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Film Director Damon Gameau Sees Hopeful Future in '2040: The Regeneration'

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Film Director Damon Gameau Sees Hopeful Future in '2040: The Regeneration'

Late last week, after downing half a bottle of wine on a Zoom call with friends, I checked email and found a surprise message from a publicist: Damon Gameau, the director of “2040: The Regeneration,” could talk to me in the next hour. It was 9 p.m. on a Thursday night; as he lives in Australia, it was 1 p.m. his time. I hesitated for only a moment before rebooting Zoom. And I have to say that I was so glad I talked to this dynamic, passionate thinker, who infused my evening with hope for the future . . . and no, it wasn't just the wine talking. You need to see this film.

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How Community Solar Saves Us Money While Helping the Planet

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How Community Solar Saves Us Money While Helping the Planet

Like many other Oak Parkers, our family tries to live in an environmentally responsible way. We compost food waste, eat meat-free and organic, and drive electric cars. When we lived in a single-family house, we imagined installing solar panels on the roof, but it wasn't practical or, at the time, affordable. When we downsized into a condo, we faced the challenge of getting buy-in from our fellow owners to add a rooftop solar array, and the available space would have been too small to make much of a dent in our building’s electricity consumption.

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A Balmy Evening for 'A Most Beautiful Thing'

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A Balmy Evening for 'A Most Beautiful Thing'

On a beautiful evening in late September, Cheney Mansion’s spacious lawn became an outdoor movie theater. It was the perfect location for screening “A Most Beautiful Thing,” a sentimental and moving documentary that chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in this country.

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The Mystery of the Five Oaks: Solved

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The Mystery of the Five Oaks: Solved

During the recent Wild Ones/Green Community Connections Native Tree & Shrub Sale, a customer ordered five species of oak tree. Valerie Kehoe, from the sale’s planning team, wondered why this person had ordered so many oak tree varieties. Curious minds wanted to know, and so I set off to find out.

Art Speaks Louder Than Scientific Words

Art Speaks Louder Than Scientific Words

In early September, I had the opportunity to speak with climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, advisor and kick-off speaker for Third Coast Disrupted: Artists + Scientists on Climate, an exhibition of newly commissioned artworks exploring climate change impacts and solutions in the Chicago area.

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'Austin Grown' Plows Ahead Despite Pandemic

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'Austin Grown' Plows Ahead Despite Pandemic

Following up on last year’s successful Austin Grown summer youth leadership program—but adding in a pandemic—proved . . . challenging. Last year, youth worked at BUILD Chicago’s Iris Farm and Peace Garden. They had their hands in the dirt. But during the first week of June, and with the program scheduled to begin on July 6, word came in that all youth programs through After School Matters and One Summer Chicago (of which Austin Grown is a part) had to be 100% virtual.