Chicago is starting to be known as one of the greenest cities in the nation. And of course, people recognize the city for the Sears Tower. The tallest building in North America and the city’s green initiatives might be joining forces.
One Chicago blogger wrote on Nov. 8:
The tallest building in North America is officially going green, along with a few of its Windy City counterparts. At a green building expo in Chicago yesterday, former President Bill Clinton and eterna-Mayor Richard Daley announced a partnership to retrofit landmarks including the Sears Tower and the Merchandise Mart, the nation’s largest commercial center. Using features like wind turbines and green roofs, the endeavor will seek to save energy, fight climate change, and — perhaps most important — show other communities and countries around the world that environment and economy do mix. Green building and other climate fixes represent “a staggering economic opportunity,” Clinton said. “I think this is the greatest opportunity our country has had to generate prosperity since we mobilized for World War I.” Daley, who first took office in 1914, nodded sagely.
December 08 2007 | Green Places and Green Leaders and Green Events and Green Energy | No Comments »
Chicago Biofuels is offering a unique stocking stuffer - renewable energy. Well, not really…but you can buy eco-friendly gifts from their Web site.
Check out the new merchandise page online to see their t-shirts and bumper stickers. The t-shirts are 100% US made organic cotton that’s locally hand silk-screened with non-toxic inks and the stickers are the perfect stocking stuffer for all your bio-buddies.
There are other ways to support Chicago Biofuels in your holiday giving…consider making a donation in someone’s name…and nothing says I love you (and the earth) like a gift membership. Remember to order early to be sure your gift arrives in time for whichever holiday you choose to celebrate this season (they suggest ordering by Dec. 14th if said holiday involves a fat man in a red suit).
December 06 2007 | Green Lifestyle and Green Energy | No Comments »
Energy saving is all the buzz this season. And just about every company has their own set of rules and suggestions for conserving.
Direct Energy, one of the largest North American providers of energy and energy-related services, is offering consumers tips on trimming their holiday energy usage, which can spike significantly during this festive time of year.
Direct Energy is recommending these measures to reduce usage and maximize efficiency during the holidays:
– Turn down the heat a few degrees. Doing so could save 10 percent on
heating bills. Reducing the heat before guests arrive makes sense, too,
because all their extra body heat will soon warm up the room.
— Dim the lights and have memorable holiday meals by candlelight. You
could even “go organic” and try soy candles.
— Decorate using LED bulbs, which have a rated life of 50,000 hours,
representing nearly 20 years of normal usage. That’s a bargain,
especially when compared with incandescent lights, which last just 600
to 1,000 hours.
— Wrap gifts with conservation in mind. If everyone wrapped just three
gifts in reused paper or fabric gift bags, it would save enough paper
to cover 45,000 ice hockey rinks.
— Don’t open the oven door to peek at what’s cooking. It can lower oven
temperatures as much as 25 degrees, which increases cooking time and
gobbles energy. Use the oven light and window instead.
— Remember your other cooking appliances when preparing a holiday meal.
Great for cooking or for heating up holiday dinner leftovers,
microwaves use about 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens.
— Use your dishwasher for cleanup. A dishwasher requires 37 percent less
water than washing dishes by hand.
— Buy miniature decorative lights, which use about 70 percent less energy
and last much longer than bigger bulbs. Connect them to an automatic
timer to reduce the chance of leaving your holiday lights burning all
night or while you’re away.
November 28 2007 | Green Lifestyle and Green Energy | No Comments »
The Field Museum unveiled its Renewable Energy Vehicle Program Wednesday, Oct. 17. at Gurdon S. Hubbard High School for 30 freshman and sophomore high school students. The eco-friendly van, which resembles the magic school bus come to life, is powered by vegetable oil and carries a solar-powered laptop and iPod docking station, as well as a veggie-fueled go-kart. The van will be used as a school on wheels throughout Chicagoland to teach two major topics: alternative fuel choices and alternative energy.
October 17 2007 | Green Energy | No Comments »
Energy efficiency is a hot topic among environmentalists, politicians and the general public.
The CasEnergy Coalition and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce hosted former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman at a luncheon and discussion of nuclear power today at the Hyatt Regency. Gov. Whitman urged the audience to bring energy to the forefront of discussion and to make decisions about the matter based on facts rather than emotions. She readily admitted that a single solution doesn’t exist for the nation’s energy problems, but encouraged Americans to find a way to meet their energy demands without depleting the environment.
An article in Business Week illustrates her case for nuclear energy.
October 12 2007 | Green Energy | No Comments »
