CNT Update, June 2007
CNT Update, June 2007
Sustainability News
Gas Prices Don’t Have to Bring You Down
More than Ever, RTA’s Viability Crucial
Rain Barrels Roll into Chicago
CNT News
CNT and Clinton Foundation Partner on Greenhouse Gas Measurements for Cities
Al Raby Goes Green
Leaders Unite to Preserve the Chicago Region’s Affordable Rental Housing
Staff Hellos and Goodbyes
CNT Tools
CNT In the News
Event Spotlight: “Invest as Mother Nature Intended” Workshop
Job Openings
Local Events
Chicago Green Drinks
CTA Board Hearings
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Sustainability News
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Gas Prices Don’t Have to Bring You Down
The summer tradition of record-breaking, inflated gas prices is again consuming the media and public. What about that summer road trip? Will individuals trade their SUV’s for smaller, more efficient compact cars? But an increasing amount of people have figured out how to avoid the seemingly inevitable problem altogether. It’s simple. Ride your bike to work. Use an I-GO car for that trip to the grocery store. Walk your dog to the park. Take the train to your friends out in the suburbs.
All these options reduce your dependency on oil, and can help you stay fit and healthy. Avid bicyclists and transit users have figured out these benefits long ago, but as gas prices are squeezing out more and more individuals who cannot afford the escalating prices, they are turning to options they may have not considered otherwise.
Which is great news for the environment and the individual health. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune recently ran an article about this phenomenon. As car dealers and users fret over high gas prices, transit agencies and bike shops revel in the increased dependence to their industry.
Moving toward sustainable methods of mobility like biking and walking help ensure one doesn’t have to decide between paying for food and paying for gas.
More than Ever, RTA’s Viability Crucial
If the previous post is any indication, the sustainability of public transportation is now more important than ever. But instead of service expansion and maintenance increasing to accommodate a larger demand of users as a result of the high prices of owning and operating a car, the lack of funding ensures that potential new customers will not become loyal users on account of unreliable service and poor infrastructure.
As the Illinois General Assembly regular session just came to a close, with it came progress but no relief for the RTA or any the three service boards. SB 572 (incorporating HB 1841) was passed by the House Mass Transit Committee, but has not yet been called for a vote before the full House.
Senate Bill 572 seeks to address the funding shortfall for operations at all three Service Boards – CTA, Metra and Pace – and to provide additional support for transportation needs in the collar counties. For more information, see Julie Hamos’ website, Chairwoman of the House Mass Transit Committee.
We must continue to communicate with our state legislators and the Governor to tell them that they can not adjourn this legislative session without reforming and funding the RTA. Please continue to contact your legislator to let them know that transit must be a priority this year! For talking points, a map of your area, and the average transportation cost in your legislative district, please refer to the Transit Future website: www.transitfuture.org.
Also, read a great article by the Chicago Tribune’s John McCarron about the most recent, and un-groundbreaking, Illinois General Assembly session.
Rain Barrels Roll into Chicago
As part of Chicago’s increasing commitment to manage its stormwater responsibly, it has rolled out its summer rain barrel program again this summer. The region may be home to one of the largest freshwater sources in the world, but that is even more reason to conserve it and manage it wisely. Chicago alone uses over 580 million gallons of freshwater a day, and things like watering plants and other outdoor uses take up large amounts of water.
Rain barrels redirect water from rooftops through disconnected downspouts–whereas connected downspouts channel stormwater directly to the sewer system, picking up sediment and pollutants along the way, essentially ending up in the Chicago River. Rain barrels help conserve water and keep polluted water out our waterways.
The city’s rain barrel program is an important tool of the recently adopted stormwater management ordinance, which seeks to use Green Infrastructure as best practices for managing stormwater in a productive and sustainable way. CNT and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District recently held a meeting to discuss implementing more green solutions. For more information on CNT’s Green Infrastructure projects, see http://greenvalues.cnt.org/
For more information on how to get your own rain barrel, see here.
