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A N A U D I T O F C H I C A G O A N D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
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C H I C A G O I S C U R R E N T LY R A N K E D T H E 4 T H G R E E N E S T C I T Y I N T H E U S . . .
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. . . A F T E R P O R T L A N D , S A N F R A N C I S C O , A N D S E AT T L E .
O V E R A L L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y S C O R E
1 Portland 85.08
2 San Francisco 81.82
3 Seattle 79.64
4 Chicago 70.64
*sustainlane.com out 50 Largest US Cities. The highest possible score 100.
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HOWEVER, CHICAGO IS 4 TIMES LARGER THAN THE
L A R G E S T O F T H E C I T I E S T H AT P R O C E E D I T I N
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y R A N K I N G . . .
P O P U L AT I O N
1 Chicago 2,833,321
2 San Francisco 744,041
3 Seattle 582,454
4 Portland 537,081
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WITH IT’S LARGE SIZE, HIGH GREEN RANKING AND BUT IS THIS BRANDING REFLECTED IN REALITY?
PUBLIC IMAGE CHICAGO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO WHERE DID THIS IMAGE COME FROM? CAN CHICAGO BECOME
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GREENC I T Y
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KNOWLEDGE
BASE
ENVIRONMENT/
GOVERNMENT
ENERGY
THE C R I T E R I A F OR J UD G IN G A CITY IN TERM S OF SUSTAINABILITY AR E VE RY COM P LE X .
GREENC I T Y
GREEN
WASTE
ECONOMY
TRANSIT LAND
USE
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Green Info/ Resources
LAND
TRANSIT
Public Transportation USE
Commuting Park District/ Forest Preserve
Zoning
Housing
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AL L G RE E N C IT IE S A R E NOT C R EATED EQUAL.
*calculated using data from sustainlane.com and conscious choice magazines ratings of Chicago’s sustainability
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W HE N Y O U TAK E A L OOK AT WHERE WE LEAD . . .
. . . A ND W H E RE W E LA CK . .
. . . A TR EN D B EC O M ES C L EA R .
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WE LEAD IN THOUGHT MORE THAN ACTION.
Chicago is the largest city in America with a comprehensive sustainable agenda. Mayor Richard M.
Daley’s impressive display of measured determination has a lot to do with this. The vast array of
environmental projects he has created are making the city more prosperous, more beautiful, and
more healthy. People are paying attention to this because very few other major cities have defined
themselves as green. You expect progressive policies in places like Seattle and Portland. When a
big, diverse city like Chicago takes these steps it’s pretty significant. The bottom line is that Mayor
Daley is committed and serious about our environmental initiatives and sees them as a key part of
the city’s competitive strategy in the future. However, it’s a bit too soon to dub him America’s “Envi-
ronmental Mayor,” he has moved forward with some spectacular and innovative environmental suc-
cesses. Yet Chicago is still burdened with staggering eco-problems. The contrasts are stunning. To
find specific examples of this idea, lets take a deeper look inside each green city ingredient.
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some environmentally sound principles and recycled much of
KNOWLEDGE
the debris, which cut our disposal costs in half. The concrete was
crushed and used in everything from the construction of parking
lots to roads and sewer projects.
BASE As it busied itself clearing the site, the City began talking to
members of the American Institute of Architects Chicago Com-
mittee on the Environment, which shared the vision of green
design. It partne red with ComEd, which committed to generating
more energy from alternative sources. And it began looking for a
tenant. Then the Federal Department of Energy introduced Spire
to Chicago’s Department of Environment. The city’s alternative
ACCESS GRANTED
energy plan clicked into place.
