GreenTown Climate & Equity

C4 and Cook County Composting and Recycling: Engaging Schools and Municipal Governments

This session will discuss a model recently funded by the USDA Composting and Waste Reduction Grant Program, which includes working with municipal governments to develop food scrap collection programs for residents and implementing the Zero Waste Schools program in environmental justice communities. We will also showcase the efforts of the Cook County Solid Waste Department, including how the County is using its ARPA funding to drive waste diversion from landfills in West and South Suburban Cook County communities.

Moderator: Jen Nelson, Program Director, Seven Generations Ahead

Speakers:

Jen Nelson, Program Director, Seven Generations Ahead

Katrina Thompson, Mayor, Village of Broadview

Becky Brodsky, Zero Waste Schools Program Manager, Seven Generations Ahead

Solar Models, Incentives, and Funding 101

This session will provide an overview of different solar financing and ownership models and the state and federal programs to support them. The session will address: a) What is an energy road map?; b) What state and federal resources/programs exist to support on-site solar?; c) What are the options for buying solar energy from off-site projects in Illinois, including projects that offer reduced-rate solar electricity for low-income residents; and d) How can C4 help communities and institutions to select the right options?

Moderator: Mark Burger, Seven Generations Ahead

Speakers:

Diana Vargas, Senior Account Executive, Ameresco

Chris Lindgren, Park District of Oak Park

Sarah Gyurina, Solstice

Tim Carlmark, Unity Solar

Technical Experts Roundtable

This roundtable will bring together experts from the private sector who are in the business of designing and implementing a variety of projects that achieve climate, equity, and sustainability goals. Their expertise includes energy efficiency upgrades; renewable and solar energy on-site installations; community solar Power Purchase Agreements; workforce development and jobs; energy road map development; and greenhouse gas emissions inventory development and tracking.

Moderator: Calvin Cornish Jr., Johnson Controls Inc.

Speakers:

Art Burton, AMB Renewable Energy

Dan Curley, Ameresco

Jenny Maltas, Veregy

Tomás de'Medici, Community Solar Product Manager II, Reactivate

Aditi Desai, Voltpost

Greening Chicago Metro Area Businesses

Oak Park will soon have Illinois’ first green dining hub courtesy of Takeout 25 and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center. In this session, we will explore the green dining hub concept. We will also learn about how Sustain Evanston is working to green its local small business community and programs offered by Cook County to green businesses. Learn from new and existing programs on how to drive green business strategies in your community!

Moderator: John Harris, Principal, a5 Branding & Digital

Speakers:

Cara Pratt, Sustain Evanston

Ravi Parakkat, Takeout 25

Cassie Carroll, SEDAC - Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

 Mohammed Elahi, Deputy Director, Cook County Government

Achieving Energy Equity & Advancing the Clean Energy Workforce

As the clean energy economy continues to experience a positive infusion of resources and opportunities, advocates and practitioners alike need to advocate for equitable outcomes. The most vulnerable populations suffer from disproportionately higher energy burdens, while the market still lacks diversity within the workforce.

During this session, a panel of clean energy leaders and practitioners will have an engaging discussion on the Justice 40 legislation, its intended impact on energy equity, economic empowerment in the clean energy marketplace, and program development and deployment.

Speakers:

Delmar Gillus, Chief Operating Officer, Elevate

Andrew Wells, Vice-President of Workforce Development, Chicago Urban League.

Eya Louis, Chief Operating Officer, SOUL Works, L3C

Ameedah Hafeez, Managing Partner of Urban Efficiency, LLC 

Designing for the Future: How to Get to Net Zero

Around the Chicago area and beyond, architects and developers are designing for Net Zero. In this session, learn about a 44-unit economically integrated building—7 Van Buren—going up on the edge of Oak Park and Chicago. Architects Nate Kipnis, Tom Bassett-Dilley, and Megan Zack will present case studies on residential, commercial, and institutional net-zero and passive structures.

Moderator: Gabriela Martin, Program Director, Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Speakers:

David Pope, CEO, Oak Park Residence Corporation

Nate Kipnis, Principal, Kipnis Architecture and Planning

Tom Bassett-Dilley, Principal, Tom Bassett-Dilley Architects

Chris Lindgren, Park District of Oak Park

Megan Zack, CSO, Wight & Company 

Just Transition - The Emergence of Equitable Electrification

As we experience the emergence of new technology designed to usher in the utility of cleaner energy, it is important to identify and solve the existential threats that adversely impact the most vulnerable populations. We must work to disrupt the status quo associated with early adoption.

During this session industry leaders will have meaningful dialogue to demystify the topic of electrification and provide access to resources that will assist in expediting broader adoption.

