The Greening of Chicago (Time)

[jpak]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1193833,00.html

Chicago, a blue-collar city of asphalt and glass and concrete canyons, would seem an odd place for admitted tree-hugger Sadhu Johnston to think he could save the planet. But Johnston, Mayor Richard M. Daley' s environmental commissioner, believes that cities are actually the answer to the earth's environmental ills. And with that in mind, he is working to turn Chicago into what he claims will be the most environmentally friendly city in the U.S. — as well as the nation's center for environmental design and the manufacturing of components for the production of alternative energy.

If it works — and Daley is betting a hefty sum it will, with promises to buy millions in solar panels, for example — the green movement here is expected to yield the city perhaps billions in saved energy costs and new business."This is way beyond tree hugging in Chicago," said Johnston, 31, who before coming to Chicago helped dust some of the rust off of Cleveland's image by serving as executive director of the non-profit Cleveland Green Building Coalition. "This is about quality of life. What we're talking about is creating a city that exists in harmony with the world, a place that can be a model. Cities have long been hurtful to the environment. Raw materials came in and waste went out. We' re trying to redefine that relationship, and cities can be models."

In much the same way that cities like Austin and San Francisco latched onto the boom in the Internet or biotech industry to propel their economies, Chicago is working hard to rev up its manufacturing and capitalize on the growth in green construction and wind and solar energies. But can Chicago, such a muscular city, shake its industrial, broad-shouldered image by showing that cites are not the bane of the environment. Does it deserve, in short, the title of America's Green Thumb?

"We're doing it," Daley said in a brief interview earlier this week while also playing host to an environmental summit for U.S. mayors and making a pitch for the 2016 Olympics. "We're aggressive in terms of the environment and we're educating the people and bringing business along."

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[electropop]

1. Cool!

Cities can lead the way, and dense development like a city core is far less destructive to the environment than sprawl is. Cities can be more livable too, with a good investment in energy efficiency and other environmental improvements.

[spag68]

2. environment

almost has to be done by the cities and states, as the feds will do little and screw that up.

[electropop]

4. CIties & states have to lead the way on everything, until the Federal

Government is swept clean and repaired. Ultimately, Federal and international involvement in environmental issues are absolutely necessary, because these issues cross all jurisdictions and otherwise a race to the bottom will occur.

[demdiva]

3. Chicago (I'm proud to say) has always

has always been proud of the urban fabric of their city and has always been progressive in improving their city. While many in the building industry have been interested in sustainable design and environmental issues for quite awhile, it's really taken off the last four years or so. There is a long way to go, but it's nice to see Chicago moving with the trends.

[Martin Eden]

5. That's good news, but ...

... Chicago and other large metroplotian areas will never be truly green until suburban sprawl is reversed and congested highways start being replaced by efficient public transportantion. The automobile continues to dictate the infrastructure of our landscape.

Nevertheless, Daley is taking steps in the right direction. As a lifelong resident of this area I'd like nothing better than to see our manufacturing base revitalized with green technology.