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Climate Action Museum Holding Food and Agriculture Panel on Oct. 1
I'm happy to moderate discussion that includes CFPAC's Erika Allen
Chicago's Climate Action Museum (CAM) recognizes the impact of food and agriculture on the critical issue of global climate change. While the focus in public discussion is often on the negative aspects of large-scale farming practices, CAM — located near Union Station at 300 S. Riverside Plaza — is presenting a panel featuring three local leaders who a creating positive change.
The discussion will take place on Thursday, October 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. I am pleased to moderate the panel with three acquaintances whose non-profit work I greatly respect:
Erika Allen is CEO of Urban Growers Collective maintains farms on Chicago's South and West sides and in the south suburb of Sauk Village that produce delicious and nutritious hyperlocal food, address food insecurity, promote food justice, and provide economic opportunity through job training and beginning farmer incubation. Erika also is president of Green Era, which runs an anaerobic digester on the South Side that reduces food waste and produces compost and natural gas.
Jake Tepperman is founder/executive director of Chicago Food Rescue, which is marking its 2nd anniversary in October. The organization has made an immediate impact on waste reduction by salvaging tons of still-fresh food —which would otherwise end up in landfills — and transferring it directly to organizations that distribute food to those in need. And it accomplishes this mission with a volunteer work force!
Bob Kopach is founder/executive director of The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project, which has a climate-friendly solution to the carbon footprint of getting locally produced food to underserved communities: The organization donates eco-friendly, gas-free and emissions-free electric mobile farm stands to urban farming organizations that serve those in neighborhoods suffering from food insecurity.
One thing the panelists have in common: Each has won a Climate Hero Award from Climate Action Museum. Erika received the 2025 Authentic Advocate award, and this year, Jake was the organization's first Food & Agriculture winner and Bob took the Climate Technology Award.
And if you're looking at the poster above and wondering about the photos of a small, bald-heading man — Climate Hero Award winners all receive bobbleheads of past winner Tom Skilling, whose long stint on WGN-TV made him both a leader in Chicago's meteorlogist community and an outspoken advocate for addressing the negative consequences of climate change.
Click below for tickets priced at $15 with a "pay what you can" option.
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