350: 350 Chicago was formed to bring Chicagoland into the global climate movement of 350.org, with a focus on fossil fuel divestment. 350 enables Chicagoans to transform despair about climate change into hope through tangible actions that make a positive impact on climate and the planet. [Website] [IG]
Blacks in Green: Originating in Chicago and now operating nationally, Blacks in Green is an environmental justice and economic development organization & creator of the Sustainable Square Mile™ system in the West Woodlawn neighborhood. [Website] [IG]
Chicago Asian Americans for Environmental Justice: CAAEJ is a group of progressive Asian Americans in the greater Chicagoland area working towards environmental justice since 2019. They center the people impacted by environmental injustice and aim to provide an Asian American voice in the environmental justice movement. [Website] [IG]
Chicago EcoJews Dayenu Circle: Local circle, or small active group, of Dayenu: The Jewish Call to Climate Action. [Website]
Chicago Muslims Green Team: CMGT connects Chicago Muslims and the greater community to issues of environmental justice and spreads awareness about an Eco-friendly lifestyle based on Islamic teachings, including Green Mosque and Green Ramadan initiatives. [Website] [IG]
Chicago Neighborhood Planting Project: Helping Chicago plant native, edible fruit and nut trees – creating the conditions for a life worth living. [IG]
Chicago Safe Soils Collective: Environmental justice collective focused on soil health. [IG]
Chicago Tool Library: The Chicago Tool Library opened in fall of 2019. Located in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, their non-profit lending library houses thousands of items that range from basic hand tools and table saws to ice cream makers and camping equipment. They hope to help Chicago reshape its relationship to ownership, consumption, and creativity. [Website] [IG]
Citizens Climate Lobby: Chicago chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a volunteer organization dedicated to creating the political will for a livable world. New members of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. [Website] [IG]
Citizens Utility Board: CUB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog group that fights for the rights of customers of investor-owned electric, gas and telecom utilities across Illinois. They operate a free consumer advocacy hotline, run free education and outreach events, challenge rate hikes and advocate for clean, renewable energy. [Website] [IG]
Cleanup Club Chicago: Cleanup Club Chicago is a dedicated group of Chicago residents who care about the environment and taking care of their community. They combat litter by organizing group cleanups on both land and water, promoting individual cleanup challenges, collaborating with the city to tackle litter removal and reduction, and fostering a culture that discourages wasteful practices. [Website] [IG]
Climate Reality Chicago: Climate Reality seeks to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society. [Website] [IG]
Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange: Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange is a one-of-a-kind store dedicated to the reduction of material waste and the creative reuse of resources. They are a resource to Chicago teachers, artists, and nonprofits looking to find new life in surplus materials, supplies, and equipment. Their mission is to promote sustainability and help the community by providing access to resources that would otherwise be discarded. [Website] [IG]
Friends of the Chicago River: Friends of the Chicago River is the only organization solely dedicated to the health of the Chicago River system. Friends works in partnership with municipalities, businesses, community groups, schools, peer organizations, government agencies and individuals on projects that benefit the river. [Website] [IG]
Here4TheKids Chicago: Here4TheKids is a movement dedicated to collective liberation and the abolition of oppressive systems. Through community and solidarity, they demand an equitable world for future generations, and an end to the existential crises of gun violence, climate change and the slaughter of the Palestinian people. [IG]
IL Green New Deal Coalition: Building a united front for a Green New Deal in IL. Fighting for a just transition and social, racial, environmental, and housing justice for all. [Website] [IG]
Illinois Environmental Council: IEC is a legislative advocacy-focused group that organizes for equitable public policies that ensure a healthy environment across Illinois through collaboration, building power, and advocacy. [Website] [IG]
Illinois Food Scrap Composting Coalition: The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition (IFSCC) is a thriving not-for-profit organization advancing diversion and composting of all organics in Illinois through advocacy, program implementation, market and business development, policy, and outreach. They envision a future where all Illinoisans see organic waste as the valuable resource it is, and are urgently taking action to rescue edible food, divert food scraps to avoid emissions, and utilize the nutrients to ensure soil viability. [Website] [IG]
Just Transition NWI: JTNWI is a grassroots environmental justice organization serving the Northwest Indiana region. They are working to build solidarity between communities and workers to create long-term, community-centered, and worker-centered solutions, addressing the urgent issue of coal ash pollution and other legacy waste impacts along Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes and taking legislative action on environmental issues at the local, state, and federal fronts. [Website] [IG]