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CNT News
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CNT and Clinton Foundation Partner on Greenhouse Gas Measurements for Cities
U.S. cities are becoming serious about mitigating global warming and now have a major foundation, a top global technology corporation, an international association of governments, and CNT working to help them measure their impacts. The Clinton Foundation and Microsoft recently announced its partnership with CNT and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability to develop a set of products designed to help cities track and reduce their carbon emissions.
The groups will develop a single Web solution to allow cities to clearly understand their environmental footprint. With this information, cities can make better choices as they aim to improve their energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The new online, Web-based software tools will be provided pro bono to cities, and will enable cities to work together to monitor their progress and share best practices.
From May 14 – May 17, leaders of municipal governments and international businesses from over thirty of the world largest cities convened in New York City for the second C40 Large Cities Climate Summit. Former President Bill Clinton officially announced the plans and CNT’s Climate Change Program Manager, Jen McGraw, was in attendance.
For more information, you can read the press release here.
Al Raby Goes Green
May has been a transformative month for the Al Raby High School for Community and Environment. A project to replace the unsightly concrete at the main entrance of the school with a beautiful native Illinois woodland garden blossomed into fruition with the garden installation.
Beginning in November 2006, CNT’s Natural Resources staff worked with the members of the school community, including AP Environmental Studies students, to develop a comprehensive design plan for the garden. The final design was chosen from a group of three designs at a community meeting.
Through generous donations from R&R Mulch and Soil and Christy Webber Landscapes, the school was able to use the garden project to create new open space and replace gray with green using fresh soil, as opposed to planting beds on top of the existing concrete. The large amount of work required to plant two 750 square foot garden areas in two days and would have overwhelmed the capacity of the school community. So with the combined efforts of the school, CNT, and the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment Greencorps job-training program, the garden installation was accomplished on May 23rd and 24th.
Together, the group planted five trees and 250 native Illinois plants. The installation also included recycling some of the broken pieces of concrete to create a stepping stone pathway that now winds through both sides of the garden. The final product is a beautiful native shade, or woodland, garden that has dramatically enhanced the aesthetic of the school.
The garden will be maintained by Al Raby students over the summer as part of the Clean and Green program. The school staff is continuing to work with advisors to devise an educational strategy for using the garden as a tool in their curriculum next year, and in the years following.
This project is funded with a grant from the Prince Charitable Trusts. For a fact sheet on the project, see here.
Leaders Unite to Preserve the Chicago Region’s Affordable Rental Housing
Affordable housing, especially in the Chicago region, is increasingly difficult to acquire and is a threat to the economic future of the region. Recently, area leaders in government, non-profit and the business sectors unveiled the Preservation Compact to reverse these dramatic losses in the affordable rental housing stock. Created in 2005, The Preservation Compact is a project of the Urban Land Institute and is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
The project is the nation’s most comprehensive approach to a problem that challenges communities everywhere-turning around the significant loss of rental housing that is affordable to moderate and low wage workers. A series of initiatives to save at least 75,000 existing homes in Cook County by the year 2020 is planned.
At the center of the program is a new Preservation Fund, an umbrella for a suite of financial products. The fund will provide acquisition and bridge financing to nonprofit and for-profit developers, making it possible for them to obtain as much as a half a million dollars to support the long-term preservation of rental housing in Cook County.
Equally important are a series of partnerships between local organizations, each charged with responsibility for solving a different aspect of the affordable rental housing problem. CNT is partnering with other organizations to work in the area of reducing operating costs in multifamily rental properties. The organizations have created Cook County Energy Savers, a one-stop energy efficiency program that will provide technical assistance and loans for energy-efficiency improvements.
More information on the Cook County Energy Savers program and CNT’s participation here. You can also read more about the strategy to preserve affordable housing in Cook County at the Urban Land Institute’s site here.
Staff Hellos and Goodbyes
Joe Grant, who started with CNT as an intern, is now on staff, splitting his time on new ventures and I-GO.
Lauren Hugel is I-GO’s newest staff member, assisting in the day-to-day operations.
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Jill Siegel did a great job organizing and managing CNT’s Grants and Publications and has moved to continue her consulting business. Annette Stahelin, CNT’s Development and Communications Assistant has been promoted to Development and Communications Associate.
