Lunch and Learn Series

Intro to Energy Law

https://youtu.be/K4uCDVIJDe4 This Lunch & Learn serves as a crash course on energy policy in Illinois. Presenters: Cary Shepherd, Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern School of Law Nancy Loeb, Director, Environmental Advocacy Clinic at Bluhm Legal Clinic

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Align Your Investing with Your Values

A Lunch & Learn panel on socially responsible investing. Our talented panelists cover the basics of investing with the environment in mind, provide tips to look at your own investments, and share insight into what government can do to make more sustainable investments. Presenters: Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Amanda Hanley, Climate Solutions Funder Sylvia

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Lakeshore Erosion

https://youtu.be/PH_nsZJ0HT4 As part of Chicago Water Week, please join IEC and our panel of experts to discuss shoreline erosion in the Great Lakes. Recently, Great Lake water levels have been historically high, threatening beaches, homes, businesses and infrastructure along the shores. Solutions like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative have supported shoreline restoration jetports but there are also international and

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Piping Plovers

https://youtu.be/iP5sn2tfsrU A discussion on the recent nesting success of Monty and Rose, the now famous Chicago Piping Plover power couple. We’ll cover some natural history about Piping Plovers and why they are listed as endangered in the Great Lakes region. One part of this pair’s success has been the huge volunteer effort headed by the

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CEJA Opinion Media Workshop

IEC’s Communications director, Tucker Barry, hosted a small training session for folks interested in learning about how they can encourage their friends and neighbors to support the Clean Energy Jobs Act through the opinion section in their local newspaper! In the session, we discussed how to talk about CEJA, what makes a good Letter to

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Livestock Operations

The Livestock Facilities Management Act regulates large animal facilities that house thousands of hogs, chicken, or cows. It is also used to actively supersede local control of the siting and construction of these types of facilities. Danielle Diamond from the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project and Albert Ettinger, attorney, will review the laws concerning livestock operations.

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Buildings & Climate Change

https://youtu.be/L2ZrVAr6fFQ Residential and commercial buildings use almost 30% of the electricity supply in the US. As we invest in renewable energy and move toward decarbonization, we must critically examine the role that buildings play in meeting our climate goals. Katie Kaluzny, from the Illinois Green Alliance, will review energy efficiency and building decarbonization policies that

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The Environmental Case for the Fair Tax

https://youtu.be/uJR77BBut8I This year, amidst a respiratory health pandemic and urgent calls for racial justice, we have seen the importance of government agencies charged with combating threats to our health and lifting up communities that have been harmed most by pollution, economic inequality, and racism. We’ve also seen how our broken tax system has badly eroded

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Endangered Species Act

For this session, IEC will be joined by NRDC to discuss the Endangered Species Act and the way that it is used to protect wildlife in Illinois and all over the United States. Presenters: Lucas Rhoads, Attorney at NRDC

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Our Food System and COVID: How to Improve Security and Resilience

This webinar will explore how the Covid-19 pandemic exposed fractures within our food chain, and how shifting towards a decentralized food system that strengthens local food infrastructure and increases accessibility can create a much more resilient agricultural system. Presenters: Liz Stelk of Illinois Stewardship Alliance Rodger Cooley of Chicago Food Policy Action Council Sean Ruane

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Illinois Youth Leading on Climate Action

For this session, we are excited to hear from Illinois youth climate activists working to deal with the climate-based anxieties of today while fighting to protect their futures. Presenters: Ella Barry, Illinois Youth Climate Movement Claire Rychlewski, Sunrise Movement Xavier Colon, International Indigenous Youth Council Resources: Illinois Youth Climate Movement Sunrise Movement International Indigenous Youth

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Urban Stormwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S774fmdYa3I In the 24th installment of IEC’s Lunch and Learn Series, IEC is joined by Marcella Bondie Keenan of the Center for Neighborhood Technology and Olga Bautista of Alliance for the Great Lakes to discuss urban stormwater. Find links and resources from the session below: Center for Neighborhood Technology Alliance for the Great Lakes