GRE E N R E SOUR C ES / INFO Drawing on the ideas, visions, Docents as well as permanent signage will serve to enlighten
and inspirations of all stakeholders in a big project allows for the visitors. With GreenCorps landscapers in training, visitors will be O VERALL PLAN FO R SU STAI N ABI LI TY This is just a
whole to become truly greater than the sum of its parts. Such all- able to see city lot gardening in action. recent addition to a plan for sustainability that has been grow-
encompassing collaboration has been instrumental in the process ing for years. It started very humbly. In the early years of Mayor
CONTRASTS
of developing the Chicago Center for Green Technology, the city’s The building’s focus on education will encourage citizens to learn Daley’s administration, he began an ambitious program to plant The city touts a nationally renowned Center for Green Technology on the West Side but also
is home to two carcinogen-spewing coal-burning power plants in residential neighborhoods.
new energy efficient and environmentally friendly showcase. what’s possible. Getting involved with large scale residential, thousands of trees each year in neighborhoods across Chicago.
It is an integral part of the city’s aggressive plan to generate 20 commercial, and industrial rehabs and new construction early in Now more than 250,000 of these living air conditioners have been
percent of its electrical power from alternative sources within five the process, and working with architects, engineers, and devel- planted to provide oxygen and cooling throughout the summer.
years. It is the new home of Spire Solar Chicago, a company dedi- opers who are also the source for repeat business, generates a And inspired by world class cities like Paris and Rome, the mayor
cated to manufacturing and marketing solar panels in the greater higher likelihood of success. has also embarked on an ambitious beautification program in
Chicago area. It will also house the non-profit GreenCorps, an which graffiti is blasted, flowers are planted, and litter is cleaned
innovative welfare-to-work life skill and landscaping training pro- C OLLA BO RATI O N WI TH PRO FESSI O N ALS This site’s up from streets and neighborhoods throughout the city.
gram launched eight years ago by the City of Chicago’s Depart- clean-up and the building’s renovation embody the collaborative
ment of Environment (DOE). process, engaging the expertise of federal and local government In recent years, the Mayor teamed up with Commissioner of the
departments and agencies, associations, and public and private Department of the Environment, Bill Abolt, a nine-year veteran
It is a place where citizens can learn about innovative ways to business and industry, as well as the local community. The site of the administration. Internationally known green consultant
harness alternative energy, understand the huge opportunities has quite a history. It used to be an old demolition debris facil- Bill McDonough introduced his view on what it will take to make
for recycled and reused materials, and experience a world class ity. When the city received title to it, the site had 600,000 cubic Chicago America’s greenest city.
model of energy efficient, environmentally friendly green design. yards of construction debris piled up on top of it. So they applied
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ing Coalition and served as its executive director. His pioneer-
ing environmental successes in that city attracted the attention
GOVERNMENT
of Daley, who offered him the newly created job. “My role is to
bring the department of environment into each department,” said
Johnston.
MA RK E T ING/ AWA R ENES S What Chicago has accom- velopments supporting the mayor’s commitment to his green DEDI CATI O N O F O FFI CI ALS “The mayor’s interest and
plished in resplendent fashion is marketing the transformative initiatives. Most notable is his hiring of Sadhu Johnston who my interest aren’t just about greening from the environmental
power of a “green city.” Over the last few years, Mayor Daley came on with the official title “Assistant to the Mayor for Green perspective,” says Johnston, “it’s really about making the city
has hauled his fair share of water for the green cause, tirelessly Initiatives.” By creating a staff position that focuses solely on this healthy, smart and green.”
