House Warming

House Warming Podcast, Episode 014: Giving Sustainability Entrepreneurs a BOOST with the Delta Institute with Patrick Murphy and Ashley Bakelmun   

In this episode, Sarah talks with Patrick and Ashley about Delta Institute, its Associate Board and their event, BOOST, an event that offers sustainability entrepreneurs the opportunity to win a $5,000 grant to support their idea, project or business.   

Patrick T. Murphy is the Senior Lead for Development and Communications at Delta Institute, and in that role he serves as Staff Liaison to the Delta Emerging Leaders associate board. He has devoted his career to serving Chicago-area nonprofits, having recently served as Director of Development and Alumni Relations at the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation and as Board Chair of Pangea Educational Development. He holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management with a Concentration in Fundraising Management from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. His hobbies include reading, gaming, creating music, and genealogy.

Ashley Bakelmun is a Managing Director at RW Ventures, LLC, an economic development firm specializing in technical analysis of urban assets and markets, and in creating the products and enterprises necessary to inclusively grow urban and regional economies. Prior to joining RW Ventures, she led design and construction teams to deliver sustainable master plans on education/corporate campuses and achieve LEED certification in new construction projects. Ashley has a BSA in Mathematics and Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Urban Development and Design from UNSW Sydney.

To submit applications or buy tickets to the event: https://delta-institute.org/boost

For the full roster of winners and finalists: https://delta-institute.org/delta-emerging-leaders/

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 013: Putting Reuse Back into Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Ecoship with Aleksandra Plewa, Co-founder and CEO of Ecoship   

In this episode, Sarah talks with Aleksandra Plewa about her non-profit, Ecoship, which collects and distributes used mailers and other packing materials to divert them from the waste stream.  

Aleksandra is a Chicago native with a biology and environmental background. While studying at Drake University, she became involved in conservation work and hoped to continue it in Chicago. Not being able to find anything, she began working on a project that would extend the life of shipping materials. That is how EcoShip began. They now collect gently used shipping materials from Chicago neighborhoods and nearby suburbs and distribute them to small businesses and individuals who need them.

Find Ecoship's website here: https://ecoship.org/

Follow Ecoship on Facebook (general page: EcoShipChicago /  group for gathering materials in your neighborhood: Ecoship Chicago OFFICIAL) and Instagram (ecoship_chicago).

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 012: Building the Foundation for the Future City that We Need to Be with Maria Hadden, Alderwoman of the 49th Ward    

In this episode, Sarah Bury talks with Alderwoman Maria Hadden about the environmental legislation she has supported, including an order to assess the cost of bringing back the Chicago Department of Environment. 

Alderwoman Maria Hadden was born in Columbus, Ohio, and her parents Skip and Toni taught Maria  two foundational lessons. 1) Be curious and ask questions. It’s important to understand how things work and why. 2) Problems that affect any of us, affect all of us. And that if you see something wrong and you’re able to help, you should do what you can to make it right.  After graduating from The Ohio State University with a BA in International Peace and Conflict Studies, she moved to Chicago. She chose Rogers Park because of its affordability, welcoming community culture and proximity to the lake. A weekly regular at The Heartland Cafe, in Rogers Park, Maria found community.

Rogers Park was the first place Maria lived in Chicago, where she purchased her first home and where her activism blossomed. When the housing bubble burst in 2007, and the developer of her building fled the country, Maria helped organize her neighbors to save their homes. Maria has been organizing with the community ever since.

Maria has been a leader in the 49th Ward through her advocacy, her art, and her work with Participatory Budgeting in Chicago. She lives with her partner, Natalia, and their rescue dog. Maria is a photographer and artist who leads screenprinting workshops for young people. She took over The Art Patch Project from longtime Rogers Park activist Chris Drew and believes art is an important medium for activism and personal expression.

Before becoming Alderwoman, Maria Hadden was the Executive Director of Our City Our Voice, a national nonprofit organization she founded to enable communities and government across the country to redesign democracy for more empowered and equitable participation. Her expertise in public participation is grounded in grassroots organizing efforts for social change.

Before launching her own organization, Maria was a founding board member of The Participatory Budgeting Project, where she worked for 8 years with communities and government officials in the Midwest and South to create and facilitate democratic processes around public budgets. In this role, Maria has also worked with Aldermen throughout Chicago to design participatory budgeting processes around Aldermanic menu money, school budgets and TIF funds.

