Apr
21
Families, hippies and environment nuts all turned out for the Green Apple Festival at Lincoln Park zoo on Sunday afternoon to delight in the (very loud) music, peruse various information stands put up by different environment organizations, and take in the eco-friendly demonstrations. Some highlights:
The Chicago Afrobeat Project was one of many bands to take the […]
Apr
21
Call for climate!
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Tell our next president the Earth comes first!
Earth Day Network is organizing a call-a-thon on Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day): To participate, call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Ask for your Representative or Senator and ask them to take tough and fair action on climate change. We are demanding:
1) a moratorium on coal-fired power plants
2) […]
Apr
21
City celebrates Earth Day
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Heads up: Tuesday, April 22 is Earth Day. There will be celebrations and awareness campaigns going on all over the globe.
In Chicago, there will be a special event in the Daley Plaza from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There will be music, eco-friendly information and demonstrations. Highlight is a 1 p.m. performance by Marty Casey and […]
Apr
21
Lincoln Park animals rock out
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The first thing that struck me walking into the Green Apple Festival at Lincoln Park Zoo was the bass.
The Chicago Afrobreat Project had taken the stage.
The guitars and rhythm were blasting. I could feel the bass vibrating my heart. There was a crowd gathered to listen. Many young women were dressed in colorful, flowing skirts […]
Apr
21
Let’s see. It was a Thursday night around eight o’clock. I had just jumped on the brown line after working for 12 hours. And tired is an understatement.
No one was very talkative on the train. At least it’s late enough that I can get a seat, I found myself thinking. And as we glided and […]
Apr
14
Congestion pricing
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Friday, April 11, 2008
London did it.
New York failed to do it.
What’s Chicago thinking?
London recently implemented congestion pricing to cut down on road congestion. This means that drivers would pay a fee to use the roads during high-traffic times of day, said Michael McLaughlin of the Metropolitan Planning Council. These fees would then be […]
Apr
14
The report: the future and funding of surface transportation
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Congress created a commission in 2005 to look into the state of the nation’s surface transportation, which includes highways, freight, and public transit. After 22 months of deliberation, it released its report in January.
A couple of the more controversial recommendations are raising the gas tax and creating public-private partnerships to fund the […]
Apr
14
Wednesday, April 10, 2008
For city drivers, you’re either stuck in traffic or slamming into potholes. Some heavyweights came together Wednesday to discuss the future and funding of the nation’s surface transportation, and its implications for economic growth and the environment, particularly in densely populated areas like Chicago.
Matt Rose, CEO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation […]
Apr
14
Big Belly trash cans
Filed Under Green Initiatives | 2 Comments
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The allegation: The City of Chicago purchased an expensive, high-tech solar-powered compacting trash can, and then stuck it underground at the State and Lake el station.
The reality: The Big Belly trash can company gave 50 solar-powered compacting trash cans to the city as a test run, to show the city how much […]
Apr
14
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A blast of cool air washed over the people crowded in the el cars as the doors slid open. The matter-of-fact voice of the CTA announced, “Doors opening on the right at Adams and Quincy.”
I followed the feet in front of me and stepped out onto the platform. Already there were lines […]