Edgewater Environmental Sustainability Project (EESP)

Mission Statement: 
We are a group of local volunteers who actively partner with our neighbors, local schools, block clubs, faith groups & elected officials to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly future for ourselves & succeeding generations.  
Information regarding our non profit status, objectives & ways to donate are shown on the bottom of the page.
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City of Chicago -  Announcement of an Important New Ordinance
Wednesday January 15th, 2020: City ordinance O2020-161 was introduced that will reduce plastic pollution by eliminating significant sources of single-use plastic in Chicago, advancing sustainable solutions to keep drinking water clean and ecosystems healthy. 
[Both Alderman Osterman & Vasquez have signed on as sponsors. If you are in support - think about sending them a thank you note .]
Here are more details from an lllinois Environmental Council email release: 
"This ordinance tackles the plastic pollution crisis by:
requiring reusable plates and dishes when dining in at restaurants, requiring single-use plastic serviceware be provided only by request or at a self-serve station, requiring recyclable or compostable containers for to-go food, reducing polystyrene, and educating the public about improved recycling and composting practices. Click here to call on Mayor Lightfoot and your alderman to support this ordinance!"
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The next EESP Meeting on Wed, 2/12/2020; 9:00 am 5533 N. Broadway and is open to the public.  
2020 marks the 10th Anniversary of the Edgewater Environmental Sustainability Project  
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Latest Actions and/or Sustainability Information: 
A) Greenhouse Gas/Carbon Offsetting: Renee Patten, EESP Project Lead. shared details that she learned at the Global Congress for Climate Change & Sustainability Professionals. In addition she information on carbon offsetting and the individual actions individuals can take to offset personal and household emissions: 
     1) CMAP's (Chicago Metropolitan Agency of Planning) 2015 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory 
69% of the region's GHG emissions are from energy use (38% of that is from residences, 34% is commercial and the rest is industry). Then 29% of the GHG emissions regionally are from transportation uses. 84% of those transportation emissions are from "on-road" - emissions coming out of tailpipes. Lastly, waste emissions account for 3% (such as emissions from landfills)
     2) The Greenest Region Compact (GRC): promotes sustainability in Chicago communities across the region. To date, 128 communities have adopted the GRC to improve quality of life for more than 6 million residents. The GRC Framework is the companion document that provides objectives, strategies, and tools to help communities address goals of the GRC. It cover's climate, land use, energy, water, waste & recycling and more.
B) Personal carbon offsetting. 
     1) A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. You can offset plane travel, events, household or office emissions. You can also pay a monthly to offset the emissions from your household. Two legitimate sources are Terrapass and Carbon Fund.  Carbon Fund says, “reduce what you can, offset what you can’t.”
      2) For carbon offsetting, you participate in a voluntary market, purchasing carbon offsets to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from event operations. Offsets support projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Project types can include renewable energy, energy efficiency, fishery, and forestry projects.
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Action on City Ordinances
     A Resolution passed at EESPs November meeting took a stand on pending City Ordinances, therefore, a formal letter was sent to Aldermen Osterman. 48th Ward & Alderman Vasquez 50th Ward . In summary it outlined EESPs: 
**opposition to Ordinance 7576 (Regulation of backyard livestock, chickens & urban farms)
**support of the landmarking of 6106 N. Kenmore (Asked they request the Landmarks Commission to support landmarking of the Nordine Home)
**support of the proposed changes to rideshare fees that encourage shared trips and promote a more sustainable city
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Climate Change: Global Alert Released 2019 [Report from the World Meteorological Organization] 
      The concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere has reached a record high, according to a report released Monday by the World Meteorological Organization. In 2018, global average concentrations of the greenhouse gas, which is a byproduct of burning fossil fuels, reached 407.8 parts per million, which means for every 1 million molecules of gas in the atmosphere, nearly 408 were carbon dioxide. This level is up from the global average of 405.5 parts per million in 2017. The findings follow a trend that shows the planet is continuing to warm at an alarming pace.
​Article published 11/25/19 via NBC News by Denise Chow​

EESP Monthly Meeting

The map shows the location of the monthly meetings on the second Wednesday : 9 to 10 am  5533 North Broadway. 

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Acronyms Uncovered: To help volunteers understand the names or titles behind acronyms that are used for groups that work with Edgewater Environmental Sustainability Project (EESP) you can access the list with this link - (paste & copy in your browser):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XjEW_PINl60stoLARx_CRhPu6SmAqbiO_ox4gbX4XRY/edit?usp=sharing