Press Releases News
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
CHICAGO (March 11, 2011) – Gas prices are rising again and putting the squeeze on families that may already be struggling with unemployment and making their mortgage or rent payments. The Wall Street Journal had a good article last week about what the current situation means for people on the ground in a suburb of Miami, Florida. Here in Chicago, gas prices have already reached $4/gallon in at least one location, and the national average for a gallon of gas has jumped 33 cents in the past two weeks.
What can Chicagoans do to protect themselves from getting hit hard by rising gas prices? The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has a few suggestions:
1—Park your car and take public transportation using pre-tax transit benefits. Public transit is almost always more economical than driving, and transit obviously helps you avoid the impacts of rising gas prices altogether. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that Chicago commuters can save nearly $12,000 a year taking transit, assuming gas costs $3.47/gallon. Pre-tax transit benefits make transit even more affordable than it already is. The program allows people to purchase transit fares before their income is taxed, reducing the overall cut Uncle Sam takes from their paycheck.
The program is run through employers, so if your company doesn’t already offer a pre-tax transit benefit program, send your boss or HR person to this site: http://lesstaxingcommute.com. For a short time, Cook County employers can receive up to $1,700 by enrolling employees in the program.
2—Sign up for I-GO Car Sharing. Americans spend an annual average of $7,319 to own, operate, and maintain their cars, according to AAA. A typical I-GO member spends only about $2,520 per year on transportation. I-GO has more than 200 cars in 35 neighborhoods throughout the city and four suburbs that can get you where you need to go without worrying about gas prices. Members pay for cars by the hour (about $8.50), and gas is included in the hourly fee (as is insurance), so no need to worry about its price. Our cars are gas sippers, and later this year we’ll add 30+ electric cars to our fleet that don’t use gasoline at all. We have partnered with the city to offer joint CTA/I-GO smart cards to make transit and car sharing more convenient; one card does it all.
3—Moving soon? Use Abogo to find a new neighborhood with low transportation costs. Location matters when it comes to how much a household pays to get around. CNT’s Abogo – a mash up of “abode” and “to go”— calculates the average transportation costs of a given location. Type in an address and Abogo will reveal the area’s average cost of auto ownership, auto usage and transit use. A car-dependent, high transportation cost neighborhood will leave you vulnerable as gas prices continue to rise. A transit-rich, walkable neighborhood will have a lower average monthly cost and keep it that way as gas prices creep upward because residents don’t need cars to get to work and everywhere else.
To speak with CNT experts about ways to avoid the pain of rising gas prices, contact Emily Robinson at erobinson@cnt.org or 773.269.4043.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
New program offers incentives as gas prices continue to soar
CHICAGO (March 9, 2011) – The newly launched Transit Ridership Improvement Program (TRIP) will provide up to $1,700 to Cook County businesses that enroll employees in a pre-tax transit benefit program. Commuters can save between 30 percent and 40 percent on their commuting costs by purchasing transit fares before taxes. The incentive program has $250,000 made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and the limited funds will be disbursed to employers on a first come, first served basis.
“With the rising cost of gas, public transportation is the most common-sense approach today. This latest initiative makes it easier and even more cost-effective to travel by bus or train,” said Joe Costello, Regional Transportation Authority Executive Director. “Not to mention, by taking public transportation, you’re contributing greatly to the reduction of pollutants and highway congestion, as well as showing a commitment to the sustainability of our environment.”
Employees typically earn their income, are taxed, and then purchase transit to get to work. Those enrolled in a pre-tax transit benefit program can purchase transit fare before being taxed, which lowers the amount of their taxable income. The transit program is not unlike making contributions to a 401(k) retirement plan. Depending on their transit costs and tax bracket, employees can lower their tax burden by hundreds of dollars per year.
In addition to saving people money, the program encourages people to commute via mass transit, which is typically cheaper and less polluting than driving. According to the American Public Transportation Association, Chicago transit riders can save an average of $11,889 annually by using public transit instead of driving, based on the current national average of $3.47 per gallon of gas. Fares for the CTA, Metra, Pace, Amtrak, and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District are eligible for pre-tax purchase.
Pre-tax transit programs also benefit employers. Participating businesses reduce their payroll taxes by simply making the program available to employees. And, by enrolling in TRIP, employers will receive direct payouts that can total $1,700. Participating employers will receive:
- $10 per month ($30 for a three-month enrollment period) for each new employee (up to 50) who uses pre-tax transit benefits, totaling $1,500.
