Chicago :

GI Johanna - High Five

02.13.2009

Submitted by dsimmons on Fri, 02/13/2009 - 1:01am.
The Bite:
imageIf you see real American hero Johanna Thompson driving her solar panel-covered van around town, give her a high five. This Field Museum eco-educator teaches schoolkids about alt fuels and solar power ('cuz knowing's half the battle...) and fuels her rides between schools with waste veg oil from Nacional 27 restaurant. She's also started a volunteer green team at LaSalle Street Church that collects ewaste like batteries and computers from locals and drops it at recycling centers. Go Jo.

 

What's your eco-confession?
JT: I like to cook, but love takeout, which is right up there for me with the invention of the wheel. It's generally neither organic nor local, and those containers pile up in landfills. Don't get me started on how much water it takes to make those stupid containers, either.

What's the eco thing you can't live without?
JT: My reusable coffee mug. My bike. The CTA.

Name one thing you want to do before you Bite it?
JT: Drink an organic beer with our new president.

Are you more likely to vermicompost or put a bucket in the shower?
JT: I could do better with my water consumption...but I have three worm bins.

Wanna Try: 
We hear you can find Johanna taking a break from saving the world by knocking back an organic beer at Uncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon Ave. Map It (773-465-9801).
LIKE THIS TIP? TRY THIS: 
The Ken Dunn Tip
The Urban Worm Girl Tip

Cocktail Fact

The United States produces more than 2.9 billion gallons of waste vegetable oil annually, much of it from fast food restaurants - enough to potentially offset almost 1% of U.S. oil consumption.

Small Changes Add Up

If 10,000 Chicago Biters drive from downtown to Winnetka in a veggie-powered car instead of a gas-fueled one, we'll avert the CO2 created by 24 round-trip flights from Chicago to Johannesburg.

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