Welcome to EJC!

Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) challenges us all to act upon the global impact of economic, social and environmental choices that foster unlimited growth and development at the expense of people and our planet.  We believe that the recent convergence of financial crises, climate change, peak oil and depleting resources offer our society a unique opportunity to make meaningful change.

People are listening.  But, will we have the courage to reach out to one another, building community as we explore new ways to live within our planet’s limits? OR will we hope for a “techno-fix” that would allow us to maintain the status quo, while we continue to live beyond our earth’s capacity?

The choice is ours to make.

EJC “Happenings”

Help Start a Great Lakes Chicago Bioneers Chapter! EJC is just beginning to draw organizations together to talk about a 2011 conference in Chicago. Bioneers is about HOPE. This annual conference is a leading-edge forum where tomorrow is unfolded with solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. Bioneers visionaries are already creating the healthy, diverse, and equitable world we want to live in.  These solutions just may be our legacy for future generations and the web of life on which our lives depend.

Are you interested in helping launch the Chicago effort?  We’re just getting started.  Click here to contact us …. and we’ll be in touch with you right away!

Eco-Justice:
A Vision for a Sustainable City

October 2010
Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education

The church has a significant role in developing a holistic vision for a sustainable city as an outworking of the concept of shalom, a just peace.  This experiential course will evaluate the three components of sustainable community development: the three E’s of economics, environment and equity (or social justice).  Participants will explore the course topic via readings, panel discussions and site visits.

Central to the course is the question, “What does it mean to be a sustainable urban community?”  Interested?  Click for more.

What’s Next…..

Coal Ash Hearing, Chicago, September 16, 2010. Coal ash is the waste left over from the burning of coal to make electricity.  It contains toxic chemicals such as arsenic, mercury, selenium, chromium and cadmium.

Over 40% of this waste product is added to products, such as portland cement, grout and roofing tiles.  It also is used for road beds. Read more and sign up to testify!

A Resilient Rogers Park...Workshops from September through November will celebrate both the Transition Towns movement and Rogers Park. Learn how to grow food (in containers, on a roof, or in the ground), raise chickens or bees, mend clothes, or lower your energy use! More to come…

Why Not Discuss….

Ecological Destruction or Earth Community? How do we see our relationship with our planet?  Do we yet understand that destroying the rich, biodiversity of our planet means the ultimate destruction of our own species?

September 23 is Ecological Overshoot Day, and it’s coming one month earlier than last year.  This is the day when we will have used up all the resources nature will provide this year.

Knowing our earth community is in crisis, are we ready to change systems that require growth and expansion to those that value all life, fostering regeneration and rebirth?  Discuss…
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How to Start a Movement. Admit it. You are impatient. Waiting for a global society to collectively make the changes required to live into a more just and sustainable world is just hard.

We’re told change is slow, but how slow does it really have to be?  What does it take to get your ideas noticed?  How do you get others to join you?  How many people do you REALLY need to begin?

Well, maybe… just maybe starting a movement for positive change isn’t as hard as we think. Watch this funny short video by Derek Sivers, who presented at 2010 TED Conference (TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design). Then…Tell us what you think!