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Transit in the time of COVID-19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mh25USsCVE In the 23rd installment of the IEC Lunch and Learn Series, IEC is joined by Jacky Grimshaw from the Center for Neighborhood Technology and Julia Gerasiminko from the Active Transportation Alliance to discuss transit in the time of COVID-19, with a focus on how Illinois’s transit agencies are responding. Find links and resources from

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Toxics in the Environment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTdD7i95GQw In the 18th edition of the IEC Lunch & Learn Series, IEC is joined by Meleah Geertsma from the Natural Resources Defense Council to discuss toxics in the environment, environmental justice and public health. Find links and resources from the session below: Natural Resources Defense Council website

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State Recycling and Composting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7waHS-Q1nOE In the 15th edition of the IEC Lunch & Learn Series, James Jennings from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency discusses recycling, composting and waste management in Illinois. Find links and articles from the session below: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency IEPA’s recycling page IEPA’s composting page  

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Organizing for the Environment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdeiQdeqokA In the 14th edition of the IEC Lunch & Learn Series, Caroline Wooten from the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club discusses how to organizing people, structure campaigns, and win good environmental policies. Find links and resources from the session below: Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club website

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How Illinois Gets Renewable Energy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyhLE0JBJhE In the 13th edition of the IEC Lunch & Learn Series, Brian Granahan of the Illinois Power Agency discuss how Illinois procures renewable energy and the Future Energy Jobs Act. Find links and resources from the session below: Illinois Power Agency’s website The Adjustable Block Program was established by the Future Energy Jobs Act

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Protecting Soil Health in Illinois

In the 11th installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, IEC will be joined by Kris Reynolds from American Farmland Trust and Bruce Henrikson from the Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation Districts to discuss ways we can protect our soil, prevent nutrient loss and programs that farmers can use to improve soil quality. Find

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Clean Energy & Utility Bills

In the tenth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Sarah Moskowitz from the Citizens Utility Board joins us to discuss how clean energy policies affects consumers and saves us money! Find links and resources from the session below: Citizens Utility Board website

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Make Your Home More Sustainable

In the ninth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Kay McKeen from SCARCE joins us to discuss how we can make our homes more sustainable, reduce waste, and save money! Please find resources and links mentioned in the presentation below: SCARCE’s Website Invasive Species Alert: Jumping Worms Audubon on Jumping Worms List of Illinois

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Bobcats in Illinois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNG1vp6txtUIn the eighth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Jennifer Kuroda from the Illinois Bobcat Foundation joins us to discuss bobcats in Illinois, including population levels, state policies affecting them and what you can do.

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Pollinators and Backyard Habitat

In the seventh installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Chris Young from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources joins us to discuss pollinators, creating habitat in your own backyard, and IDNR programs. Find links and resources from the presentation below: Illinois Native Plant Society Native Plant Sales Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation K-12 Pollinator

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Lead in Drinking Water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qYgjYdCPhA In the sixth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Justin Williams from the Metropolitan Planning Council, Caroline Pakenham from Elevate Energy, and IEC’s own Iyana Simba discuss lead in drinking water in Illinois. Below, you can find resources and links from the session: App to see if your home has lead pipes Illinois

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Clean Energy Workforce Development

In the fifth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Elevate Energy’s Chief Operating Office Delmar Gillus joins us to discuss clean energy workforce development, the Future Energy Jobs Act, and the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Delmar also serves as Treasurer on the IEC Board of Directors. Links and Resources: Elevate Energy designs and implements

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Electric Vehicles in Illinois

In the fourth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, IEC’s Energy Policy Director Gavin Taves is joined by Respiratory Health Association’s Director of Environmental Health Programs Brian Urbaszewski and Will County’s Recycling Specialist Marta Keane. Links & Resources Respiratory Health Association Website Chicago Area Clean Cities is a nonprofit coalition of stakeholders from government,

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Growing Your Own Food & Gardening

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email In the second edition of IEC’s Lunch and Learn Series, we are joined by Right to Garden advocate Nicole Virgil (YouTube.com/RightToGarden); Viviana Gentry Fernandez-Pellon, Programs Director at Advocates for Urban Agriculture; Master Gardener Kathy Steffen; and State Representative Sonya Harper. Check out Nicole’s

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