Mayor Richard M. Daley is so committed to ensuring Chicago’s future he appointed a Chief Environmental Officer to his cabinet to oversee citywide environmental efforts – the first position of its kind in the nation.
In his efforts to ensure Chicago remains one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the U.S. Mayor Daley and his team developed an Environmental Action Agenda, a comprehensive plan for protecting the environment and improving quality of life in the city.
Recognized as one of the greenest cities in America, Chicago’s green initiatives are numerous:
A citizen education campaign is in place to help Chicagoans learn what they can do to conserve water, maintain water quality and better manage storm water.
The city of Chicago has pledged that in five years, at least 20% of the electricity it uses will be from renewable sources.
- Twenty-eight photovoltaic sites in and around Chicago are generating environmentally clean electricity from solar power, including the Exelon Pavilions at Millennium Park and the Park’s Bike Shelter, the Field Museum, Art Institute and the city’s 911 emergency center, just to name a few.
Chicago continues to be a leader in developing innovative, effective solutions to improve air quality.
Mobile Emissions Reduction
- Green fueling stations for city vehicles.
- City’s entire diesel fleet will be retrofitted to improve air quality and reduce the risk of health problems related to diesel exhaust.
Chicago Climate Exchange
- Chicago is not only working to cut its own emissions but is helping the rest of the world do it, too, by being home to the first and only carbon emissions trading floor.
Chicago is recognized as a pioneer in many industries and rooftop gardens are no exception. In fact, 2.5 million square feet of the city’s roof-scape is now alive.
- Mayor Daley’s green agenda not only has helped put a green roof on City Hall but has helped to install a wind turbine on the Daley Center.
- Chicago Fire Department’s Rescue Building #3 at O’Hare International Airport features a 3,860 square-foot green roof designed to help improve air quality, conserve energy, reduce storm water runoff, reduce urban heat island effect, and serve as an insulated roof and a radiant barrier.
- McCORMICK PLACE CONVENTION CENTER
- The flatware available for guests and attendees in all dining areas at McCormick Place is made of compostable potato starch.
- All packaging for boxed lunches is 100% compostable---including the box, napkins, cookie bag, flatware, sandwich and salad containers.
- Use of natural light in the more recently constructed facilities including the new stateof-the-art West Building.
West Building
- High-efficiency heating and cooling systems, reduced water consumption and recycled building materials.
- The green roof is also part of the larger environmentally-sensitive plans for McCormick Place and its West Building.
- The Building opened in August 2007 and has already attained LEED certification.
- HYATT REGENCY McCORMICK PLACE
- Implemented energy conservation program entitled “When not in use, turn off the juice.”
- Lights are extinguished in unoccupied guestrooms.
- Blackout drapes closed to preserve temperatures, set at a standard 73 degrees for unoccupied rooms.
- Additional paper recycling containers placed throughout the hotel, with a particular focus on the hotel’s Conference Center.
- Housekeepers recycle newspapers and paper products from guest rooms, and larger bins are available for banquet and conference clean-up -- phase two to include plastic and metal.
- More than 220,000 acres of protected natural lands and 160,000 acres of forest preserves in metropolitan area.
- Two conservatories in the City -- Garfield Park Conservatory is the largest in the world.
For a comprehensive overview of the city’s green initiatives, visit www.choosechicago.com/meeting/green_chicago.html
* Chicago Connections is printed on postconsumer recycled paper using soy inks*