Speakers:

John Pady, Chief Expansion Officer, CEDA

Paul Francisco, Director, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Scott Vogt, Vice President of Energy Acquisition, ComEd

Shirlondra Brooks, Associate Director, Workforce and Contractor Development at Elevate

Water: Safe, Affordable, and Climate Effective

This session will cover multiple issues affecting our communities in relation to safe, affordable drinking water. Learn about Elevate’s Water Affordability Initiative, the work of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, and projects addressing the water/energy nexus.

Moderator: Katrina Thompson, Mayor, Village of Broadview

Speakers:

Ron Burke, President, and CEO, of Alliance for Water Efficiency

Justin Keller, Strategist, Water Programs, Elevate

Connecting with Nature: Improving Physical and Mental Health

Contact with nature offers a range of physical and mental health benefits. This session will discuss understanding how health and the outdoors are connected and the many benefits that interacting with nature provide.

Speakers:

Patti Staley, Director of Horticulture for the Park District of Oak Park and Oak Park Conservatory

John Harris, Principal, a5 Branding & Digital

Nina Baki, Public Engagement and Programs Manager, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Debra Williams, Community Engagement Specialist, Nature Conservancy, Indian Boundary Prairie

Active Transportation for Local Communities

Many communities are working to make walking, bicycling, and transit use attractive and convenient to achieve climate goals, but traffic safety concerns often prevent people from making the shift. The National Roadway Safety Strategy and the Safe Streets for All federal grant program are unprecedented opportunities for communities to improve the safety of these affordable, healthy, and climate-friendly travel options. This session will include an overview of traffic safety issues and share some ways that communities can leverage resources to improve traffic safety for all travelers. The session will also share the new Cook County Bike Plan and discuss opportunities for regional connectivity and examples from Cook County communities that are implementing their bike plans.

Moderator: Matt Walsh, Village Administrator, Village of River Forest 

Speakers:

Vickie Barrett, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)

Benet Haller, Cook County Government

Food is Medicine

GreenTown: Reducing Our Foodprint - Food loss and waste are interconnected with challenges like hunger, climate change, public health, and economic growth. Hear a series of high-profile speakers and learn about why now is the time to move from awareness to action and recognize the value of food as medicine.

 Moderator: Jennifer Nelson, Seven Generations Ahead

Speakers:

Jennifer Herd, City of Chicago Department of Public Health

Jennifer M. Grenier, DNP, RN, CENP, Regional Executive Director Behavioral Health Services – Loyola Medicine, Associate Chief Nursing Officer – MacNeal Hospital

Funding and Resources for Climate, Equity, and Sustainability

This session will discuss the various federal, state, and local funding options available for on-the-ground projects related to EVs, solar, workforce development, composting, and more. Funding will include the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), CPACE, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), and more.

 Moderator: Judy Sheahan, US Conference of Mayors

Speakers:

Deb Kutska, Cook County

Chris Meister, Illinois Finance Authority

Jason Myers, Businesses Development - Sustainable Infrastructure, Johnson Controls Inc.

Electrification & Decarbonization 101

What does it mean for a building to electrify or achieve net-zero energy? This session will provide a brief overview of the current state of building electrification, technology applications, project considerations, workforce opportunities, and evolving financing landscape. A moderated panel discussion will dig into best practices and lessons learned from local projects, policies, and programs and discuss the pathways to net-zero energy through energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy strategies. Participants will receive a Guide to Institutional Electrification.

Moderator:
Katie Kaluzny, Deputy Director, Illinois Green Alliance

Speakers:

Ajit Naik, Baumann Consulting

Maddie Liput, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Marcella Bondie Keenan, AICP, Village of Oak Park

Transportation: The Emergence of the Electric Vehicle World

Revenue in the Electric Vehicles market is projected to reach $61.18 billion in 2023, and an annual growth rate of 22.79%. More than half of all car sales will be EVs by 2030. Learn about federal, state, and utility-based resources for your community and steps for planning your community’s EV infrastructure.

Moderator: Sarah Edwards, Cook County

Speakers:

Scott Vogt, ComEd 

Danielle Melone, Senior Account Executive, Veregy

Aditi Desai, Voltpost

Environmental and Economic Drivers of Health Disparities: The Influence of Climate Change

In this session, we will present a longitudinal spatial analysis that sheds light on the overlapping environmental and health risks in the western suburbs and communities of Cook County. We will also explore the intersections of food and environmental justice and how they can be utilized to promote equity in cancer and other health outcomes.

Moderator:  Darnell Johnson, Urban Efficiency Group

Speakers:

Katrina Thompson, Mayor, Village of Broadview

Dr. Theresa Chapple-McGruder, Director, Oak Park Department of Public Health

Kristen Malecki, PhD., Professor and Division Director, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, UIC

Saria Lofton. PhD., RN, Assistant Professor, Population Health Nursing Science, UIC

Elena Grossman, MPH, Senior Research Specialist, School of Public Health, UIC