chicago
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Chicago teachers push for climate initiatives in new contract
The Chicago Teachers Union demands climate-focused upgrades like solar panels and electric buses in their new contract negotiations with Chicago Public Schools.
In short:
- The CTU's contract proposal includes solar panels, heat pumps, and electric buses to combat climate change impacts on over 500 schools.
- Negotiations, held publicly, revealed both sides agree on the need for climate action but struggle with funding the necessary changes.
- Chicago schools face significant infrastructure challenges, with many buildings over 80 years old and high climate-driven maintenance costs.
Key quote:
"Chicago’s buildings, including school buildings, are a major source of carbon emissions."
— Lauren Bianchi, Chicago teacher and chair of the CTU’s Climate Justice Committee
Why this matters:
This shift could lead to a healthier environment for schoolchildren. Solar panels and electric buses reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, leading to cleaner air and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. This can have a direct impact on the health of students, particularly those with asthma and other respiratory conditions exacerbated by pollution.
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Credit: Dorey Kronick/Big Stock Photo
Chicago neighborhood combats gentrification with a focus on affordable housing
In Chicago's Logan Square, activists fight gentrification and climate change by advocating for affordable housing near transit.
In short:
- The push for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Logan Square aims to create inclusive, sustainable communities but faces challenges due to gentrification.
- TOD's goal is to reduce car dependency by developing residential areas near public transit, yet it's been criticized for favoring affluent tenants.
- Local activists and organizations are achieving success in integrating affordable housing and public spaces, aiming for a balanced urban development.
Key quote:
“The irony is that in the pursuit of more walkable cities, we’re actually making it so that people of color in general have to be more reliant on cars.”
— Christian Diaz, housing director at Palenque LSNA
Why this matters:
Gentrification, the process by which wealthier individuals move into neighborhoods — often displacing lower-income residents in the process — has increasingly intersected with climate change, creating a complex web of social and environmental impacts.
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Credit: Pedro Lastra/Unsplash
Chicago takes on oil giants in climate lawsuit
A lawsuit alleges that BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, and Shell have damaged Chicago by undermining scientific credibility, while their products contribute to devastating effects such as intense storms, floods, extreme heat, and coastal erosion.
In short:
- Chicago is suing BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, and Shell, alleging they misled the public about climate change impacts.
- The lawsuit aims to hold these companies accountable for the city's climate change-related costs, including infrastructure damage and adaptation expenses.
- This legal action follows similar suits by New York and California, seeking financial compensation for fossil fuel-induced environmental harm.
Key quote:
The fossil fuel industry “funded, conceived, planned and carried out a sustained and widespread campaign of denial and disinformation about the existence of climate change and their products’ contribution to it.”
— Chicago lawsuit against fossil fuel companies
Why this matters:
This lawsuit underscores a growing trend of cities holding corporations accountable for environmental damage, particularly as it relates to public health and safety. It reflects a significant shift in how local governments are addressing the broader issue of climate change, potentially setting a precedent for future legal actions against major polluters.
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Big Stock Photo
How can South Shore's lakefront be better protected from climate change?
Delta Institute introduced its state-supported flooding and erosion "resiliency" project to a few dozen South Shore neighbors this week by sharing research taking place in the neighborhood, the city and beyond.
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Photo by Max Bender on Unsplash
Chicago seeks to nix Rust Belt label with $1 billion climate bid
Eager to scrap its Rust Belt reputation, a new US Midwest coalition is seeking $1 billion in federal funds to help transform the Chicago region into a hub for cutting-edge climate technology.
Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash
Chicago to pay for electric stoves, heat pumps
This $15 million initiative will directly help residents who may not otherwise have the means to remove fossil fuel appliances from their homes.
Climate change: A drastic shift in Atlantic Ocean currents could leave Chicago high and dry
Some scientists worry that a shutdown of an important system of oceanic currents called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation could push Chicago’s precipitation farther south.
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