traversing the nation to sign the mayors of other cities to a whole mission, the mayor’s intent is clear: “I mean business!” Johnston
host of climate protection and green building statements like the is charged with goosing the various city departments as they The mayor appreciates that cities are an environmentally friendly
“Cool Cities” campaign. In 2006, Chicago finally got its due for all ponder their mandate to become more environmentally friendly . way to live. Dense urban areas served by good public transit are
its greening efforts when it was highlighted in the “green” issue far preferable to far flung suburbs contributing to sprawl, traffic
of Vanity Fair and was chosen as the subject of two powerful Ever notice those city drinking fountains that run non-stop? No congestion, and the related air pollution. Mayor Daley also un-
documentaries on the green revolution, Design e2: The Econom- longer. As part of its water conservation program, the Chicago derstands the importance of sustainability and the responsibility
ics of Being Environmentally Conscious (which also features Park District is retrofitting all public drinking fountains in the city that he has to be a steward of the city and its resources. There is
Chicagoans Doug Farr and Blair Kamin) and Edens Lost & Found: so they won’t flow 24 hours a day. It’s one of the myriad details a tremendous opportunity to reconnect city dwellers with nature
How Ordinary Americans are Restoring our Great American Cit- bundled into the green initiatives program that Sadhu Johnston and with natural areas. With the right kind of programs we can
ies. oversees as Mayor Daley’s handpicked assistant for green initia- beautify streets and neighborhoods, improve our air quality, and
In an era of mass-media, when one magazine or film has the abil- tives, a custom-made position on the mayor’s executive staff. make the city more livable and attractive — the kind of place
ity to transform the minds of millions, the power of this achieve- [where] you want to work and raise a family.
ment cannot be understated. Johnston was “discovered” by Daley when the mayor traveled to
Cleveland to tour one of the “green” buildings that Johnston had
GRE E N INF R A S TR UC TUR E There have been new de- equipped. The 29-year-old founded the Cleveland Green Build-
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idea behind the new Waste-to-Profit Network is to help connect sectors, Chicago could possibly become the urban agriculture
the waste products of one business with another business that capital of America. What it would take, says Peemoeller, would be
GREEN ECONOMY
can use those waste products to make a profit, or use them as commitment to land and resources through smart public policy
raw materials in another process. and community support to transform empty lots across the city
into economically viable farms.
As Peter Nicholson puts it: “Sustainability needs to become more
of a social norm.” This means that just as organic food has be- The city should take the next steps on the creation of a perma-
come a culturally sanctioned demand in the last 10 years, sustain- nent public market. With all the vacant land available, particularly
ability needs to become a widespread social goal as well. Start on the South and West Sides, the city should facilitate and fully
demanding more, and live the way you want to see others live. support more urban agriculture projects and encourage the pri-
vate sector to get involved as well. A joint public/private devel-
S U P P LY I N G T H E D E M A N D F O R A G R E E N L I F E S T Y L E LO CAL FO O D AN D AG RI CU LTU RE The demand for opment fund would enable neighborhoods and communities to
organic food in Chicago is still about 30 times what is supplied plan and execute their own projects independent of city or state
GRE E N D E SIGN When Massive Change opened in Sep- have continued to happen to promote a green corridor along Lake locally. But the city is doing more to encourage improvement government. Also, drastically increase access to healthy food in
tember at the Museum of Contemporary Art, it heralded a new Street between the Center for Green Technology and the Garfield of this situation so that this huge economic and environmental Chicago’s “food deserts,” underserved neighborhoods without
era of sustainable design, where Chicago would play an integral Park Conservatory. Christy Webber Landscaping has built a LEED opportunity is not effectively shipped to California, where most access to fresh food, through more farmers markets, more neigh-
role in the introduction and development of new thought, pro- Silver-certified building behind the CGT, and a LEED Silver school organic produce is grown. Mayor Daley’s Chicago Organic Com- borhood food stores, and locally planned redevelopment.
cesses and technologies that have the potential to reshape the is also being built in the area. mittee created the Chicago Organic Plan, which aims to support
world. One of the most significant steps taken in that direction the cultivation and distribution of local organic food. In addition,
occurred when the city passed an ordinance requiring all future As Peter Nicholson of Foresight Design Initiative notes, “The city the city’s Farmers Market program has created the position of
public buildings to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environ- has led very well by example in this area and now it’s looking “forager” with the Green City Market to find more local farmers
mental Design) certification for a green building. back to see who is following. The expedited permit process is an to supply Chicago.
