Articles Tagged with: Chicago

Chicago Theatre on State Street. Photo Credit: All photographs courtesy Chicago Office of Tourism

Thanks to the green governance of Mayor Richard M. Daley,  and an increased environmental awareness by both locals and businesses, Chicago is regarded as one of the world’s most eco-friendly and livable cities.

“Chicago is not only a world-class destination, but it is also one the most environmentally friendly cities in the United States,” said Mayor Daley. “I encourage visitors and residents to participate in Chicago’s green attractions and learn how to better protect and preserve our environment.”

Planning Your Environmentally Friendly Getaway
Chicago is home to 14 Green Seal Certified hotels—the most of any city in the U.S. Earth-friendly and energy efficient, these 14 properties offer great options for green-minded guests: Essex Inn, Four Seasons, Hilton Chicago, Ritz-Carlton Chicago, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, Silversmith Hotel & Suites, Westin Michigan Avenue, Hotel Monaco Chicago, Hotel Burnham, Hotel Allegro Chicago, InterContinental Chicago, the Talbott, and the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park.

Dine at an Organic Restaurant
Chicago, long known for its great restaurants and wide variety of cuisines, recently earned a reputation for being one of the greenest culinary hot spots in the world. The family-owned Nana (3267 S. Halsted St.) in Bridgeport is a breakfast and lunch spot serving all organic and sustainable fare. Satko Ibrahimovic’s restaurant Sprout (1417 W. Fullerton Ave.) in Lincoln Park features seasonal dishes and organic wines for the ultimate eco-foodie. Raw (500 W. Madison St.) offers a variety of healthy concoctions including noodles made from shredded zucchini and pizza crust made from sprouted wheat berries.

Shop at Sustainable Stores and Local Designers
Be an eco-savvy shopper and peruse sustainable, organic clothing, accessories and home décor items from green boutiques like Grasshopper 510 (1944 N. Damen Ave.) and the children’s stores Grow (1943 W. Division St.) and Green Genes (5111 N. Clark St.). Chicago is also home to emerging fashion talent, like vegan line Vaute Couture, organic brand Mountains of the Moon, sustainable womenswear Frei Designs and eco-friendly label Lara Miller.

2009 Fashion Focus Chicago

Getting Around
Chicago is committed to greener ways of getting around with the establishment of over 300 miles of bikeways spanning the entire city, and the nation’s second largest public transit system.

Reclaim and Relax at a Spa
Go green from head to toe at earth-friendly spas. Salon Echo (1134 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.) in Andersonville offers products that are organic or organically derived, while Allyu (600 W. Chicago Ave.) focuses on sustainability by incorporating natural Astara products in spa treatments.

Buy Local at the Farmers’ Market
Open year-round 6 days a week, Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand (66 E. Randolph St.) carries hundreds of products from within a 250-mile radius of Chicago. The Green City Market (1750 N. Clark St.) is the City’s first sustainable farmers market, featuring organically-grown produce and more from local vendors. City Farm (1204 N. Clybourn) is a sustainable vegetable farm with produce grown in composted soil generated from various sources, such as restaurant trimmings from some of the city’s finest kitchens.

Visit the Center for Green Technology
The Chicago Center for Green Technology (445 N. Sacramento Blvd.) is the first rehabilitated municipal building in the nation to receive the U.S. Building Council’s LEED™ Platinum rating, and an excellent resource for information about green technologies and environmental impact. Learn about water use, creative landscaping, solar power and the many things you can do to green your life. Free!

Go to a Greenhouse
Chicago is home to two world-class conservatories: The Garfield Park Conservatory (300 N. Central Park Ave.) is one of the nation’s largest and oldest conservatories and houses over a thousand different plant species in eight indoor and outdoor display rooms. The Lincoln Park Conservatory (2391 N. Stockton Dr.), a smaller Victorian glass-house facility, boasts an equally impressive collection of palms, ferns, tropical plants and a show house for seasonal exhibits. Free!

Garfield Park Conservatory

Environmentalist on the Roof
Visit a public green rooftop and see a working example of sustainable architecture and renewable energy use in person. There are over 7 million square feet of green roofs completed or underway throughout Chicago, more than all other U.S. cities combined. Some of Chicago’s largest green roofs are outdoor green spaces built over underground structures, like Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) and Soldier Field (1410 S. Museum Campus Dr.).

Book a Green Tour
Take a guided bus tour of former industrial pockets in South Chicago that have recently undergone green transformation. Visit the old U.S. Steel South Works site slated for reuse in a new LEED-certified eco-friendly community. Enthusiastic city-wise volunteers impart their love and knowledge of Chicago to parties of six or fewer during FREE two- to four-hour visits on foot and public transportation through the Chicago Greeter service.

Visitors and Chicagoans planning to entertain out-of-town guests can receive Chicago brochures, reserve hotel accommodations and receive trip-planning assistance by calling toll-free 1.877.CHICAGO (1.877.244.2246), or visiting www.explorechicago.org. Brochures and information on Chicago’s exciting events and activities are also available at the Visitor Information Centers. The centers are located at Chicago Water Works, 163 East Pearson Street at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street. The TTY toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1.866.710.0294.

The Chicago Office of Tourism (@explorechicago) provides a seven-day-a-week Twitter Concierge Service offering advice and suggestions about the city. Visitor service representatives answer questions and provide information with a focus on free and discounted events and activities in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

For more information about Green Chicago, including planning an eco-friendly trip to the city, visit http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/about_the_city/green_chicago.html.