Conscious Choice: Make A Difference: Earth Month 2007

Choice 3: Park Here

In 1869, the Illinois state legislature established the West Park Commission, which was responsible for three large parks and interlinking boulevards in Chicago. Plans for the entire ensemble of Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas Park were completed by 1871, by William Le Baron Jenney, best known today as the father of the skyscraper. Landscape architect Jens Jensen conceived the Garfield Park Conservatory as a work of landscape gardening under glass. In 1928 the “Gold Dome Building” was built in Garfield Park to provide a new administrative headquarters for the West Park Commission.

In 1870, businessmen and developers Charles G. and Joel H. Wicker donated a four-acre parcel of land to the city to be used as a public park. Fencing the triangular site to keep cows out, the city created an artificial lake in the center of the park, surrounding it with lawn and trees. In 1885, the city transferred Wicker Park to the West Park Commission. Five years later, the West Park Commission filled the park’s lake, replacing it with lawn.

Grant Park’s beginnings date to 1835 when the park’s original area east of Michigan Avenue was designated “public ground forever to remain vacant of buildings.” It was officially named Lake Park in 1847, but after the Great Fire of 1871 the area became a dump site for piles of charred rubble—the first of many landfill additions. Renowned architect Daniel H. Burnham envisioned Grant Park as a formal landscape with museums and civic buildings. However, construction was stalled by lawsuits launched by mail-order magnate Aaron Montgomery Ward, who sought to protect the park’s open character. Finally, in 1911, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in Ward’s favor.

Taken from the Chicago Park District website.

April 2007 | From the Commish

Make A Difference: Earth Month 2007

By Sadhu A. Johnston

In 1970, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day. His vision was a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. Since then, countless Earth Day celebrations and activities are planned and executed during April. Some feature inspiring rhetoric; others are action-based, such as river and park cleanups; and still others focus on education. Whatever the message or venue, each plays a valuable role in educating and challenging all Earth’s citizens to be better stewards of our fragile planet.

Over the years, the City has sponsored its own Earth Day celebration and we try to combine a key message, usually delivered by the Mayor, with education and hands-on activities. But this year, we wanted to take Earth Day to the next level, which is why we’re launching “Make a Difference: Earth Month 2007.” The idea is to capture all the Earth Day activities that take place across our great City and connect them to each other, demonstrating how Chicagoans can make a difference in their homes and backyards, as well as their neighborhoods and city. The Department of Environment is partnering with the Mayor’s Office of Special Events as well as scores of community and nonprofit organizations to pull together a slate of activities.

Highlights include:

Resuscitating a Dying World: The Architecture 2030 Challenge (April 11). Edward Mazria, American Institute of Architects, will explain Architecture 2030, which challenges architects to reduce fossil fuel use and design all new buildings as carbon neutral by 2030. Cost is $20. Register at aiachicago.org.

Daley Plaza Celebration (April 18). The City kicks off Earth Month with a day’s worth of activities on Daley Plaza, including scores of informational kiosks sponsored by nonprofit organizations.

Green Business Conference (April 17-20). In last month’s column, I detailed the development of the City’s green business strategy. Green Festival’s Green Business Conference is one of the ways we’re implementing that strategy—the conference will bring together 200 local, environmentally-focused businesses to learn best practices, create new markets and network. You must register at coopamerica.org/cabn/conference/.

Green Festival (April 21-22). Chicago hosts the first-ever Midwest Green Festival, an environmental trade show which also serves as one of the cornerstones of Earth Month. Reknowned speakers Van Jones and Jim Hightower will complement Chicago green leaders, such as Jim Slama, Michael Howard and Martha Boyd. More than 300 exhibitors will demonstrate how to live a green lifestyle, from buying organic food to renovating your house or apartment in the greenest way possible. The City’s Green Pavilion will combine audio and visual elements to inspire sustainable activities. Admission is $10 and includes a t-shirt and one year subscriptions to The Nation and Plenty. You’ll get in for half price if you’re a student, senior, ride your bike, or show your CTA card. We also have lots of free tickets: call 312-744-5721 to request yours. For more information, visit greenfestivals.org.

Clean & Green (April 28). Every year, the City’s Department of Streets & Sanitation sponsors Clean & Green cleanups in each ward. Citizens and community groups can get rakes, mulch and other tools to clean up their streets and neighborhoods. Mark your calendars now for Saturday, April 28 and plan to participate!

Household Hazardous Waste Neighborhood Collection (April 28). Chicago residents can bring their household chemicals, computers, old paint, fluorescent lightbulbs and other hazardous waste to Devry University (3300 N. Campbell, 8am-3pm). This is the first of five neighborhood hazardous waste collections the City will sponsor in 2007. Residents can continue to bring their household hazardous waste to the City’s permanent facility on Goose Island, which is open Tuesdays, 7am to noon; Thursdays 2pm-7pm and the first Saturday of every month, 8am-2pm.

Great Spaces/Great Places (May 19, 20). If you’ve never attended a Great Spaces/Great Places event, you’re really missing out—the Mayor’s Office of Special Events does a great job of pulling together lectures, workshops and tours. While Great Spaces/Great Places features many green elements, this year, the green tours and lectures will be highlighted.

Of course, every day is Earth Day in the most fundamental sense. But by connecting these events, we hope to continue to build a sense of stewardship among all of Chicago’s citizens. For more information visit cityofchicago.org/environment.

Sadhu A. Johnston is commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Environment.

Recommend this page to a friend

Top Ten pages recommended to friends: