Results tagged “green”

Whether or not you still have sore feelings about one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks being renamed by the Brits, there is at least one good thing coming from the switch: the building will receive an upwards of $300 million green makeover.

Chicago Public School buses got a technology makeover this summer, and they’re ready just in time for school to start next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.The fleet’s 1,600 buses have been outfitted with remote GPS systems and in-vehicle mobile data terminals, which together will make the buses more efficient and safer—particularly for special-needs students. And, by December, the older buses will be outfitted with cleaner-running technology, thanks to a $1 million Environmental Protection Agency program.

When Chicagoist caught up with environmental expert Danny Seo last Thursday afternoon, he was sitting by himself at a table just outside the doorway of the Anthropologie clothing store in Lakeview, quietly examining the contents of his new box of assorted candies. Dressed in jeans and a buttoned-down shirt, he looked like a regular guy just out for some casual Southport shopping -- not at all like a someone who is often referred to as "the Green Martha Stewart." But while Stewart provides counsel on how to make "creative cupcakes" (if such a thing can even exist nowadays) and scrapbooks, Seo pushes his passion for eco-living: getting his message across by developing super-organic bath and beauty products and his own mattress line sold at JCPenney; writing books on environmentalism, green living and home decor; and partnering up with green companies such as Method, which sells eco-friendly personal care and household cleaning supplies. Among other things.

    

We should start this review by saying that we aren’t usually cereal fans. Oatmeal, maybe, or a nice omelet, but cereal has never appealed to us. Either it’s full of sugar and artificial colors or it’s tasteless cardboard “health food” that’s hard as a rock. Custom-made cereal offered the possibility of creating something that was both tasty and healthy at the same time… but we weren’t getting our hopes up.

Could one of Chicago's most famous landmarks be getting a new wardrobe? The owners of the Sears Tower, which has soared over the city's skyline since 1973, have proposed a silver paint job for the iconic black tower. So why is silver suddenly the new black? Is the Sears Tower jealous of the attention the glimmering Trump Tower demands on account of the way it reflects the sun's rays?

Looking for an fun, educational, and cheap way to entertain the family tomorrow? Look no further than Hyde Park. The Museum of Science and Industry is open tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and offering up free admission all day. Can't make it by tomorrow but still looking to entertain those out of town guests? The MSI will be open all weekend (at regular admission, of course) and with some great exhibits like the Smart Home and Christmas Around the World, it's a great time to pay a visit. The MSI is open Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

      

Since May 8, thousands of visitors have been amazed by the style, innovation and comfort of the Museum of Science and Industry's Smart Home: Green and Wired. The Museum, in partnership with Wired Magazine and architect Michelle Kaufmann, built an entire house, complete with landscaping, on the lawn outside the Henry Crown Space Center. Visitors can tour the entire house (including the utilities spaces, the roof and the grounds) with a guide for a small additional fee. We had the opportunity to visit the Smart Home a few weeks ago, and our recommendation is simple: If you haven't been, go right now.

Emanuel Kuntzelman, founder of the Greenheart Initiative, will be at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts tonight to host a free "lively” discussion called Our Singular Moment, a look at how the present time has the potential to change the world. Kuntzelman’s theory is based on the idea that while society creates its own realities, it can transcend cultural conditioning to evolve a healthier personal and social awareness. The discussion has a foundation in Kuntzelman’s research and experience from his travels, using quantum physics, systems and chaos theory to support his model of social evolution.

According to industry expert Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, as of 2007 Chicago has surged ahead of all other American cities to become the green roof top dog, with our green rooftop space totaling 517,633 square feet last year. Our fair city is also expecting an additional 4 million square feet of gardens to be completed or under construction by the end of 2008.

Meet the Chicago Climate Action Plan: a fabulous, flexible, long-term plan unveiled by the Daley Administration last week that outlines how the city plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the onset of permanent climate change in Chicago. From the Climate Change 101 section of the website:

Oh Lord, do we like hearing about things like this: a new company called The Special E functions solely to salvage leftovers from special events like weddings or conferences, often rescuing mighty amounts of food and other event leavings from getting tossed in the trash. The for-profit “green” organization, which services 30 major metropolitan areas, has already been hired for half a dozen Chicago events, including Ameriprise Financial's recent national conference at the Field Museum.

No updates yet on that proposed mandate which would require Chicago cab companies to convert to hybrid cars, but it seems that a high number of Chicago and other Illinois residents are personally making the switch. While California strongly outpaces all other states for new hybrid vehicle registrations, statewide financial incentives and the price of gas are helping to keep both the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois in the top five on lists for new hybrid sales.

