House Warming

This episode provides updates on podcast episode releases (every other Monday!) and an announcement describing the first three interviews of the season! Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 020: Human Composting: A Cleaner, Greener End with Illinois State Representative Kelly Cassidy. In this episode, Sarah talks with Rep. Kelly Cassidy about her bill to bring human composting to Illinois and an update on what to expect on environmental bills in the near future! As an organizer, a legislative director and a mom, Kelly Cassidy has spent the past 20 years living her values. Whether fighting for the rights of women and the LGBT community as an activist, working for a smarter criminal justice system within the state’s attorney’s office, or ensuring that her three boys have safe spaces to play in our community, she has devoted the last two decades to making government more accessible, efficient and effective. Those experiences, both inside and outside the system, have afforded her great insight into how to be a better, more responsive and effective State Representative for the 14th district. Cassidy’s top goal as State Representative is to use the district office in the same manner — helping constituents address their needs, while also looking for ways to prevent problems from recurring. Through the years, Cassidy has worked both as an advocate and as a professional on issues such as choice, equality, social justice, access to quality health care and child care. Cassidy’s combination of non-profit sector, state and local government experience provides her with unique perspective, expertise, and understanding that empowers her to serve as an outstanding representative for the 14th district. Cassidy lives in Rogers Park with her spouse and three sons. Find her full bio here: https://www.repcassidy.com/background Website: https://www.repcassidy.com/ Email: repcassidy@gmail.com Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 019: Chicago Environmentalists and Cleanup Club Chicago with Katherine Tellock and Miranda Carrico, Co-Founders of Chicago Environmentalists and Cleanup Club Chicago. In this episode, Sarah talks with Katherine and Miranda about founding their group Chicago Environmentalists and Cleanup Club Chicago. Katherine Tellock is a citizen activist who wants to dedicate her life to fighting climate change. She strongly believes that an environmentally sustainable society is the best long-term economic and social decision, and is within reach for all people. Having grown up next to an EPA superfund site, she has always cared about the environment and been acutely aware of the impact of industrial pollution. However, she didn’t get heavily involved in environmental issues until spring 2020, when she started tackling litter through Friends of the Chicago River's Summer Challenge. She eventually started Chicago Environmentalists group with Miranda, as well as Cleanup Club Chicago. She took the CCC sustainability leadership training in 2021, and for her final assignment, she is running the Guerrilla Recycling Reporting (GRR) Project. It aims to hold property owners accountable for violating the recycling ordinance and change the way the policy is enforced. She also completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training, and wants to get more involved in environmental legislation. She currently works as a Business and Brand Developer for Block Bins composting service, and has a bachelor's degree in Economics and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently lives in Irving Park with her very sweet cockapoo. In her free time, she enjoys true crime, volleyball, and comedy shows. Over the past ten years, Miranda Carrico has transitioned toward a "Zero Waste" lifestyle and has become very familiar with Chicago's sustainability scene; especially related to recycling and waste reduction. Miranda is passionate about educating individuals on actions they can take to lessen their environmental impact, as well as advocating for sustainable business practices and environmental legislation. She became more involved in Chicago’s larger environmental scene after teaming up with Katherine on the first Cleanup Club event. This led to brainstorming ways to improve environmentalism in Chicago and the creation of Chicago Environmentalists. She is Co-Founder of Chicago Environmentalists, Assistant Director of Cleanup Club Chicago, and completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in 2021. Miranda works in healthcare and has been a Chicagoan for over 10 years, residing in Lakeview. When she's not finding creative ways to reduce waste, she enjoys traveling, exploring the city via bike and by foot, making "mixtapes," and spending time with her husband and dog, Greta von Goof. Chicago Environmentalists provides a forum for discussing topics like zero waste living, recycling, composting, environmental justice, renewable energy, eco policy, local businesses, wildlife conservation, environmental news, events, and more. As of March 2022, the combined total membership of these groups was about 5,500 and growing. Chicago Environmentalists Website: https://www.chicagoenvironmentalists.org/ Cleanup Club Chicago Website: https://www.chicagoenvironmentalists.org/cleanupclubchicago Facebook: @Chicago Environmentalists Instagram: @chicago_enviro Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 018: Lobbying for Change: The Veto Session Explained with Jen Walling, Executive Director of Illinois Environmental Council In this episode, Sarah talks with Jen about the veto session, the lame duck session and her expectation for environmental legislation in those sessions. Jen Walling has served as the Executive Director for the Illinois Environmental Council since January of 2011, where she oversees the strategic direction and management of the organization and lobbies decision makers on environmental issues. Jen is dedicated to building the power of Illinois’ environmental community to secure policy outcomes that protect the environment. Over the last decade, Jen has worked to grow IEC staffing five fold, increase the budget and member affiliates, all with a focus on serving and representing IEC’s over 90 affiliated organizations. With the board of directors, Jen worked to secure IEC’s partnership with the League of Conservation Voters, a national organization which has helped IEC network and build on a national level. Jen has drafted, negotiated, lobbied and passed hundreds of bills in Springfield while working to build the power, expertise and relationships of the entire environmental community. On energy issues, she worked to fix the renewable energy portfolio standards and increase energy efficiency through the Future Energy Jobs Act, and as a steering committee member of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, she is working to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Jen has been a statewide leader in composting policy since 