​Maria currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Black Youth Project (BYP) 100, and Voqal. BYP is an organization of activists aiming to create justice and freedom for all Black people through the principles of leadership development and inclusivity using  Black, queer, feminist lens. Voqal is a nonprofit that uses technology and media to build an educated, empowered and engaged public. Maria also:

• Participated in a cohort on inclusive innovation in America’s Cities for The Aspen Institute where she worked to bridge the gap between innovation in cities and marginalized and underserved communities.
• Is an active member of the New Economy Coalition helping to create deep change in our economy and politics.
• Serves on the Social Capital Committee of the Cook County Commission on Social Innovation.
• Works on the local level with organizations fighting for progressive causes like Network 49 and United Working Families.

The Illinois Environmental Council 2021 City Council Scorecard can be found here: https://ilenviro.org/chicago-scorecard/

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 011: Hell No To Hilco - Our Bodies Are Not Dollar Signs with Edith Tovar from the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization    

In this episode, Sarah talks with Edith Tovar about the impact of Hilco's implosion of the coal plant smokestacks and the Hell No To Hilco campaign, which fights the installation of polluting industry and works for regenerative community-based land use in the community.

Edith Tovar is the Community Organizer at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) focusing on Just Transition* visions and efforts in the Little Village community. They focus on the "Hell No Hilco" campaign, informing residents about the new Target warehouse facility at the former Crawford Coal Plant -- Exchange 55 -- and connecting ongoing EJ efforts across the community and city. #FueraHilco #HellNoHilco #Exchange55 #LaVillitaRespira

Edith is a life-long resident of La Villita community. As a first generation college student and youngest of four, she was the second in her family to graduate with a university degree. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish-Economics with a minor in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Edith also obtained her Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at UIC with a concentration in Environmental Planning and Policy. Edith is a sister, tía, prima, a bestie to many, she has three fur babies; Xico & Mango (cats) and Kapi (dog), and enjoys creating habitats for pollinators like the Monarch butterfly.

*Just Transition is a principle, a process and a practice. The principle of just transition is that a healthy economy and a clean environment can and should co-exist. The process for achieving this vision should be a fair one that should not cost workers or community residents their health, environment, jobs, or economic assets. Any losses should be fairly compensated. And the practice of just transition means that the people who are most affected by pollution – the frontline workers and the fenceline communities – should be in the leadership of crafting policy solutions. - Just Transition Alliance, http://jtalliance.org/ 

Here is the link to their second website focusing on Just Transition in the Little Village community: https://lavillitarespira.com/

Follow LVEJO on Facebook (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)), Twitter (@lvejo) and Instagram (@lvejo20).

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Support the show

This episode provides updates on podcast episode releases (every other Monday!) and an announcement naming the first three guests of the season (and a couple of flashbacks to previous seasons)!

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 009: Lead Pipes Belong Only in History Books with Justin Keller from the Metropolitan Planning Council and Jeremy Orr with the Natural Resources Defense Council    

In this episode, Sarah talks with Justin Keller and Jeremy Orr about lead service lines and state legislation that could put an end to this public health threat.

Justin Keller, AICP,  joined the Metropolitan Planning Council as a member of the Water Resources program in 2018. He manages various aspects of MPC's water supply and stormwater work, including the Drinking Water 1-2-3 Academy, municipal Technical Assistance program, and the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative. He is an urban planner with a degree from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is Treasurer of the American Planning Association's Chicago Metro Section.

Jeremy Orr is a Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council where he focuses on drinking water and source water protection issues, working to ensure that everyone has access to safe, sufficient, and affordable drinking water. With a background in grassroots community organizing and public interest law, Orr most recently served as the national state program director for the Peoples Climate Movement and as an environmental justice coordinator for the Transnational Environmental Law Clinic.

Read MPC's summary of the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification bill here:  https://www.metroplanning.org/uploads/cms/documents/illinois_lead_service_line_replacement_and_notification_act.pdf

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 008: Hungry for Change - General Iron and Chicago's Southeast Side   with Gina Ramirez, Co-chair of the Southeast Coalition to Ban Petcoke    

In this episode, Sarah talks with the Co-chair of the Southeast Coalition to Ban Petcoke, Gina Ramirez, about her community's fight for clean air generally and the battle against General Iron in particular.  

