Conscious Choice: Dear Bill McDonough,

April 2002

Dear Bill McDonough,

Welcome to Chicago. It’s a great town. We have wonderful architecture, friendly people, world class restaurants serving locally grown organic food, and Mayor Daley II — a guy who gets things done.

The word on the street is that you’re working with the Mayor to transform Chicago into the greenest city in America. Bravo! To make your job a little easier, we’ve asked many of the region’s top civic and environmental leaders to suggest the best steps you can take to achieve your goal. With their help, we’ve come up with an eleven point plan to truly make Chicago the greenest city in America:

1. Create a world class transit system.

The greenest city in America needs a world class transit system. Most of our environmental experts agree that the CTA, RTA, METRA, and PACE must make serious new investments to build an integrated transit system on par with New York, Paris, or London. Doing so will get people out of their cars and cut down on congestion and air pollution. Smart transit planning will also encourage smart growth through business and housing development around transit corridors. In recent years, ridership on the Chicago Transit Authority’s bus and train lines has jumped dramatically. Yet some potential riders still shun the system because in many cases it is not convenient or reliable.

One easy fix is to institute a non-peak pricing system that would give discounts to riders who travel between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. This will take some of the burden off rush hour. The CTA could also add more frequent trains at peak times or consider going back, at those times, to an A/B stop system in which trains load and unload at every other station.

In addition, the city and state should work together to build intermodal connections between METRA, PACE, and CTA transfer stations to make transfers easy. To expand service into new areas, many of the CTA lines can be extended. These extensions could include the red line along the Dan Ryan and the multiple branches of the blue line, including a Kennedy expressway branch to Schaumburg, the Eisenhower Expressway branch to Oak Brook, and the Douglas branch into the south suburbs. The last suggestion is to purchase new fuel cell or hybrid busses, which will cut down or eliminate the noxious diesel emissions of the current fleet.

2. Force Midwest Generation to clean up or replace toxic coal fired power plants in Chicago neighborhoods.

Two of the most toxic power plants in the midwest are located in dense urban neighborhoods in the city of Chicago. The old Fisk and Crawford coal plants are owned by California-based Midwest Generation, and they pollute the air and harm peoples’ health in the Little Village and Pilsen communities. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health shows the adverse chronic impacts on human health and increased mortality resulting from pollution from Fisk and Crawford.

Midwest Generation has been resisting efforts to require the company to substantially reduce pollution from these coal plants. You and Mayor Daley should insist that Midwest Generation clean up and substantially reduce the emissions from these coal plants to an acceptable level that will no longer harm public health and environmental quality. The tens of thousands of Chicago children who suffer from asthma that is exacerbated by air pollution will be eternally grateful!

3. Make Chicago the organic food capital of the midwest.

Chicago’s central location helped make it an industrial powerhouse in the early 1900s and much of the economic activity centered around food. Yet in the past few decades most of the food processors have left town, weakening the city’s economic base.

We can reclaim this heritage by encouraging the creation of a regional organic food system. Consumption of organic food has been growing by more than 20 percent per year and is now a $25 billion global industry. The city and suburbs have nearly twenty Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Wild Oats stores, plus an impressive network of health food stores, independent grocers like Sunset Foods, and even Dominick’s and Jewel chain stores, which are selling tens of millions of dollars of organic food. (Not to mention the hundreds of chefs who might be willing to purchase organically for their restaurants.) Yet 98 percent of the organic food sold locally is grown and processed out of state.

Chicago should partner with the State of Illinois to support the creation of a regional farming and distribution system that encourages local growing and processing of organic food. Nearby farms could be a good source of produce as could be gardens in abandoned city lots and rooftop gardens — a la City Hall. The city could also encourage more organic farmers’ markets like the Green City market — and even help the organizers of Green City to create a year-round showcase market featuring locally grown organic fruits and vegetables, organic meat and poultry items, and artisan cheeses, breads, and other processed foods.

New farmers markets can also be situated in underserved communities like Austin and Englewood and eventually be combined with cooperative community food centers to provide year round fresh, organic food. Surplus food from distribution and processing centers could be given to organizations that provide for the homeless and hungry.

4. Improve Chicago’s commitment to recycling/resource recovery.

Most environmentalists agree that Chicago’s blue bag recycling program leaves a lot to be desired. Residents minimally sort their recyclables, place them in blue bags, and then toss the bags in a trash can. The blue bags are collected with the regular garbage and compacted in city garbage trucks. The trash-recyclables mixture is then taken to a trash sorting center where it is separated. The city claims this results in a 25 percent recycling rate, which sounds pretty good. Yet according to the Chicago Recycling Coalition, most of this is a mix of landscape waste, garbage, and other organic materials that are used to cover landfills or remediate petroleum contaminated soil. Only nine percent of the total volume of trash is glass, paper, metal, and plastic that actually gets recycled.

