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Demonstrating the viability of sustainable concepts and practices in urban environments through research, education, and hands-on projects.

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UHC News

What's Your Building's Eco-Value?

Find out on June 4 at UHC’s next lecture by Mike Jackson of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Spring into UHC!

Spring 2008 general ad

UHC has opportunities this spring for volunteers on several urban agriculture projects, and hopefully some other interesting projects (stay tuned).
Contact us to let us know you’re interested.
If you’re looking for continuing education, be sure to check out our lecture series.
As always, we welcome your financial support to help us keep doing what we do.

Earth Week events

UHC will appear at the following Earth Month events:

Remember, Earth Week 2008 is April 20-27!

Rooftop Victory Garden Spring 2008 planting

Today we planted future crops including broccoli, fava beans, green peas, kholrabi, and lettuces.
The digging was tough because we’ve established such a tough, living mat of roots and plant matter over the last year, but it will help keep the growing media in place and present a thriving ecosystem to support the new plants.
Learn more about this project.

Hope Springs Eternal

Clover peeks out - soon to take over - amid a mulch of dead plant matter.

After one of the most difficult of recent Midwest winters, the Rooftop Victory Gardens is mostly dormant but slowly coming to life.
Stay tuned for progress as growing season begins again in spring 2008.

Featured Projects

True Nature Foods

True Nature Foods

Better than a green roof... a food-producing roof for this Edgewater business.

2005-present

UHC Lecture Series

UHC Lecture Series

Giving you the tools to address today's environmental concerns.

2006-present

Deconstruction advocacy

Deconstruction advocacy

Deconstruction is the right thing to do at the end of a building's life.

2006-present

UHC Garden at James Park

UHC Garden at James Park

See just how our garden grows.

2007

Recent Blog Posts

Why Cloth Diapers?

Why parents should chose cloth vs. disposable diapers We as parents or parents-to-be need to look to our past for answers to today’s problems. How did we get here? What has happened in our lifetime that has made the... Continued…

Introducing Lisa Joy Rosing

I am going to be writing a guest blog series for Urban Habitat Chicago. My environmental focus is on reducing trash, returning to the methods used before disposable products were invented, “reusables” and diet.... Continued…

Building-integrated food production FAQ

Thanks to all of you for your questions on rooftop agriculture, or, more specifically, our building-integrated food production at the Rooftop Victory Garden at True Nature Foods. Here are some frequently asked questions and our responses. We hope you... Continued…

Household Chemicals and Electronics Recycling Center

Image source: Greenworks Studio The City of Chicago Household Chemical and Electronics Recycling Center gives people in Chicagoland a place to take hard-to-dispose-of items and know they’ve done the right thing. NOTE: While Urban Habitat Chicago appears to be... Continued…

Reusing building materials and appliances

Many of you in Chicagoland are wanting to find new uses for your building materials, appliances, and equipment. Here’s where to start.... Continued…

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