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO): After 20 years working for environmental justice in Little Village, LVEJO continues to organize for a healthier community in Little Village and beyond. Building upon the successful clean power, public transit, and open space campaigns LVEJO remains committed to organizing with those most impacted by industrialization and climate change. [Website] [IG]
Neighbors for Environmental Justice (N4EJ): The purpose of Neighbors for Environmental Justice is to educate, advocate and organize with our community to accomplish environmental justice on the southwest side of Chicago. [Website] [IG]
North Lawndale G.R.O.W.S.S.: Committee of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council focused on greening, water quality, soil, sustainability and open, public space. [Website] [IG]
P.E.R.R.O. Pilsen: The Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (P.E.R.R.O.) are environmental justice advocates fighting the disproportionate amount of pollution in the Pilsen neighborhood. [Website] [IG]
The Parlor: The Parlor was launched in November 2023 with the aim of helping neighbors clear out unwanted items while also supporting community, getting needed resources to neighbors in need, and reducing the community’s landfill contributions. The Logan Square space provides a simple drop off destination for donations and other items that can be reused in the community. All distribution is done via community partners including El Arbol, Freestyle, Humboldt Park Solidarity Network, CUSP and South Loop Community Table. [IG]
People for Community Recovery: PCR advocates for and supports Chicago’s South Side residents around environment, public health, housing, and equity issues. [Website] [IG]
Pilsen Neighbors Community Council: Pilsen Neighbors Community Council serves as a voice in the Pilsen community, advocating for social justice, education reform, healthcare, immigration reform and civic engagement. Through leadership training and coaching, Pilsen Neighbors empowers individuals to enact positive change for themselves, their families and their community. Pilsen Neighbors acts as a facilitator for the community, leveraging their network to find solutions to common issues. [Website] [IG]
Reclaiming South Branch Parks: Aggregator highlighting community led initiatives towards reclaiming green spaces along the South Branch and Sanitary and Ship Canal of the Chicago River. [IG]
Rising Tide Chicago: Chicago chapter of a direct action collective fighting the root causes of the climate crisis. In addition to local actions, Rising Tide supports mutual aid efforts for pipeline fighters and forest defenders and is organizing a popular education project to protect Lake Michigan. [IG]
Southeast Environmental Task Force: SETF is dedicated to serving the southeast side and south suburbs of Chicago by promoting environmental education, pollution prevention, and sustainable development. [Website] [IG]
Sunrise Movement Chicago: Sunrise Chicago is a Chapter of the national Sunrise Movement. Sunrise is building a movement of young people (under 35) across race and class to stop the climate crisis and win a Green New Deal. Locally, they are advocating for a Green New Deal in Chicago Public Schools. [Website] [IG]
Teens Take on Climate: Teens Take On Climate supports youth to advance climate justice through experiential learning, employment, and engagement in their communities. [Website] [IG]
Together for Nature: Together for Nature is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on equitably empowering NE Illinois communities to improve our social and environmental conditions through education, leadership, and advocacy. They work to engage the next generations and environmental justice and underserved communities in participating and leading in sustainability change. [Website] [IG]
Trash People: Trash People was founded in April 2022 with the aim of bringing together neighbors to connect over a shared care for their community. Alongside regular community clean up events, Trash People organizes the volunteer fair, facilitates community participation with other community organizations, and operates The Parlor a resource redistribution project for both people & planet. Trash People operates hubs in Logan Square, Lakeview, McKinley Park and Ukrainian Village. [Website] [IG]
Truffula Club: Truffula Club empowers people through hands-on environmental projects, tree planting, leadership training, and community engagement to drive meaningful environmental change in Brighton Park. [Website] [IG]
The WasteShed: The WasteShed is a nonprofit creative reuse center providing Chicago with an organized, affordable, and reliable resource for repurposed art, craft, and school materials, and with a dynamic center for activities related to sustainability, art, craft, education, and material culture. While sustainability is the ultimate goal, creative reuse foregrounds practical, economical, and fun hands-on activities as points of entry into larger discussions about the things we own, and the way we live. [Website] [IG]
West Lawn Conservation Club: West Lawn Conservation Club is a collective of West Lawn neighbors working to increase green spaces on the southwest side of Chicago. [IG]
Zero Landfill Chicago: ZeroLandfill is an award winning upcycling program that supports local artists and arts educators while reducing pressure on local landfill capacity. [IG]
Zumwalt Acres: Zumwalt Acres is a regenerative agriculture community working to develop a model of land stewardship in Illinois that is ecologically sustainable and socially responsible, rooted in Jewish values. [Website]
beyond november 