example of a creative solution to increase the following.” M A S S I V E C H A N G E AT T H E M U S E U M O F C O N T E M P O R A R Y
ART
GRE E N B UIL D ING To help the private sector along, the city There is interest in building a permanent public market in Chica-
has instituted an expedited permit process for developers who GR EEN BU SI N ESS AN D I N DU STRY Even though Nichol- go, just east of Michigan Avenue along the Chicago River. Also,
agree to build to LEED standards. The city also launched a Green son feels overall that Chicago is “still waiting to ‘tip’ in the area the city is working with Goodness Greeness, the largest privately
Building Agenda in 2005, issuing an 18-page report outlining a of sustainable design and manufacturing,” he was instrumental held distributor of organic produce in the city, to expand their
host of actions the city is taking and will take to encourage LEED- in hauling the city that much closer to the tipping point with the business and build a larger distribution center. And City Hall itself
certified building and renovation in the city. One of these actions launch of the Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance, where lead- has become an example of urban farming. Its green roof has been
is the expansion of the Green Roof incentive program. ers of interested businesses meet and network on a regular basis. used for beehives to produce honey, and strawberries are next.
Another is the pro bono work Bain Consulting is doing with the Because of the amount of land available for farming within the
Although Spire Solar has moved to another part of the city, things city to develop a plan to promote sustainable businesses. And the city limits, and the growing interest in both the public and private
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category for “open space.” At the time, even city parks were
zoned residential. The city has zoned 300 acres as natural habitat.
LAND USE Chicago neighborhoods run the gamut from extreme poverty
to extreme privilege, from ethnic or racial enclave to diversity
exemplar. Gut wisdom tells us that the health of neighborhoods
is essential to the health of the whole city. So what’s up with the
’hoods? Many people believe that big box stores pose a threat by
driving out independent retailers and destroying the pedestrian
character of neighborhoods. MarySue Barrett of the Metropolitan
Planning Council points out that the city’s earlier development
was tied to streetcar stops every four blocks, and that’s why
L O O K I N G G R E E N E R E V E R Y D AY
there’s still a large commercial street at that frequency in many
PA R K D IST R ICT/ FOR ES T PR ES ERV E Millennium Park certain massive proje cts such as the rebuilding of Soldier Field. parts of the city. But, says Barrett, this does not conform to the
has changed everything. This unique urban space has reinvented The Daley administration has been redeveloping the peninsula of way we shop now. There now is a zoning designation for pedes-
what a park is—how it is conceived and planned, funded and Northerly Island as a park. Though it meant the close of Meigs trian-oriented shopping districts.
managed, constructed, and operated. Critics of this oft criticized Field airport, the people of Chicago are undoubtedly the winners.
“vanity project” were resoundingly humbled when the park It’s a truly beautiful place to behold the majesty of the city. HO U SI N G In the area of public housing, there is a huge CONTRASTS
opened and everyone… and we mean everyone… came out to transformation taking place with the Chicago Housing Authority’s The city spent $475 million on Millennium Park yet, many of its housing projects are still in shambles.
enjoy it. And they haven’t left. GR EEN SPACE Beyond the dazzling success of properties. In theory at least, mixed income development – one-
Millennium Park with its fantastic garden, what’s happening with third market rate, one-third affordable, one-third public housing
As for the Chicago Park District, there’s a lot to try to assess. But open space in Chicago? Schools and community groups who – is replacing the huge public housing developments of the past.
there are several undeniably positive developments. It has also want help with their gardens can get it from Greencorps, a pro- The health of the new neighborhoods and the health of older
acquired 30 acres for park space along the Chicago River. A bird gram sponsored in part by the city’s Department of Environment. neighborhoods facing an influx of former CHA residents are in
hospital opened on Northerly Island in April, and the Garfield Community gardening groups can also get help from Neighbor- question.
