Green Era Announces Mariano’s Diverts 1 Million Pounds of Food Waste into Renewable Energy and Compost

CHICAGO — Green Era Campus and Mariano’s are celebrating 1 million pounds of food waste recycled into renewable energy and nutrient-rich compost. The partnership began in 2023 at the Mariano’s Evergreen Park location and eventually expanded to the Oak Lawn location as well.

“There is no waste here; we are recirculating the energy. For a grocery store chain to be shifting this waste to renewable energy is huge, and we are so proud to have Green Era be a part of it,” said Erika Allen, CEO of Urban Growers Collective and Co-Founder of Green Era Campus. To read the full article, please click here.

DV Community Investment was proud to provide NMTC financing to the Green Era Sustainable Campus in 2020 alongside McCormack Baron Companies / MBS Urban Initiatives CDE, USBCDE, and SCORE-CDE. This innovative project used NMTCs to redevelop a vacant 9-acre brownfield site into a sustainability campus which includes a biodigester, greenhouse space, community garden and a visitor’s center with classrooms for STEM programs and community activities in Chicago, Illinois