Since Chicago’s contract with Waste Management to manage the city recycling program expires next year, now is a good time to improve it. Let’s look at successes in other cities, research how they could apply to Chicago’s situation, and then build these requirements into any new recycling contract signed by the city. In addition, Chicago should look to recycling as an opportunity for local economic development. The city could help companies to create markets for recycled plastics, metal, paper, and glass which would create new business opportunities and more jobs. Lastly, it should review and enforce standards for disposing of building and road rubble so no area of Chicago is used as a large scale fly dump

5. Build on community greening efforts.

One of the city’s best kept secrets is the extent and importance of community greening. There are more than 500 community managed parks and gardens in the city today scattered over many different neighborhoods in all sections of the city. The creation of these types of parks and gardens encourages churches, block clubs, and individuals to clean up their neighborhoods and develop stronger community ties. These activities build deeper connections among neighbors and promote behaviors that reduce crime.

To further these effects, the city should expand financial support to the coalition partners in GreenNet. These organizations work with local communities to develop comprehensive Neighborhood Open Space Plans as part of or complementary to broader community based planning for improved housing, schools, economic development, and other amenities. The city should also keep up its good work on brownfield redevelopment and continue to attract and expand the brownfield renewal project.

6. Make the lakefront an international showcase for nature based recreation.

Chicago has the opportunity to make its Lake Michigan waterfront a premier international showcase for the restoration of fish and wildlife habitat in an urban area. Over the next decade, hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent on lakefront reconstruction. (Closing Meigs Field on Chicago’s lakefront and creating Northerly Island park would be a great step forward.) We also need to work on systems to prevent waste water from being dumped into the lake, and minimize beach closings.

The key is to work with community partners to develop plans to restore native plants and terrain along the lakefront. This can make Chicago a favorite destination for nature based recreation such as birding, fishing, kayaking, and hiking. City restoration projects could involve thousands of volunteers — as have many successful regional programs to restore degraded forest preserves and parks.

7. Deepen the commitment to green energy/energy efficiency

The City of Chicago has shown national leadership in its electricity purchasing, requiring 20 percent of the power used by the city (80 megawatts) to be from green sources. However, most of that power, so far, has been from landfill gas. Under the City’s plan, at least half of that electricity is supposed to be provided by wind power and solar power. To meet this goal, the city needs to push Com Ed to immediately develop wind power for the remaining 40 megawatts of their commitment. Then over the next decade, the city should plan to purchase another 80 megawatts of solar and wind power generated in Illinois.

This achievable goal would jumpstart the clean energy market in Illinois and provide tremendous support to Illinois based wind and solar manufacturers. If accomplished, the city would be purchasing 40 percent of its power from green sources and truly be on the leading edge of green power. Then we need to work with the state, other cities, and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to create a "million solar roofs" program in Illinois. With a integrated program that combines city, state, and federal tax credits with consumer education, the Chicago region could be well on its way to at least 100,000 solar roofs by 2010.

On the energy efficiency side, the city needs to expand its program to mandate LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for all new and existing facilities. This means coming up with the money to retrofit libraries, schools, park facilities, and other buildings with state of the art insulation, windows, heating and cooling systems, waste management, and water systems. Chicago should also engage in a public education campaign to educate its homeowners and businesses about the money they can save by implementing energy saving measures.

8. Clean up the Chicago River

Mayor Daley’s river plan is a winner. Fences are coming down and access to the river is opening up all over. Now the city should develop a path system along the banks of the River’s north and south branches and provide expanded public access to the river. Mayor Daley should then pressure local and state governments who are responsible for the water to make sure that the city’s namesake river is cleaned up for the benefit of all.

The Chicago River is already much cleaner than it was in the 1970s. Now we need to take river remediation to the next level. The first thing to deal with is the sewage that gets dumped into the river during rainstorms. Plans that are in place to address the problem (Deep Tunnel, for example) are already twenty years behind schedule and, because they rely on federal dollars, are falling further behind due to funding cuts. Local solutions that cut down on the amount of runoff going into the sewage system (like the green roof at city hall, rain gardens, and rain barrels at parks and homes) will help solve the problem by reducing the volume of water the regional system has to process during heavy rains.

Another important part of renewing the river will be to bring back the plants, rocks, and other elements that fish, birds, and other wildlife need. Much of the River’s habitat was removed to make way for commercial barges and big boats that used to navigate the river. Since that river traffic isn’t around much anymore, let’s restore the habitat using technology that makes it possible for boats and wildlife to co-exist. We also need to get the bacteria out of the river. It will make the canoe launches far more pleasant.

