization called Northeast Illinois Cool-Challenge.
Brian Navarrete: Logan Square Weatherization Workshop
With the help of his C3 project team and a representative from CEDA, Brian conducted a weatherization demonstration at the Logan Square Library for Hispanic members of the community. All winter preparedness information and dialogue was in Spanish, making it easier for many members of the Latin American community to get informed about weatherization in their homes.
Carla Winterbottom: Incandescence Obsolescence
Carla’s first C3 project, using a self-built light box to demonstrate the energy savings of CFL bulbs, encouraged many community members to “Pledge to Switch.” Carla is also the artist of a very “cool” Chicago Conservation Clubs Cool Globe which will be on display along the lakefront beginning in June.
Catherine Feit: Living Green, Saving Green
Catherine held an open house on the day of her neighborhood’s block party to demonstrate different ways to reduce energy usage while also saving money. Her project team focused on reducing gas and electrical consumption by reducing AC usage, replacing traditional light bulbs with CFLs, utilizing programmable thermostats, and putting entertainment centers and personal offices on power strips to prevent phantom load.
Charlotte Weeks: CFL Lightbulb Distribution
Charlotte inspired members of the Junior League of Chicago to save energy and “breathe easier” through an article in Topics Magazine, weekly email blasts to more than 2000 women volunteers over the course of two months, and the distribution of 150 compact fluorescent lightbulbs to members.
Cheryl Chrismon: Trinity United Church of Christ Fun Booth
Cheryl hosted an educational booth at Trinity United Church of Christ’s Farmers’ Market. The event was a great success with approximately 200 people attending her station throughout the day. Participants were particularly motivated by the City’s $800 Savings Challenge, with 50 attendees pledging to make conservation improvements especially in regards to their energy usage.
Dani Ghalayini: Home Air Quality Educational Workshop in Lincoln Square
Dani organized a home air quality educational workshop for her Lincoln Square community. She collected household hazardous waste, distributed CFLs and worked with participants to make green cleaning solutions and dazzled the Massive Change summer teacher institute with her cleaner greaner savvy.
David Becker: Bright Idea!
David and his volunteers distributed 300 CFLs at the six corners of Wicker Park, making certain to educate passerbies about the proper way to dispose of these bulbs in the city of Chicago.
Elizabeth Wyman: Energy for the New Year’ Event and CFL Distribution
Elizabeth prepared a sustainable dinner for members of her community as a back drop for a presentation on the benefits of CFL light bulbs. Guests discussed the importance of energy conservation and committed to future actions.
Eric Vazquez: Greening the Office
Eric hosted a Greening the Net event to launch his company’s new Green Policy, an initiative to create an eco-friendly office environment for CashNetUSA’s 600 employees. The event was hosted by NBC Meteorologist and Environmental Reporter Ginger Zee and will help the Chicago office move toward more sustainable living and business practices, employing low or no cost solutions.
Gregory Bratton: Energy Awareness in the Bush Community
Gregory helped 331 residents of the Bush Community become more informed about how to winterize their homes and be more energy efficient. This was accomplished through three separate workshops where weatherization kits and light bulbs were distributed. Bush community members have asked Gregory to continue to provide weatherization workshops as they are already realizing the economical and environmental impacts of these tools.
Jill Caly: Greening Houses on the Block in East Garfield Park
For her second C3 project, Jill started a weatherization seminar for East Garfield Park residents. At the event, her project team gave out weatherization kits and low-energy light bulbs. The team also gave away green cleaning solution and demonstrated how attendees could make their own solution at home. The seminar raised awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of living green and furthered neighborhood interaction with the 32-3300 W Fulton Block Club, which served as event co-sponsor.
Jody Luna: Breathe Easier: Green Cleaning Workshop for the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce
Jody reached 50 community members at the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce Easter Celebration, showing them how to make their own non-toxic household cleaners. She followed up by surveying participants about other environmental friendly techniques they practice at home.
Joyce Coffee: An Inconvenient Truth: Reducing My Energy and Environmental Footprint: Native Garden at Wicker Park Lutheran Church
Joyce hosted a screening of the movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ with help from Faith in Place, the Wicker Park Garden Club and the Wicker Park Lutheran Church. Her team collected household hazardous waste and distributed CFL bulbs in exchange for participants making a commitment to implement a series of low and no-cost energy savings actions. Joyce’s team then planted an environmentally friendly garden of low water, low maintenance, and highly diverse vegetation at the Wicker Park Lutheran Church.
Mary Jadernak: High Rise CFL Education and Distribution in the 42nd Ward
Mary gathered 10 team members to help achieve a building wide change to be more energy efficient. Mary’s team distributed and installed over 200 CFLs, impacting 250 community members.
Nancy Johnson: An Inconvenient Truth’ Movie Night with Light Bulb Swap and Winterization Kit Giveaway
Nancy attracted over 120 members of her North Park community to “An Inconvenient Truth” movie night followed by a discussion of global warming issues and a light bulb swap and weatherization kit give-away.
Necia Jeffries: Energy Fair I and II
Necia held two energy fairs for her community. The first taught neighboors how to identify kilowatt use on the electric bill, and explained renewable energy choices to cut back on costs, such as CFLs. The second taught people how to weatherize their homes and duscussed best practices for lowering heat/energy bills. All participants signed pleges for conservation.