Suzanne Carlson was at CNT and I-GO working on various projects, most recently on I-GO’s Emissions report and helping manage CNT’s various Climate projects. She has moved on to become the Environmental Program Manager at Chicago Public Schools, a new position for CPS.
Melissa Haeffner also had her hands in many different pots while at CNT, from Transportation and CTAQC projects to most recently as I-GO’s Sales and Marketing Associate, where she created I-GO’s first concert, the very successful Audio Emissions event.
Good luck in all that you do!
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Tools
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CNT in the News
CNT held it’s first-ever Tools Fair in May. And due to the great turnout and positive feedback, it will become an annual event. The Fair was a chance to come see CNT’s LEED-certified Platinum building, and learn more about the various tools that CNT developed over the years to make communities more livable and sustainable. Two tools in particular, the Housing + Transportation Affordability Index and Green Values Calculator, were showcased in workshops conducted throughout the event. Read the article the Chicago Journal ran prior to the event, and look for more Open Houses in the future.
Another successful event CNT held over the month of May was the I-GO Audio Emissions CD release party. The CD profiles local Chicago acts and will be available to listen to in every I-GO car. The concert featured some of the talented groups on the CD, along with delicious food by local restaurants and best of all, was carbon-neutral! With fun concerts at the Metro (and high gas prices), it’s no wonder car-sharing is exploding. Read a recent article from the Wicker Park Booster here.
The Housing + Transportation Affordability Index was featured at the recent Tools Fair, where participants were able to attend a workshop that explained the tool and its applicability in making the choice between location and transportation expenses more apparent. Soon the tool will be available on the CNT website for users to calculate their own costs. Read a recent profile by the Wicker Park Booster here.
CNT’s Scott Bernstein recently wrote an Op-Ed piece urging Illinois’ legislators to act on the immediate need to fund RTA. While is session, neither the Governor nor the legislative leadership has made funding a priority and without action, all Northeastern Illinois commuters (as well as non-commuters) will suffer. The piece was published in the Chicago Suntimes, the Daily Southtown and Crain’s Chicago Business. Read the Suntimes version here.
Event Spotlight: “Invest as Mother Nature Intended” workshop
Balance your need to invest in today’s world with your vision of a more sustainable tomorrow. Come to learn about the virtues & pitfalls of eco-friendly & social investments in this one hour workshop.
Financial Advisor, Paul Shuman, CPA, of Preferred Planning Concepts, will lead this free workshop, co-sponsored by CNT and I-GO. Come see CNT’s LEED-certified Platinum building while learning how to make your own socially-responsible investments.
The workshop is on Tuesday, June 12 at 6:30 at CNT’s office, 2125 W. North Ave., Chicago. For more information, contact annette@cnt.org
Job Openings
I-GO Marketing and Communications Manager
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Local Events
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Chicago Green Drinks: Putting our Best Watt Forward: The Great Renewables Debate
Come at 5:30-9:00pm for networking and a moderated discussion from 7:00-8:00pm. Location: Jefferson Tap & Grille, 325 N. Jefferson. The cost is $5 ($2 student/low income, or support Green Drinks with a “Friend of Foresight” donation of $20+).
Contact for more information: greendrinks@foresightdesign.org, (773) 271-1990. Panelists: TBA
CTA Board Hearings
During the month of June, there are a series of CTA Board hearings scheduled around Chicago, as well as an RTA Board hearing at the end of the month on proposals to reduce service and/or raise fares to bus routes and rail lines. CTA riders and the general public will have the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed plan at upcoming public hearings. Now is the time to be heard.
See the Transit Future calendar for dates and locations. http://transitfuture.cnt.org/calendar/
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You can support our efforts in building more sustainable urban communities by making a donation online by clicking the button below.
You can also support CNT as part of Earth Share of Illinois workplace campaigns. For more information about workplace giving, contact Nicole at nicoleg@cnt.org. Thank you for your generosity!
Questions about anything you’ve read or interested in learning more? Contact Annette at annette@cnt.org
