About the project
In the USA, the production of electricity creates more greenhouse gas emissions than any other single source -- including cars and airplanes. It is one of the most significant contributors to global warming. Greening the electrical system therefore is essential to preventing catastrophic climate change.
Unfortunately most Americans rarely think about electricity. Even fewer are aware of things they can do to help green the electrical grid. Sadly, even environmentally conscious residents can be ill informed about the most effective ways to make our electrical system more sustainable.
The goal of Electric Community is to develop interactive, hands-on community events to educate residents about the sources of their electricity and actions they can take to make the electrical system greener. It does not promote any single solution but rather gives participants the information and resources they need to make their own decisions. Its core message is that we must green the grid and we can only succeed if we work together. Everyone can do something.
Unfortunately most Americans rarely think about electricity. Even fewer are aware of things they can do to help green the electrical grid. Sadly, even environmentally conscious residents can be ill informed about the most effective ways to make our electrical system more sustainable.
The goal of Electric Community is to develop interactive, hands-on community events to educate residents about the sources of their electricity and actions they can take to make the electrical system greener. It does not promote any single solution but rather gives participants the information and resources they need to make their own decisions. Its core message is that we must green the grid and we can only succeed if we work together. Everyone can do something.
This project is supported by the Chicago Conservation Corps (C3). C3 is a program of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum with assistance from the City of Chicago, in collaboration with partners across the city. It trains and supports Chicago residents to become community leaders in advancing environmental sustainability. To learn more visit www.chicagoconservationcorps.org.
Janice Thomson created Electric Community as a C3 leadership project. She became fascinated by the electrical system when WBEZ's Curious City program reported on her question about Chicago's first municipal aggregation contract. She was shocked to learn that 95% of electricity would come from natural gas -- much of it produced from fracking. So she set out on a quest to discover what she could do to "green the grid". Read more here.
Janice is a consultant, facilitator, researcher, and writer specialized in public and stakeholder engagement. To learn more visit www.janicethomson.net.
Janice is a consultant, facilitator, researcher, and writer specialized in public and stakeholder engagement. To learn more visit www.janicethomson.net.
This project won the 2014 C3 Snowflake Award as a great example of a new and different C3 project.
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