Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) believes that climate and sustainability solutions are most effective when they’re both equitable and scalable. That is why SGA, in partnership with the mayors of Broadview, Oak Park, and River Forest, as well as the Urban Efficiency Group, is co-leading the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative (C4). This award-winning initiative brings together 14 […]
Preventing Food Waste Helps the Planet a...
When hunger coexists with abundance, the issue of food waste becomes more critical than ever. Each year, staggering amounts of food are needlessly discarded, not only squandering precious resources but also exacerbating environmental challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions and landfill pollution. However, amidst this challenge lies an opportunity for change. As we approach this […]
More Schools Going Green and SGA can Hel...
K-12 schools are some of the most important institutions in a community, and also present a real opportunity for impactful sustainability initiatives. As a leader in providing sustainability support for K-12 schools, Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) has had a front seat to this growing trend. Around the greater Chicago area, and indeed the country, school […]
Five Tips for a Successful Plastic Free ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0jIH1fUqZU It may not be apparent, but school lunches are a huge source of plastic waste. That’s why the organization Cafeteria Culture has teamed up with the Urban School Food Alliance to bring us Plastic Free Lunch Day, which challenges schools to reduce the use of plastics in school meals. Seven Generations Ahead’s (SGA) Zero […]
New Year, Two New Schools Go Zero Waste ...
If January is any indication, this will be a good year for making schools more sustainable. Our Zero Waste Schools (ZWS) program had not one but two launches in January. The ZWS team was at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy and Deer Path Middle School to help reduce cafeteria and kitchen waste and get processes in place […]
Serving Up Sustainability in the Kitchen
Seven Generations Ahead’s Zero Waste Schools (ZWS) Program Manager Becky Brodsky presented on the work of ZWS to reduce waste in schools at Illinois Green Alliance’s October webinar, “Serving Up Sustainability: From Restaurants to the Home Kitchen.” Brodsky presented alongside four other panelists whose presentations also centered around the mission to increase sustainable practices in […]
Collaboration is Key in Food Waste Reduc...
On October 25th, The Wasted Food Action Alliance (WFAA), a group of organizations based in Illinois dedicated to reducing food waste, had their monthly meeting. Jen Nelson of Seven Generations Ahead, a core member of the WFAA, was one of the meeting’s facilitators. The group was joined by Jeff Hake who runs Funks Grove Heritage Fruits […]
Don’t throw away good food, share it
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that almost one-third of the world’s food goes uneaten. Most of this food waste goes to landfills, helping to fuel climate change. While there are many industries that contribute to this large-scale problem, schools are a major player. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that, on […]
C4 and Cook County Composting and Recycl...
Recent heat, drought, and air quality issues in the Chicago area underscored the vital importance of this year’s GreenTown: Climate and Equity conference. Held on June 22nd at Triton College, the conference brought together sustainability advocates from communities throughout Chicagoland and beyond. Among the topics of the day were renewable energy, active transportation, and decarbonization. […]
Heineman Middle School’s Roadmap to Zero
What do you do when you want to reduce lunchroom waste at your school, but your waste hauler can’t provide composting service? You make a roadmap! Seven Generations Ahead’s (SGA) Zero Waste Schools (ZWS) program is excited to pursue a new project that guides schools through the process of waste reduction at the source – […]