Read Gina's op-ed in the Chicago Tribune here: https://bit.ly/2Sqc8iM.  

Join and/or donate to the Southeast Environmental Task Force, which is the fiscal sponsor of the Southeast Coalition to Ban Petcoke, here:  http://setaskforce.org/get-involved-2/

Not sure who your alderperson is?  Go here: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/iframe/lookup_ward_and_alderman.html

You can find contact information for your alderperson here: https://chicago.legistar.com/People.aspx

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 007: Election Edition - Meet MWRD Candidate Eira Corral Sepúlveda,

In this episode, Sarah talks with Eira Corral Sepúlveda about her plan for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, her experience as a government servant, and the race.

Eira currently serves as the Village Clerk of Hanover Park, ran for office for the first time at age 23, and has been endorsed by the Democratic Party, three major newspapers, the Sierra Club, various public officials and many more for the position of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

Cook County residents looking to learn more about Eira can visit her website at https://www.eira4water.com/.

To learn more about the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, visit its website here: https://mwrd.org/.

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you like the work we're doing, we can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/housewarmingpod.

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 006: The Case for Declaring a Climate Emergency   with Matt Martin, 47th Ward Alderperson    

This episode is sponsored by Bike Home Chicago, a residential real estate group with @properties, led by Jordan Rothschild. Bike Home Chicago offers a carbon-neutral way of touring real estate by bicycle. Whether you are in the market for a single-family home, condo, co-op, or apartment, Jordan can help you navigate the complicated process of buying, selling, or renting a home. Learn more online at bikehomechicago.com or on Instagram at instagram.com/bikehomechicago.

In this episode, Anni talks with 47th Ward Alderperson Matt Martin about his motivation to declare a climate emergency in Chicago, what this declaration means for our city, and what he envisions a massive climate mobilization will look like here.

47th Ward residents can join the 47th Ward Green Council at https://www.facebook.com/groups/greencouncil47/, or you can get involved with local climate organizations at Extinction Rebellion, Center for Neighborhood Technology, National Resource Defence Council, Illinois Environmental Council, or Blacks in Green. 

Matt Martin is serving his first term as alderperson of the 47th Ward. He lives in Lincoln Square with his wife and two children. Prior to being elected alderman, Matt worked as a civil rights lawyer at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he worked on issues including police reform, immigration, healthcare, and worker’s rights. Find ward info online at aldermanmartin.com, and follow along on social media at https://www.facebook.com/aldermanmartin and https://twitter.com/aldmattmartin. 

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the work we’re doing, you can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/housewarmingpod. 

We’d like to thank our sound editor, Ilana Marder-Epstein, our research assistant, Amelia Diehl, and our graphic designer, Reagan Carey, for their help with this episode, and Collective Resource Compost, for sponsoring our work. 

Support the show

House Warming Podcast, Episode 005: Preserving Chicago’s Urban Tree Canopy 
with Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward Alderperson    

This episode is sponsored by Collective Resource Compost, a company working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting food scraps from landfills and hauling them to a commercial composting facility. Learn more about Chicago area pick-up services at collectiveresource.us.

In this episode, co-hosts Sarah Bury and Anni Metz talk with Andre Vasquez about the “Save the Trees” ordinance he introduced shortly after taking office last year, why it’s important to protect Chicago’s tree canopy, and the ins & outs (literally!) of water infrastructure.   

Andre Vasquez is currently serving as Alderperson of the 40th Ward on Chicago’s North Side. The son of immigrants, father of two, and former rapper and utility company employee is invested in the fight for better schools, city services, and the right allocation of resources in Chicago’s city government. Find ward info online at 40thward.org, and follow along on social media at instagram.com/40thward, twitter.com/andrefor40th, or twitter.com/40thforward.

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the work we’re doing, you can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/housewarmingpod. 

We’d like to thank our sound editor, Ilana Marder-Epstein, our research assistant, Amelia Diehl, and our graphic designer, Reagan Carey, for their help with this episode, and Collective Resource Compost, for sponsoring our work. 

Support the show