[Ac-10551] Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP) Rapid Ethnographic Inventories - Research Project (01 Jan 2008 - 01 Jan 2014)

Description
ECCo was working with our partners to implement two powerful and inspiring plans: the Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP) focusing on the City and people, and the Climate Action Plan for Nature (CAPN) focusing on the natural environment and actions that will help important species in the 9-county region adapt to anticipated changes. ECCos work engaging communities in the CCAP is described here. In 2008, ECCo was commissioned by the City of Chicago Department of Environment (DOE) to help engage diverse communities in the implementation of the Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP). The plan aimed to reduce carbon emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050. As part of our work, we have been conducting rapid ethnographic inventories in communities throughout Chicago to identify community concerns and assets that can serve as springboards for climate action. To date we have completed seven inventories in South Chicago, North Kenwood-Oakland/Bronzeville, Pilsen, West Ridge, Roseland, Forest Glen, and with the Polish community primarily along the Milwaukee Corridor. Reports are downloadable by clicking on the links below. We are currently completing the final two inventories, in Austin and on the Southwest Side. All of our research was participatory action research (PAR): it was conducted in collaboration with community partners, who facilitated community connections and in many cases help design, conduct, and analyze the research and write the final report. In 2010, ECCo made our model even more participatory by working with a professional storytelling team to develop tools for community partners to use to collect and document stories about their residents’ environmentally-friendly practices, values, and traditions.