WHO WE ARE

Between our dedicated staff and extraordinary volunteers, we have centuries of experience building, teaching and cultivating local circular economies. Together, we’re working to change the way we, as a city, think about our food and our environment.

OUR MISSION

WHAT WE DO

Our mission is to cultivate local circular economies.

We envision a paradigm shift in production, consumption and waste driven at the local level, generating equity and economic opportunity for all residents.

What is a Circular Economy?

At the facility scale, a circular economy can be described as conventional waste streams from one process being re-purposed as inputs for another, creating a circular, closed-loop model of material reuse.

At the local scale, it can be described as a collaborative economic practice sustained by local circulation of materials, nutrients, knowledge, and money. It’s empowered by transparency, diversity, and inclusion. Read more here.

We equip people and businesses with the tools to live more sustainably through community-driven, hands-on programs and innovative research projects.

History

Plant Chicago was established in 2011 as the anchor for the project known as The Plant, a collaborative community of food businesses on the southwest side of Chicago. For 8 years, Plant Chicago supported the ever evolving project and brought tangible benefits to the surrounding community.

We are now operating out of a former firehouse, which we are renovating into a center for circular economy programming in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago. More on Plant Chicago's history can be found here.

History