On Tuesday, the Ready For 100 Chicago Collective announced its formation as a new community coalition working to move Chicago to a 100% clean, renewable energy future, the Sierra Club has announced.
The coalition is made up of dozens of community- and state-based organizations, including the Illinois Sierra Club, IBEW Local 134, People for Community Recovery, The Climate Reality Project Chicago Chapter, SEIU Local 1, Citizens Utility Board, and other environmental, education, youth, labor and justice groups across Chicago.
In April 2017, the City of Chicago announced a plan to power all municipal buildings with 100% clean energy by 2025. Municipal operations constitute 8% of the city’s total electricity use, the Sierra Club says.
The Ready for 100 Chicago Collective was formed to advocate jointly for a just and equitable transition to a full 100% clean energy commitment for all of Chicago’s energy uses. At the coalition launch on Tuesday evening, community members discussed how Chicago can lead on health, equity and sustainability by powering all residences, businesses and transportation entirely with renewable sources of energy.
“The Ready for 100 Chicago Collective stands ready to advocate for bold policy that will bring the greatest economic, environmental and social benefit to communities across Chicago,” says Kyra Woods, Chicago organizer with the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Action campaign. “A new energy economy can create jobs, save money through energy efficiency and phasing out fossil fuel, and empower our residents to participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of strategies that will most effectively address our communities’ needs. We are here to address how we power this city and who has power in this city.”
