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Environment
Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
5:58pm
Tue Jun 18
2 comments

Ald. Moreno, Environmental Advocates Call For Plastic Bag Ban At Committee Hearing

Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) and a handful of other aldermen want plastic carryout bags banned in Chicago.  

On Tuesday, members of the city council’s Committee on Health and Environmental Protection heard more than two hours of testimony on a plastic bag reduction ordinance, which Moreno first introduced in November 2011.

“Plastic bags of today are the Styrofoam containers of yesterday, and we moved past that,” Moreno said at the hearing. Read more »

Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
2:32pm
Thu Jun 13

Illinois Environmental Activists Continue Fight Against Fracking

The fight against fracking in Illinois continues.

This time, activists from MoveOn.org, Food & Water Watch, the Progressive Democrats of America, Americans Against Fracking and other groups took to Wrigleyville and demanded that lawmakers not "play ball with the oil and gas industry."

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Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
2:47pm
Thu Jun 6

Pilsen Residents Continue Push For A Say In What's Next For Polluted Factory Sites

Environmental activists are pushing to stay involved during the remediation and redevelopment of polluted sites on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Although members of the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (PERRO) called it a victory to have the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commit to cleanup efforts in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods, the group continues to campaign for community engagement in the area’s revitalization.

The grassroots organization provided project updates and discussed environmentally-friendly initiatives and redevelopment ideas at a public meeting Wednesday.  

“We’ve had several really great successes in the last couple years, Fisk closed down, H. Kramer was forced to clean up their pollution, these kind of things don’t happen without community pressure,” said Jerry Mead-Lucero, organizer for PERRO. “Change requires community pressure, and that’s why it’s so important we keep informing the residents and keep the community involved so we can make good things happen.”

 

 

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Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
4:58pm
Wed Jun 5

Illinois Ranked A National Leader In Clean Technology Deployment

Illinois is “leading the charge” for clean technology deployment in the country, according to a new report from Clean Edge, a research and advisory firm dedicated to energy efficient and environmentally friendly industries, policies and applications.

The firm’s inaugural U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index report, released Tuesday, ranked Illinois’ clean-tech marketplace as 8th in the nation for strong policies that reduce the state’s environmental footprint.

“The clean-tech sector is the critical industry for economic leadership and economic development in the 21st century,” said Clint Wilder, senior editor of Clean Edge and co-author of the report. “If you want to plan for the future at all, it’s important to establish leadership and establish your state as one of the clean-tech hubs in the U.S., and I think Illinois has done a very good job of that.”

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
7:21pm
Wed May 29

Protesters Call On Obama To Reject Keystone Pipeline, Stop Deportations (VIDEO)

Environmentalists and comprehensive immigration reform advocates protested outside Chicago's Downtown Hilton where President Barack Obama and other key political leaders attended a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser Wednesday evening.

Activists called upon Obama to stop the deportation of undocumented immigrants and reject the Keystone XL Pipeline, among other issues.

Yesenia Najera, 11, a leader of the Albany Park Neighborhood Council, said her father was deported earlier this month.

"It is not fair," she said. "My dad is a good person and will always care for me and my brother and sister."

No other child should have to endure that kind of pain, she said.

Najera had one question for Obama.

"Will you stand for immigration families, and stop all deportation until immigration reform passes," she asked. "Not one more. Not one more."

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