Park Conservatory continues to play a central role in the revital- Space, a non- profit that helps secure their property and find
ization of its surrounding neighborhood. There is also good news liability insurance. The city needs to do more to help CHA populations in transi-
from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. $2.75 million tion, and to work out better coordination of different government
has been added to the $17 million budget for land acquisition. ZONING “Open space zoning” passed the City Council in entities in planning new and revived neighborhoods. We need to
2004 and is now in effect for four categories: little parks, big continue with the effort to reclaim streets from auto domination,
At the neighborhood level, the Park District works closely with parks (which also includes county Forest Preserves within the and to publicize and encourage the use of LEED for Neighbor-
community groups on projects, though that’s not the case with city), natural habitats and cemeteries. Prior there was not a code hood Development standards.
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ask: What about bus service cutbacks in neighborhoods of color?
What about fare increases? What about spending a lot on big
TRANSIT
downtown projects—such as a superstation under Block 37 and
beautification of Loop subway stops—while bus service to poorer
neighborhoods suffers cutback after cutback? At the same time, in
response to requests from consumers, the CTA has added more
express buses. It’s clear that there is a transit funding problem in
our region. It’s also becoming clear that all of the region’s resi-
dents need to think in terms of digging deeper into their pockets
to maintain and improve the system.
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does as one’s neighbors do. If the city, or more importantly, some
enterprising retailers, found a way to locally manufacture and
B L U E C A R T S E PA R AT E R E C Y C L I N G C O L L E C T I O N B Y WA R D
WA S T E
distribute simple recycling collection and transport systems for
every home, apartment and office building in Chicago, and made
them easily available, it would go a long way. Recycling isn’t just
socially responsible, it’s also a huge economic opportunity.
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In 2005, Mayor Daley hired a point person for the Chicago River However, as tough new federal regulations for mercury emissions
ENVIRONMENT/
and published a “Chicago River Agenda” that would improve come into effect, finally, in a monumental announcement in mid-
water quality, protect nature and wildlife, balance river uses, and December, Midwest Generation, the owner of the two coal-fired
enhance neighborhood and community life. In addition, the city plants in the city along with others in Will County and Joliet, will
ENERGY
has developed a stormwater ordinance requiring larger develop- spend $3.5 billion over the next 10 years to clean up and or shut
ments to keep and absorb the first half-inch of stormwater, which down all of their coal-fired plants, build a $1.4 billion “clean burn-
is the most polluted part of the run-off into the river. Furthermore, ing coal” plant that they hope will be a showcase for this new
there is now a tunnel to Lake Michigan from McCormick Place technology, and invest $800 million in wind technology. Fisk and
so that rain on the roof of this massive structure does not add to Crawford, the two plants in the city, will either be shut down or
the sewer system, which backs up into the river when it reaches have scrubbers installed by 2017.
capacity. The Chicago Department of Environment has also initi-
ated a rain-barrel program. The barrels collect stormwater for Chicago must make Midwest Generation stick to its 10-year/$3.5
THE UNDELIVERED PROMISE
lawn and garden watering, water that would otherwise add to the billion commitment to clean up and/or shut down their coal-fired
GRE E N E NE R G Y Five years ago Chief Management Officer Chicago has put forth some smaller scale energy conservation overburdened sewers. plants and invest in wind energy, because corporations are no-
Bill Abolt said the cornerstone of the vision to make Chicago the initiatives. The city has a winter preparation program that Chi- torious for reneging on promises. Though this doesn’t change a
greenest city in America is the mutli-tiered energy plan the mayor cago Environment Commissioner Sadhu Johnston describes AI R Q U ALI TY Finally we come to air quality. Some believe thing about Chicago’s current air quality problems, it will make a
had devised. The plan aimed to meet most of our future electri- as “grassroots energy efficiency.” The city gives away kits with it is the black tumor affixed to the side of the otherwise beautiful significant difference in Chicago’s future.
cal needs through a few simple strategies: 1) Making most of our packs of compact fluorescent light bulbs and weather stripping to and elegant “Greenest City in America,” and in the same breath,
facilities energy efficient. 2) Use clean-burning small-scale power low-income residents, encouraging them to increase the conser- some of the best news of the decade on the environmental front.
