Katja Esson By Helen Quinn Pasin Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Katja Esson is based in Miami. She is known for her character-driven documentaries tackling race, class, and gender. Her documentary short “Ferry Tales” garnered awards at international film festivals, was nominated for an Oscar and premiered on HBO in 2004. Other notable films include: “Hole in the Sky - The Scars of 9/11”; “Skydancer”; and “Poetry of Resilience”.  “Razing Liberty” is an award-winning documentary uncovering the untold stories of climate gentrification in Miami. Liberty City, Miami, was home to one of the ..read more

Brittany Zampella (Left) Maggie Hartmans (Right) By Helen Quinn Pasin  A Good Neighbor is a feature-length documentary about Lucy Molina, a Latina single mother fighting against environmental racism and climate change as she campaigns for city council in one of the nation's most polluted zip codes.  The film begins with Molina in the car, giving one of her famous "Toxic Tours." As she drives by factories, highways, and the looming oil refinery, she speaks tearfully and candidly about her children's illnesses. "I moved here because of that park for my kids," she says at one point, "I ..read more

From left, Ana Garcia Doyle, Derek Eder, Christine Poreba, Adrian Ayres Fischer, Chris Thomas, and Laurie Casey. Photo by Cesar Almeida. By Joshua Bynum We are thrilled to announce that One Earth Collective and Laurie Casey of COOP are both recipients of the Village of Oak Park’s 2023 Green Awards, recognizing outstanding efforts in sustainability and environmental stewardship in the community. Year-round incredible work is being done by individuals, businesses, and organizations in Oak Park to create a more sustainable future for all.  One Earth Collective is a vibrant community of indi ..read more

Aishah-Nyeta Brown By Aishah-Nyeta Brown Through her work with "Hollywood's Climate Advisors," Aishah-Nyeta champions the integration of accurate climate change portrayals in cinema, leveraging her multifaceted talents in music, performing arts, and fine arts to drive innovation in climate communication. As an environmentalist, a passionate artist, and an advocate for the arts, my journey has been a convergence of two seemingly divergent realms—climate change activism and the world of film and the arts at large. Over the years, I've come to appreciate the profound impact that cinema can have ..read more

Shutterstock/Appledesign By Susan Messer When a country is at war, both its people and its biodiversity are under attack. As warfare kills, wounds, and traumatizes countless humans, it also destroys, damages, and endangers soil, air, water, wildlife, flora, and fauna—elements that all humans depend on for life. Warfare is, in short, an act of destruction that disproportionately affects all the planet’s essential ecosystems. Much of the information in this article comes from the Conflict and Environment Observatory—an organization that monitors the impact of wars. Unfortunately, the many harms ..read more

Two buildings purchased for $1 in Chicago: at left, Hairpin Lofts (photo by Balloggphoto.com), and at right, Optimo Hats (photo by Tom Rossiter). Photos below are by Lois Kimmelman. By Lois Kimmelman, LEED AP In Chicago, it’s possible to buy an old, deteriorating building for one dollar, provided you promise to save it from the wrecking ball and spend your money renovating it. Not only do you avoid the wasted energy and resources associated with demolition and starting from scratch, but you can also make the building more sustainable in the process. Two LEED-certified cases in point: the Opt ..read more

Selfies by Monique Hamilton By Monique Hamilton Hello, my name is Monque Hamilton but I go by Mo for short. I currently attend DRW College Prep as a senior. DRW is part of the Noble Network of Charter Schools, which teamed up with Urban Alliance to provide me with this career/community opportunity with One Earth Collective. It’s been a few months, and everything has been incredible. I’ve learned so much about climate change and all about the environment. I’ve always had a passion for helping people, and so I plan to work in the medical field or criminology. One Earth is teaching me skills tha ..read more

Green Transportation Rally on Oct. 8, in Oak Park. Video by Cassandra West. By Cassandra West If you think you're seeing more electric vehicles (EVs) on your local streets, you are. If you think this constitutes a boon for the EV market, not exactly. On Nov. 28, the Wall Street Journal reported, some 3,900 U.S. car dealers sent a letter to President Biden seeking relief “from his onerous and unrealistic EV sales mandate.” The dealers say electric vehicles are piling up on their lots. Demand for EVs just isn't keeping up with production. "Dealers have a 103-day supply of EVs compared to 56 days ..read more

Shawnie Jones displays her culinary handiwork at the Mac & Cheese Cookoff with her secret recipe Mac’Alicious. Shawnie Jones is chef and owner of Chicago Eats Market Place. Photos by Helen Quinn Pasin. By Laurie Casey Chicago’s West Side has a new Queen of Mac. Shawnie Jones, chef and owner of a catering business, created the delectable recipe, “Mac’Alicious Macaroni”—which utilized Gouda cheese, sour cream and a premium grade butter to make it stand out—to win the Best of the West Mac & Cheese Cookoff.  Held in conjunction with Austin Eats’ Chef Showcase and Movie Night on ..read more

Trinity Pierce (left) was one of three guides at a Tree Stroll in Oak Park on Sunday, Oct. 22. Photos by Cassandra West. By Laurie Casey Sunday October 22, a sunny, mild day with fall leaf color in full splendor. About 62 people—mostly from Oak Park, but a few from Chicago neighborhoods Austin and Pullman—came to central Oak Park for the Fall Tree Stroll. We soaked up the glorious fall color, got to know our giant, gracious green neighbors a little better. D-I-Y Tree Stroll: the Basics Interested in organizing a tree stroll in your own neighborhood? Any time of year is perfect. . . we had ou ..read more