House Warming

House Warming Podcast, Episode 004: Reducing Congestion in the Loop   
with W. Robert Schultz III, from the Active Transportation Alliance   

This episode is sponsored by Chicago Market. Chicago Market is a community-owned grocery co-op on a mission to rebuild the connection between food producers and consumers. Powered by its individual owners, each of whom own a stake in the store, the co-op will feature local, sustainable foods from producers right here in the Midwest. Learn more about Chicago Market at chicagomarket.coop.

In this episode, host Sarah Bury chats with W. Robert Schultz III from the Active Transportation Alliance, about ways the city of Chicago can reduce traffic congestion in the Loop, what cities worldwide are doing to create multi-modal transportation systems, how to make access to public transit and active transportation options more equitable, and why all of this is so important if Chicago is serious about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.  

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit advocacy organization that works to improve conditions for bicycling, walking, and public transit, and engage people in healthy and active ways to get around. Find them online at activetrans.org on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/activetrans/, and on Twitter and Instagram at https://twitter.com/activetrans and https://www.instagram.com/activetrans/. 

If you’d like to support the Active Transportation Alliance’s work, please visit https://activetrans.org/about-us/get-involved. 

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. (Thanks to our first patron, Sarah R., for supporting our work!) 

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 Chicago Market, for sponsoring our work.

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House Warming Podcast, Episode 003: There’s Poop in the River!

A conversation about rainy days and combined sewer overflows with co-hosts Anni Metz & Sarah Bury      

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. 

Welcome, Sarah Bury, to the podcast! Sarah is acting as guest co-host while Abby takes a break, and we’re so happy to have her. 

In today’s episode, Anni and Sarah talk about how Chicago’s sewer system function and explain combined sewer overflows, which can reduce the load on the city’s sewers on rainy days by releasing untreated sewage into the Chicago River. You’ll also learn about Friend’s of the Chicago River’s Overflow Action Days campaign, and what you can do to reduce overflows and flooding when it rains. Sign up for Overflow Action Day alerts here: https://www.chicagoriver.org/get-involved/take-action/overflow-action-days.  

If you’d like to learn more about the work Friends of the Chicago River is doing, you can visit their website at https://www.chicagoriver.org/. You can also listen to this recent episode of The Climate Pod, recorded live in Chicago, to hear more about Friends of the Chicago River’s work. 

Subscribe to House Warming on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the work we’re doing, you can support us on Patreon. 

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. 

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Episode 002: CEJA & the Future of Renewable Energy in Illinois   
with Jen Walling and Cary Shepherd of the Illinois Environmental Council   

This episode is sponsored by Malia Designs, a fair trade handbag and accessories brand that combines lively design, recycled materials, and affordable price points into a beautiful product line. Each piece is handcrafted in Cambodia and every purchase helps to fight human trafficking. Learn more at maliadesigns.com. 

In this episode, host Anni Metz chats with Jen Walling and Cary Shepherd, of the Illinois Environmental Council, about the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and the future of renewable energy in Illinois. 

The Illinois Environmental Council is a membership-based advocacy organization that allows environmental organizations to pool their resources and work together to protect the environment in Illinois, including people, plants, animals, and eco-systems. Founded in 1975 by a small group of activists, IEC’s coalition is currently comprised of more than 90 environmental and community organizations and 300 individual members. Find them online at https://www.ilenviro.org/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ilenviro/, and on Twitter and Instagram at https://twitter.com/ilenviro and https://www.instagram.com/ilenviro.

Update: On November 10, Governor JB Pritzker announced that the Clean Energy Jobs Act will be taken up by the IL General Assembly in January. The Chicago City Council also unanimously passed a resolution supporting the passage of CEJA on November 13.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved and help pass CEJA, please visit https://ilcleanjobs.org/. 

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Soundcloud, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the work we’re doing, you can support us on Patreon. 

We’d like to thank our sound editor, Ilana Marder-Epstein, our research assistant, Molly Scruta, and our graphic designer, Reagan Carey, for their help with this episode, and Malia Designs, for sponsoring our work. 

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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, hosts Abby Wilson and Anni Metz chat with Liz Moran Stelk, of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, and Kathy Kaesebier, of Kaesebier Farms, about soil health and regenerative agriculture. 

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance is a membership-based organization that cultivates a local food and farm system that is economically viable, socially just, and environmentally sustainable. Their members span the state and care about the food that is produced and consumed in Illinois and want to support the increase of fresh, local foods. Find them online at https://www.ilstewards.org/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ilstewards/, and on Twitter and Instagram at https://twitter.com/ilstewards and https://www.instagram.com/ilstewards/. You can also follow Executive Director Liz Moran Stelk on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lizziestelk. 

Kaesebier Farms, located in Logan County, Illinois, is a small family-operated farm run by Kathy and Rick Kaesebier. They specialize in regenerative agriculture, soil health, and locally-raised products. You can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KaesebierFarms/. 

If you’d like to learn more about how to support regenerative agriculture as a consumer, Liz recommends checking out Kiss the Ground’s free Purchasing Guide, found here: https://kisstheground.com/purchasingguide/ 

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Soundcloud, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like the work we’re doing, you can support us on Patreon. 

Thanks to our sound editor, Ilana Marder-Epstein, our research assistant, Molly Scruta, and our graphic designer, Reagan Carey, for their help with this episode, and to Collective Resource Compost, for sponsoring our work. 

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Welcome to House Warming, a podcast about climate policy and solutions in Chicago, Illinois, and beyond. In this episode, get to know co-hosts Abby Wilson and Anni Metz and learn why we started this podcast and what you can expect from upcoming episodes. We're glad to have you here! 

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