Chicago: The Sustainable City?

1. Chicago: The Sustainable City? Alena Smalligan Melissa Bradley Ryan Bruder

2. History • Third largest city in the United States • Rapid growth during industrialization at the turn of the twentieth century • Negative environmental and health effects related to urbanization • Advent of environmentalism shed light on environmental concerns

3. Urbanization • Increasing in developed and developing countries • Fifty percent of global population lives in urban areas today • People are drawn to cities in search of jobs • Lack of infrastructure and hasty construction of buildings

4. ArcGIS

5. Sustainability of Chicago • Triple bottom line of social equity, environmental preservation and economic performance • Goal of becoming America’s most environmentally friendly city • Focus on green landscaping, land use and transportation

6. Green Landscaping Landscapes and Open Spaces • Expansion of parks, medians, wetlands, and boulevards • Draw of investment to landscaped areas • Restoration of shoreline for recreational purposes • Need to further protect and landscape as well as create recreational areas • Sustainable landscape techniques

7. Green Landscaping Native Seed Gardens • Need to focus on restoration: only .07% of original landscape remains in Illinois • Native Seeds have high viability • Lack of seeds creates problem • Economic benefits • Need to find fitting communities for seed gardens

8. Green Landscaping Chicago River • Create an area for wildlife, recreation and transportation • Riverfront trail, parks and public access • Pollution • Protecting species within and around the river • Awareness and financial aid

9. Land Use Building Management • The Chicago Standard Design • Reflective or vegetated roofs • Best management policies and procedures • Global building management system • Indoor air quality

10. Land Use Building and Regulation • Remove barriers • Green building permit process • Education and outreach

11. Land Use Municipal Buildings • Chicago Center for Green Technology • City Hall’s Roof Top Garden • LEED libraries, police stations, schools and fire stations • Education and outreach • Evaluate cost and benefit

12. Land Use Residential Buildings • Bungalow initiative • Chicago housing authority • Green Building Standard • Energy Conservation Code

13. Transportation Bodies in Motion • Population of 10 million • Second largest public transportation system in the United States

14. Transportation Chicago Transit Authority • 1.6 million rides on 2,000 buses, 1,190 rapid transit cars, and a commuter rail • Covers 2,500 route miles and has 12,200 stops • “Green Fleet” awards

15. Transportation Cars versus Buses • Buses and trains are more environmentally friendly • CTA vehicles have higher occupancy • Cutting down routes during non-peak hours

16. Transportation Traffic Jam • Third highest average of time spent in traffic jams in the United States (over 56 hours a year) • CTA is more efficient because it does not experience traffic jams

17. Transportation Making Change • Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles etc. • Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels • Fuel cell-powered buses • Zero-emission technology • Recycling

18. Transportation Maintaining Effective Transportation • Blue Island Plan • Lower Ticket Price • Legislation • Outside bus storage

19. Transportation Future • 2010 • Maximize hybrid and clean fueled vehicles • Green fleet activities • 2020 • Reduce vehicle emissions • Maximize alternative vehicles in city fleet

20. Conclusion • Changes toward a more sustainable city can lead to economic growth, social equity and environmental preservation • Policy changes and proactive steps • It is possible for Chicago to be a successful sustainable city