9. Support Chicago’s neighborhoods.

One of the great things about Chicago is its neighborhoods. Dozens of them have strong residential bases and vibrant business districts that provide food, services, and entertainment within walking or biking distance. Yet many parts of the city don’t have such valuable assets. A recent study by the Metropolitan Planning Council indicates that Chicago needs 150,000 new dwellings for people that earn less than $20,000 a year. Let’s figure out a way to help these people by encouraging affordable housing rehabilitation or construction in some of the less fortunate parts of town. If these residences are created near business districts and public transportation hubs it will facilitate the development of new neighborhood town centers that contribute to healthy communities.

For some good examples, take a look at vibrant, diverse neighborhoods like Logan Square, Pilsen, Lincoln Square, and other booming city districts. And while we are working on the neighborhoods, let’s take steps to make Chicago an even more walkable and bikable city.

We can use more bike paths in non-yuppie neighborhoods — and we need to make sure they are accessible and clear of parked cars. (Expanding and connecting existing bike paths along the North Branch of the Chicago River and Burnham Greenway is an easy way to support bikers.) Traffic should be restricted on some roads to reserve access to bikers and pedestrians. Some of this can be accomplished with the current rewrite of the city zoning code. (Let’s make sure the new code bans the pedestrian-hostile suburban-style strip malls that are becoming too common.)

10. Expand and improve Chicago area parks and forest preserves

Chicago has a network of large, showcase parks designed by such internationally renowned architects as Jens Jensen and Frederick Law Olmsted. Yet many city parks need better maintenance and fresh landscaping. A better parks program could incorporate the use of native plants which will provide habitat for wildlife.

The city should look to expand its collection of parks in south and west side neighborhoods where there are plenty of vacant lots, but not much parkland. The Cook County Forest Preserve District also needs to expand and restore its properties. Currently it owns 68,000 acres of preserves and by law it can own 75,000 acres. To achieve this expansion, the county should purchase parcels identified in their 1994 Land Acquisition Plan. In addition, the county needs to recommit to restoring badly degraded lands. This means getting rid of invasive species like buckthorn and purple loosestrife, which have taken over many sections of their preserves, and planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses to create a more diverse ecosystem.

11. Make Chicago the country’s hub of green manufacturing and design.

Mayor Daley’s brother Bill had it right. When he was Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration he claimed that the next wave of economic expansion in the U.S. would be fueled in part by manufacturing green products. So let’s make Chicago the hub.

The Chicago Center for Green Technology is a great start, especially with Spire Solar as an anchor tenant. Let’s attract some other energy efficiency, green energy, and sustainable design manufacturers to go with it. How about a firm that makes sustainable furniture? Currently there are no major companies that produce home furnishings made from sustainably harvested wood, non toxic paints and finishes, and organic cotton. So let’s do it here. According to design expert Barry Bursak, the materials to create such products are available right now at costs that are competitive with much of the toxic furniture being manufactured currently.

The Merchandise Mart already makes Chicago a destination for those who seek well designed furniture. Let’s give Chicago’s thriving design and architectural community some sustainably produced products to add to their mix.

Thanks for taking the time to read our suggestions Bill. Don’t hesitate to call us at 312-440-4373 if you want to know more.

Developed and edited by Jim Slama with the support of the following advisors: Jerry Adelmann and Glenda Daniel, Openlands Project; Michael Altenberg, Campagnola; MarySue Barrett and Scott Goldstein, Metropolitan Planning Council; Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill; John Beske, Sustain; Eric Birkerts, Prairie Partners LLC; Marc Bouveir, Hull House, Bruce Boyd, The Nature Conservancy and Chicago Wilderness; Diane Brown and Brian Metcalf, Illinois PIRG; Juli Brussell, The Farm Gate; Ron Burke, American Lung Association; Barry Bursak, Organic Design; Camerson Davis, Lake Michigan Federation; Doug Farr, Farr and Associates; Jacky Grimshaw (and much of the staff), Center for Neighborhood Technology; Sonya Kugler, Natural Needs; Howard Learner, Environmental law and Policy Center, Abby Mandel, Green City Market; Christopher Mann, Michael Fields Institute; Michael Marcus, Chicago Community Trust; Mike Mulqeen, Greater Chicago Food Depository; Randy Neufeld, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, Jo Patton, Business and Professional People in the Public Interest, Christie Phillips, Organic Consumers Association; Jean Pogge, South Shore Bank; George Ranney, Chicago Metropolis 2020; LaDonna Redmond, Austin Farmers Market; Bob Scaman, Goodness Greeness; Jimmy Sedita, The Joyce Foundation; Craig Sieben, Sieben Energy Associates; Rand Sparling, Illinois Environmental Council; Sarah Stegner, The Ritz Carlton; Erma Tranter, Friends of the Parks; Charlie Trotter, Charlie Trotters; Besty Vandercook, Chicago Recycling Coalition; Laurene von Klan, Friends of the Chicago River; Jay Walljasper, Utne Reader; Orrin Williams, Center for Urban Transformation.

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