2009, when she worked to pass the first commercial composting law in Illinois. She has fought to protect state parks and natural areas through increasing funding to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, increasing recreation liability protections and funding stewardship through the Natural Areas Stewardship Act. Through Jen’s leadership, Illinois was the first state to ban microbeads in personal care products in 2013. Jen holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also received a juris doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law and is an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois. Jen loves to spend her free time with her rescued standard poodle, Sally. She enjoys baking and in 2015, she and Rep. Kelly Cassidy baked fifty different blondie recipes during May in legislative session. She is a compost enthusiast and loves running, yoga and sewing. The Illinois Environmental Council works to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Since our founding in 1975 by a group of dedicated grassroots environmentalists, IEC has led issue advocacy campaigns by allowing environmental organizations to pool their resources and create a higher profile for environmental issues. Today, IEC represents more than 100 environmental and community organizations and nearly 500 individual members from throughout Illinois. Website: https://ilenviro.org/ Facebook: @ilenviro Twitter: @ilenviro Instagram: @ilenviro Youtube: @ilenviro 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 Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 017: Community Composting with Block Bins with Dane Christianson, Founder and CEO of Block Bins In this episode, Sarah talks with Dane about Block Bins, the importance of composting and the benefits of composting as a community. Block Bins LLC is helping Chicago build an affordable curbside compost program by letting residents request compost bins, share them with neighbors, and drop-off their compost at one of over 600 existing locations. Chicagoans can visit blockbins.com to find a compost bin near them and bring composting to their block. Dane Christianson is the founder and CEO of Block Bins, who created Block Bins out of frustration at Chicago's inability to create a scalable and affordable compost service. Block Bins: www.blockbins.com Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 016: Allies in Environmental Justice: Frontline Communities and Anthropocene Alliance with Sheelah Bearfoot, Program Manager at Anthropocene Alliance In this episode, Sarah talks with Sheelah about a grassroots efforts of communities to address environmental justice concerns in both the built and natural environments and how Anthropocene Alliance amplifies and facilitates their work. Sheelah Bearfoot is a program manager at Anthropocene Alliance (A2) for communities in EPA regions 5,8,9, and 10 and for A2's Rights of Nature initiatives. She graduated with a degree in Genetics and Plant Biology from UC Berkeley in 2016. She's Chiricahua Apache, and worked at the Native American Health Center in SF for two years as a diabetes educator before starting a master's in Environmental Health Science at Hopkins, where she continued her focus on Indigenous health disparities. In her spare time, she loves reading scifi, hiking, and undermining colonialism. On its website, Anthropocene Alliance describes itself thusly: Anthropocene Alliance (A2) has 125 member-communities in 35 U.S. states and territories. They are impacted by flooding, toxic waste, wildfires, and drought and heat — all compounded by reckless development and climate change. The consequence is broken lives and a ravaged environment. The goal of A2 is to help communities fight back. We do that by providing them organizing support, scientific and technical guidance, and better access to foundation and government funding. Most of all, our work consists of listening to our frontline leaders. Their experience, research, and solidarity guide everything we do, and offer a path toward environmental and social justice. Supported by outstanding partner organizations with expertise in engineering, hydrology, public health, planning, and the law, A2 leaders have successfully halted developments in climate-vulnerable areas; implemented nature-based hazard mitigation strategies; organized home buyouts; and pushed for clean-ups at superfund sites, toxic landfills, and petrochemical plants. We support everyone we can, but our special priority is people who have suffered the worst environmental impacts for the longest time; that usually means low-income, Black, Latinx, Native American and other underserved communities. A2's website: https://anthropocenealliance.org/ Donate here: https://anthropocenealliance.org/donate/ During the episode, Sheelah refers to Citizens' Resistance at Fermi Two (CRAFT). CRAFT's A2 page can be found here: https://anthropocenealliance.org/citizens-resistance-at-fermi-two/ CRAFT's own website can be found here: https://www.shutdownfermi.org/ Support the Show.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 015: Saving A Drowning Town: Fighting Flooding in De Soto with Susan Liley , Citizens' Committee for Flood Relief In this episode, Sarah talks with Susan about De Soto and the Citizens' Committee for Flood Relief, a group that is working to fight flooding in the historic portion of De Soto. Susan is Co-Founder of Citizens' Committee for Flood Relief and a passionate community activist. Susan is dedicated to implementing sustainable flood solutions and disaster readiness plans to protect her beloved, historic hometown of DeSoto, MO, which has suffered repeated flooding. She was a member of Anthropocene Alliance's Leadership Council and is an Advisor for Climitgration. How Susan describes herself: I have raised my children in De Soto. While being a stay at home mom, I decided to go back and pick up a few college courses. I then worked in several grocery stores and then for the school. My most important job ever was being a mother and grandmother. Then I decided to tackle the problems of other people's flooding. I have fought long and hard to fix this problem, and as I look around the world, it just becomes more intense and I tell myself to fight harder. My years are numbered but my grandkids will have to suffer from mine and others years of neglect. Check out the following groups: Citizens' Committee for Flood Relief: https://anthropocenealliance.org/citizens-committee-for-flood-relief/ Citizens' Committee for Flood Relief Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/609613372545223/ Anthropocene Alliance: https://anthropocenealliance.org/ Climigration: https://www.climigration.org/ Support the Show.

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: 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.

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. Support the Show.

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. Support the Show.