Green Era Campus has officially announced its launch as a pioneering initiative dedicated to setting the model for sustainable communities across Chicago’s South Side. According to certain reports, Green Era Campus packs together for you an ecosystem of diverse mission-aligned organizations that are working together to develop all aspects of Green Era , thus creating individual, as well as a more collective community impact. More on the same would reveal how the organization has formalized a partnership with multiple entities to transform, in essence, nine acres of former brownfield in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. This it has done to help the neighborhood become a vibrant hub for green energy, jobs, fresh produce, small business incubation, educational programming, and community green space. Markedly enough, each of Green Era’s partners is responsible for a distinct financial or operational aspect, with all of them working closely together to ensure the initiative is successful and impactful. As for who these partners are, they happen to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits Urban Growers Collective, a Black-woman-led organization that uses urban agriculture to address inequity and structural racism; Green Era Educational NFP, the land owner and site developer; and Green Era Sustainability, an organization that recycles food waste by converting it to renewable natural gas and fertilizer for urban farming. Anyway, through the input from such partners, as well as its own prowess, Green Era aims to improve upon the management of biodegradable waste and nutrient-rich fertilizer for agriculture and food production. Hence, by transforming waste into valuable resources and promoting urban agriculture, the new campus will try and foster environmental stewardship, while simultaneously addressing local food security challenges.
Talk about the whole effort on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the promise of a renewable energy facility, which is going to be equipped with cutting-edge technology, including an anaerobic digester. On top of that, the facility can be expected to generate clean energy from organic waste so to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time, promote renewable energy adoption. Next up, we have a set of planned urban farming initiatives. These initiatives, hosted by Green Era Campus itself, will promote local food production and enhance food security in the surrounding communities. On a more practical note, the company here will grow more than 125 varieties of produce per year, train young farmers, support new food businesses and entrepreneurs, and build financial security, along with collective power for historically underserved communities.
“This is true change: a facility that can grow food, create energy and provide education and inspiration to young people and folks returning from incarceration—all happening within a community that represents the challenges we’ve been up against for the last 130 years; and we send an abundance of heartfelt gratitude to the organizations, community members and officials that helped make Green Era Campus a reality,” said Erika Allen, CEO for Urban Growers Collective, the president of Green ERA Educational NFP and co-owner of Green Era Sustainability Partners.
Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet touched upon how the Green Era Campus will effectively leverage its retail store and nursery to scale up food accessibility for more than 2,000 people per year throughout the neighborhood. Rounding up highlights would be organization’s vision to set up community spaces designed specifically for facilitating collaboration, education, and cultural exchange among residents.
“We invite the community to join us in celebrating the launch of Green Era Campus and the possibilities it brings for a more sustainable and equitable future,” said Jason Feldman, co-founder and CEO of Green Era Sustainability.
