Center for Neighborhood Technology has been conducting research and developing and testing innovative programs to use urban resources more efficiently for almost 30 years. These efforts inevitably relate to the growing concerns about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming.
CNT’s research has shown that cities can be the most efficient places to live, with their lower per capita greenhouse gas emissions due to efficient land use and transportation alternatives. Because urban areas are compact and have extensive mass transit and communication networks, they offer the greatest opportunities to help solve the climate crisis by expanding and enhancing their existing strategies for reducing carbon emissions.
Learn more about our research and steps you can take to help improve the environment by checking out our current projects at right.
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
The Fisk Generating Station in Pilsen is the second biggest greenhouse gas emitter in Chicago, after the Crawford power plant. Photo credit: Flickr User- swanksalot.
Communities in the United States have a useful new data resource to help them with climate and sustainability planning. The U.S. EPA requires facilities emitting over 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually to report emissions, and it has just released 2010 reported data to the public.
The maps and charts at http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgdata/index.html can help a community identify large sources of emissions in their area. This is especially important in small communities, where a large emitter, such as a power plant or landfill that supplies the region, might make up the majority of the community’s greenhouse gas footprint.
Public access to these data is important for all stakeholders working to improve the sustainability of their communities. CNT plans to make use of these new data in its work supporting sustainable economic development in communities and supports the further public release of place-based data like this by government agencies.
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Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 at 10:43 am
Workshop participants discuss how families can save money by reducing their carbon footprint.
Last week, 11 community leaders who provide financial education and homeowner counseling spent two days in a “train-the-trainer” workshop learning how to incorporate CNT’s Equity Express Green Financial Education into their programs.
Once clients have defined their financial goals and begun to keep track of their expenses, the next step is to determine how they can save money on their limited income. One option is to make smarter consumer choices.
Equity Express is a six-session curriculum that focuses on ways people can save money in the areas of energy, transportation, telecom, and food, which together represent 40 percent of a typical family budget. By making smarter consumer choices, former Equity Express workshop participants have decreased monthly expenses from $20 to $200 per month.
Despite the popular belief that living green is only possible for upper-income households, CNT has consistently found in its research and programs that sustainable practices significantly decrease household expenditures on utility bills, telecommunications services, and transportation costs, to name a few. The money that households save from these practices can enable them to put money toward goals like homeownership and higher education, while simultaneously reducing their environmental impact.
“Train-the-trainer” workshop participants included staff from Chicago Community Land Trust, Centers for New Horizons, Aunt Martha’s, Trinity United Church of Christ, Bethel New Life Church, and the YWCA. All the participating agencies committed to implementing the Equity Express curriculum in the next six months.
Moving forward, the participants will become part of the Equity Express Chicago Learning Network, a group of organizations that use Equity Express and support each other as they implement the curriculum.
CNT will hold another training on November 17 and 18. To participate, contact Social Ventures Associate Adam Mays at (773) 269-4019 or amays@cnt.org.
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Friday, November 4th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Livability Solutions is now accepting applications for free technical assistance.
Applications are now being accepted from local, regional, state, and tribal governments and community-based organizations for free technical assistance in implementing smart growth initiatives. Up to 12 recipients will receive a two-day workshop with members of Livability Solutions, a partnership among CNT and 10 other organizations, who have expertise in planning projects that protect the environment, improve public health, facilitate job creation and economic opportunity, and improve overall quality of life. The application deadline is November 22, 2011, and grantees will be announced on December 22, 2011.
Please visit Livability Solutions for the complete details.
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