Swiss adventurer Louis Palmer is driving a solar-powered car around to highlight the feasibility of alternative fuels. He cruised through Chicago yesterday in his two-seat, three-wheeled contraption that tops out around 55mph. [AP, ABC 7]

Vendors at any of the 24 Chicago-run farmers markets won’t be able to participate in next year’s selling season unless they stop using plastic bags. The bag ban, imposed by the city of Chicago, is meant to reinforce the city’s message to “go greener.”

Could Chicago cabs be going hybrid? Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen (38th) are proposing a city mandate requiring cab companies to begin incorporating hybrids into their fleet of vehicles, with a complete conversion of all Chicago cabs by January 1, 2014:

A report from the Brookings Institute today examines "metropolitan areas' progress toward achieving productive, inclusive, and sustainable growth that drives national prosperity." How's Chicago doing?

One could make the argument that a zoo, by nature, is already organic. But this weekend, the Lincoln Park Zoo is implementing one step in a five-year plan to reduce the attraction’s impact on the environment when they open the Cafe at Wild Things. The cafe will only feature organic, sustainable, locally produced snacks. Even the utensils will be made of biodegradable cornstarch-based plastics.

The Green Cleaning Schools Act went into effect in Illinois on May 9, making us the second state in the nation to require that schools develop "green cleaning" plans and use cleaning supplies that meet EPA standards. Great, there goes our idea to sell boiling ammonia cancer splash lunchtable cleanser in a get-rich-quick scheme. Sigh. Guess we're going to have to market bottled hippie tears. Oh, we kid.

Eco-friendly advancements are being made in building design and construction—think sustainable materials, efficiency of resources, and energy-reducing wiring and appliances. If this topic interests you, the new Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit, opening tomorrow at the Museum of Science and Industry, is a neat opportunity to learn more about green buildings.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Jesse White unveiled a program that allows Illinois motorists to recycle old or obsolete license plates. For a few weeks now, license plate recycling bins have been available outside each of the 136 Secretary of State vehicle facilities, but the recycling program was officially announced on Tuesday, in order to coincide with Earth Day.

It’s with a bit of irony that the company responsible for killing the Marshall Field’s trademark green is now, itself, going green. Earlier this week, Macy’s announced they will be using recycled paper shopping bags at all its stores, as well as biodegradable packaging for online shipments -- all part of Macy’s “commitment to contribute to a more sustainable environment.”

Ah, the Coen Brothers. They've given us many memorable tales of kidnapping, murder, and betrayal. But none has grown in cult status quite like The Big Lebowski. Since it's theatrical release (10 years ago yesterday!), and despite its subsequently tepid box office gross, the film has become a huge hit on DVD and has even inspired it's own yearly get-together, known as Lebowski Fest. The Fest gives all the Dude enthusiasts a chance to come together for a screening of the movie, costume contests, White Russians, and, yes, lots and lots of bowling, giving everyone a chance to scream "OVER THE LINE!"

The Chicago Journal has an update on the Green Exchange, the eco-themed shopping mall that's slated to open in the old Cooper lamp factory on Diversey. There are two bits of news in the article: first, the Green Exchange is expected to open by the end of 2008, and second, "city planners are exploring the possibility of creating an eco-industrial park or green-themed planned manufacturing district nearby."

Just squeaking in before the NBA's Thursday afternoon trading deadline, the Bulls made a big move by moving Big Ben.

You know that list of needs the Bears have to fill this off-season? Quarterback, running back, offensive line? Well, we can add wide receiver to the list.

Like his old man, Mayor Richard M. Daley is determined to transform public housing as part of his legacy (here's hoping it turns out better than Sr.'s effort -- several detractors don't have high hopes). His plan is creeping forever forward -- it's currently many years behind -- and the city will eventually replace CHA high rise projects like Robert Taylor Homes and Cabrini-Green with mixed-income housing.

Mark your calendars: For one hour on March 29th, Chicago will be in the dark. The City of Chicago and COM ED are asking businesses and residents to turn off their lights and unplug all electrical devices between 8 and 9pm on Saturday, March 29th to participate in Earth Hour, a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund in which cities and communities turn out their lights to symbolize their commitment to finding climate change solutions.

The corner of Dempster and Chicago in Evanston still retains some vestiges of its hippie past, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It actually reminds us of the less annoying parts of Lincoln and Wicker Parks. We've been fans of Bagel Art in Evanston for as long as we can remember; we usually have a sesame seed bagel with plain cream cheese every morning on the way to work. They also make a few good sandwiches for a quick bite during the work day, fuel for grinding out miles on the old Green Bay Road bike trail during summer, or just futzing around Evanston.