Neil Brideau: Lights Off’ Electricity Fast and Energy Conservation Awareness in Uptown
Neil Brideau completed a ‘Lights Off’ electricity fast and energy conservation awareness project in Uptown to raise awareness of how our personal consumption impacts the rest of the world both environmentally and politically. He held twice-weekly public presence events around the city, handing out flyers to explain the ‘Lights Off’ fast and give tips on energy conservation.He also invited individuals to sign a pledge promising to reduce their energy consumption.
Pam McCarroll: Conservation Education and Energy Efficiency Retrofit in the Woodlawn Community
Pam worked with eight colleagues to green her condo association through an energy efficiency inspection and retrofits; her project team also worked together to lay out mulch around their community to promote the healthy growth of surrounding trees and plants.
Rashna Ghadialy: CFL Education and Distribution in the 48th Ward
Rashna started with her 250 unit Malibu Condominium building, and has since moved to neighboring high rise dwellings along Sheridan Road to educate residents about the benefit of energy efficiency and compact fluorescent light bulbs. In total, residents have diverted over 400,000 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by installing these light bulbs.
Rene King: Improving Indoor Air Quality and Green Cleaning Workshop
Rene invited a member of Clean Air Counts to speak with community members about indoor air quality and the inexpensive and ecologically friendly practice of making your own green cleaners. The event was held at the Broadway Armory; over 30 community members took home their very own green cleaners.
Robert Aguilar: Global Warming and ‘Solar Energy on the Go’ Video Projects
Working with Dorothee Royal-Hedinger, Robert produced and publicized ‘What Can Regular People Do About Global Warming’ and ‘Carrying Power: Solar Energy on the Go’– two online video projects which have reached over 1000 people in Chicago and beyond. You can view Robert’s videos on treehugger.com, youtube and Current TV.
Rose Mabwa: Weatherization and Worm Composting at Mercy Housing
Over the course of the year, Rose distributed seventy weatherization kits and conducted three worm composting demonstrations to educate residents at Mercy Housing about energy efficiency and land management. Rose strengthened her strong ties in this community by meeting with attendees regularly, providing them with several tools and activities that will support them in the long and short term.
Stanley Chiu: Energy Efficiency Workshop in Chinatown
Stanley held an energy efficiency workshop in Chinatown, giving a PowerPoint presentation, and distributing 100 CFLs and programmable thermostats as prizes during the day. His multiligual presentation and materials helped him and his project team reach 33 community members.
Sunitha Reddy: Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Awareness at the Sara Lee Plant in Back of the Yards
Sunitha worked with employees at the Sara Lee plant to increase awareness among on energy efficiency and water conservation and it’s impact on the environment. The plant, located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, resulted in 40 trees being planted, 1350 incandescent light bulbs being replaced and 150 homes weatherized.
Susan Casey and Judie Simpson: Green Cleaning Workshop for the Hollywood-North Park Community Association
Susan and Judie’s Green Cleaning Workshop was conducted at the Hollywood-North Park Association’s general meeting in February 2009. Workshop participants learned that homemade green cleaners are safer for their health and the environment than conventional cleaning products and are also significantly less expensive. Each participant received a Green Cleaning Kit that included basic supplies such as baking soda, vinegar, and green cleaning recipes. Participants also made Natural Window Cleaner at the workshop to add to their kits.
Terrence Samuel: Green Cleaning & Healthy Home Habits
Terrence’s C3 project focused on green cleaning solutions and indoor air quality issues. Working out of the Backstory Café, Terrence’s team reached out to Auburn-Gresham residents of all ages, demonstrating how to make non-toxic alternatives to the harmful chemical products on the market.
Wendi Bundy: It Takes a Villa – Neighborhood Recycling
Wendi worked with the historic Villa Improvement League to host two seasonal conservation workshops. The first workshop was a winter weatherization clinic for thirty neighbors which outlined small eco-steps to save energy and money during cold Chicago winters. The second workshop, held in April in conjunction with the League’s annual Spring clean-up, provided green cleaning solutions and information on clean air actions her community could take.
Pool Your Resources
Marissa Strassel: Bike to Soccer and Apartment Building Composter
Marissa took on two separate C3 projects: she encouraged teammates on her soccer team to bike to soccer, keeping track of the greenhouses gases eliminated by their efforts; and she educated her neighbors about the composter in their backyard, helping them understand how to use it and why it was beneficial to their building.
What Are You Waiting For?
Elaine Lemieux: Idle-Free Zone at Sauganash Elementary School
Elaine and her student team led an extensive campaign to increase awareness about idling around Sauganash Elementary School. At the close of the school year, Elaine’s team placed permanent anti-idling signs around the school campus and noticed a large improvement when they did a second survey of idling from nearby cars, trucks and buses.
Susan Casey: Idling Reduction at Peterson Elementary School
Susan and her student team raised awareness about emissions from idling vehicles around the elementary school through the use of signs, bumper stickers, and the distribution of informative books to 1st grade teachers. Her team spent more than 100 hours deriving estimates of greenhouse gas emissions that resulted in community members rethinking their decisions to idle outside of the school.