CONTRASTS
plants placed in city facilities to generate power at peak times. 3) vation of energy. There have been solar panels installed on many The lakefront ranks among the best parks in the world, while
Promote renewable energy. cultural institutions and schools. Though there are many vision- According to a 2001 Harvard School of Public Health study, sulfur the beach is constantly being closed down because of ecoli.
ary thinkers crafting alternative energy economies that could dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions from nine coal-fired pow-
Mayor Daley promised that by 2006 the city would be buying 20 bring a whole new economic boom to the Midwest, Chicago is er plants in Illinois are responsible for 14,000 additional asthma
percent of its electricity from renewable sources. However, last really falling behind the pack here. attacks and 300 premature deaths annually. As the study points
November, a Chicago Tribune report revealed that, as 2006 drew out, these coal-fired power plants were “grandfathered in,” ex-
to a close, the city had fallen short of its goal . . . by nearly 20 per- WATER Q U ALI TY Water quality is high on the list of the empting them from the stricter standards required of new plants.
cent. The city’s deal to buy wind power fell apart, and Chicago’s mayor’s green initiatives. For one, the city has developed a And contrary to the state’s expectation, it’s turned out to be
contract to buy landfill energy (generated by burning methane) detailed water quality/conservation agenda that includes making cheaper for owners to replace part after part after part on the old
from Commonwealth Edison expired in 2004 and was not re- residents of all single-family homes accountable for their water plants than to build new plants that would have to meet current
signed. Even the most aggressive timetable for renewable energy use. It’s been shown that when people pay for the amount of wa- standards. These plants release mercury in the air, which settles
leaves 80 percent of our electricity produced by coal and nuclear ter they use, they tend to conserve it. Mayor Daley believes that in the ground and water and is absorbed into the food chain.
power. new technology will deliver a cheap way to meter homes.
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CAN CHICAGO BECOME THE GREENEST CITY IN AMERICA?
Despite the glaring environmental problems that have yet to be fixed, Daley’s accomplishments so
far have put him on the national stage. Everyone is looking at us and asking the question . . .
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C H I C A G O A L R E A D Y H A S A S T R O N G S E N S E O F W H AT
there are already people finding solutions to them, we are just yet to see the results. It lies
IS GREEN
in the hands of the citizens, the government and us as designers. After all Chicago didn’t
pop up over night. It was designed. More than most cities are designed. When Chicago
was destroyed in 1871 by the Great Chicago Fire, it created a unique opportunity to build
from scratch with the newest technologies and the modern lifestyle in mind. We can not
let devastation be the motive for a revolution in design. Sooner or later sustainable design
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RESOURCES
C R EATED B Y A D J O A O PO K U F O R TH E C H I C A G O G EN S L ER
Main c o n t en t w as e d ite d fr o m th e s e s o u r c e s
S U S TA I N A B L E I N T E R N S H I P P R O G R A M 2 0 0 7 .
sustainlane.com /us-city-rankings/
TO B E U S ED A S A TO O L F O R G EN S L ER F I R M W I D E.
consciouschoice.com
How Green is Our Mayor? Dan Johnson-Weinberger I woul d l i k e to tha nk m y gr e e n m e ntor s B e tha ny J ohns on
Chicago will be America’s Greenest City Jim Slama
a n d D a n e R a u s c h a n d m y s t u d i o l e a d e r To n y L a P o r t e f o r
The Good, the Bad, and the Blue Bag Dave Aftandilian
gui di ng m e thr ough thi s i nte ns e r e s e a r c h pr oj e c t.
Gensler
40 41
42 Gensler