- An additional $200 when they introduce a pre-tax transit benefit program for the first time and enroll five or more employees.
“Pre-tax transit programs are a major benefit to employers and employees alike,” said Jerry Roper, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “Transit is one of our competitive edges here in Chicago because it allows us to move one million people to and from work efficiently. Tax-free transit encourages increased ridership, and today more than ever, transit is important to keeping our economy moving.”
Funding for TRIP is made possible by ARRA through its Energy Efficiency and Community Block Grant program. The Cook County Department of Environmental Control is administering the program in coordination with the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and the Regional Transportation Authority.
“We’ve just experienced the fastest ever two-week increase in gas prices at a time when households are struggling to make ends meet,” said Jacky Grimshaw, CNT’s Vice President of Policy. “Families are pinching pennies wherever they can, and signing up for pre-tax transit benefits is a winner for commuters, it’s a winner for employers, and it’s a winner for the environment.”
To learn more about this incentive program, visit www.lesstaxingcommute.com or contact Emily Robinson at 773.269.4043 or erobinson@cnt.org.
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Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
NRDC’s Smarter Cities Project Reveals How Cities Across the U.S. are Raising the Bar for Affordable and Accessible Public Transit
New York (February 23, 2011) – Today NRDC’s Smarter Cities project released a transportation study identifying 15 metropolitan regions with the nation’s leading transportation policies and practices. The study, created in collaboration with the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), compares and profiles U.S. regions based on public transit availability, use and cost; household automobile ownership and use; and innovative, sustainable transportation programs.
“Innovative transit policies not only benefit the environment, but they also add richness to urban life by making city attractions and neighborhoods more accessible,” said Paul McRandle, Senior Editor of NRDC’s Smarter Cities Project. “By enhancing regional transportation programs we can improve our quality of life, boost our local economies, reduce air pollution and even benefit public health by making biking and walking safer and more enjoyable for commuters.”
The 15 metro regions identified as ‘Smarter Cities’ for transportation include:
- Seven large regions (> 1 million people): Boston; Chicago; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon; New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.
- Four medium regions (250,000-1 million people): Boulder-Longmont, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; Jersey City, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut.
- Four small regions (< 250,000 people): Champaign-Urbana, Illinois; Bremerton, Washington; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Yolo, California.
The transportation study is the second to be released by NRDC’s Smarter Cities project, which aims to inspire cities, municipalities and regions nationwide by recognizing and profiling what leading metropolitan regions are doing to make themselves more efficient, sustainable, and livable. The data underlying the 15 cities’ transportation profiles was drawn from the U.S. Census and CNT’s H+T® Affordability Index (http://htaindex.org/) that quantifies household transportation costs by location.
“By and large, ‘location efficient’ places – with essential services that are nearby or accessible by many transportation modes – lower transportation costs for residents,” said Scott Bernstein, president of CNT. “Cities and regions that foster compact, walkable, transit-rich communities can reduce reliance on automobiles and help lower at least one expense for households struggling to get by in the current economy.”
Highlights from the study include:
- About 98 percent of Jersey City, New Jersey residents live within a half mile of public transit access; only 60 percent own or have access to a car.
- In downtown Boston, around 65 percent of trips during peak hours are non-motorized due in large part to the city’s Complete Streets initiative, launched in 2009, to create streets that integrate pedestrians, cyclists and public transit with motorists.
- Philadelphia has selectively expanded the city’s public transit system in certain neighborhoods to increase residents’ access to fresh food.
- Boulder, Colorado, has built paved pathways along Boulder Creek that allow walkers and bikers to travel up to 52 miles without ever having to cross traffic.
- Washington, D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare program has made more than 1,100 bikes available for pick up at solar-powered docking stations throughout the city and Arlington County.
The full study, with individual city profiles, can be found at: http://smartercities.nrdc.org/topic/transportation/americas-smartest-regions-transportation
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ABOUT
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org
Smarter Cities, an NRDC project, aims to be an online resource for and about cities striving to make themselves “smarter” – more efficient, sustainable, equitable and livable. We provide for all those with a stake in their city’s future—from students to policy makers and city planners, from business leaders to community groups and urban dwellers—in depth analyses of what leader cities are doing, as well as extensive toolkits to the best practices, model policies and programs, incentives and innovations that they are piloting.
Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on climate, energy, natural resources, transportation, and community development. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
Statement by CNT President Scott Bernstein
CHICAGO (February 17, 2011)—This week President Barack Obama proposed a transportation budget to guide the nation’s public investments for the next six years. The budget announcement coincided with the release of a new poll from the Rockefeller Foundation examining American sentiment toward transportation infrastructure investment. The Administration budget closely aligns with public opinion, proposing meaningful reform and sound investment. As our public discourse focuses on reining in the deficit, it is also important that we get serious about finding ways to improve the transportation infrastructure that is essential to household, community and national economic security.
The Rockefeller Foundation poll found that 66 percent of voters said that ‘improving the country’s transportation infrastructure is either extremely or very important.’ Eighty percent of those polled agreed that federal funding to improve and modernize transportation ‘will boost local economies and create millions of jobs from construction to manufacturing to engineering.’ Meanwhile, 64 percent said that ‘how the government currently spends money on building and maintaining our transportation infrastructure is inefficient and unwise.’
The lessons in the polling are straightforward: people believe in good investment, and they are willing to back up that belief with their tax dollars, so long as they feel transportation investments are made based on facts rather than politics. Pres. Obama’s federal transportation budget hews to the sentiment revealed in the poll; it combines common sense reforms with the transformative investments necessary to keep America globally competitive and economically secure.
It’s about time. For more than 30 years the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has championed improved economic and environmental viability for communities by tapping into their existing assets, from showing Rust Belt cities how their freight and passenger rail can revitalize their economies to quantifying the best urban infill development opportunities around existing transit stations to connect people with jobs and amenities at lower cost. As transportation advocates—and taxpayers—we’re particularly encouraged by the themes laid out in the president’s ambitious $556 billion plan, which include:
Making performance count—The budget calls for tightening the screening criteria for choosing worthy state, regional and local government projects so outcomes result in transportation networks that are effective, reliable and affordable. By dedicating funds to a new competitive leadership fund and a National Infrastructure Bank, the budget proposal would marry the best of sound policy and rigorous marketplace underwriting.
Making place matter—The Obama Administration budget proposal strengthens support for the interagency sustainability partnership between the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, the Dept. of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that is committed to innovative place-based strategies. The partnership essentially tears down silos and provides a vision at the federal level and then gives local and regional entities leeway in proposing projects that compete nationally for federal funding. The federal transportation budget aligns with this thinking by strengthening local and regional planning functions since those on the ground know their needs best and have always been the true implementers of federal policy.
Leveraging scarce resources—Of the $1.5 trillion that the Eno Transportation Foundation estimates is spent annually in the United States on all forms of transportation, a mere 12 percent comes from federal, state and local government in roughly equal thirds. That means the federal contribution to transportation is just 4 percent of the total. The federal Highway Trust Fund, the primary source of federal transit and surface transportation dollars, is a scarce resource. The Obama budget proposal would promote the idea of ‘fix it first,”’ improving and upgrading existing infrastructure before building new, which is a common sense approach. The budget would also offer incentives for accelerating investments that deliver economic progress on-time and under budget.
Getting real about transportation costs for people—The experience of the past three or four years—from the 2008 spike in gas prices to the economic implosion caused by the housing bubble—has uncovered how much of the population is hanging by a thread. While the gas price increases from 2000 to 2008 and the 2008 price spike didn’t cause the economic crisis, our research suggests that communities with more transportation options, whether in the form of mass transit systems or simply more accessibility between people and what they do, are less financially vulnerable.
Based on an analysis of numerous metro areas using the Housing + Transportation® Affordability Index (htaindex.cnt.org), households living in location-inefficient communities saw an increase of up to 10 percent in transportation costs from 2000 to 2008, while those living in efficient places with transportation choice experienced a 2 percent increase over the same period. Making investments that create a world class transportation system can increase transportation affordability and reduce expenses for households, create jobs, and help businesses improve the movement of goods while lowering costs.
Making smart choices—The proposed budget reforms are informed by transportation projects funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). An analysis by Smart Growth America, U.S. PIRG and CNT found that states and regions that used ARRA money for transit projects created or supported twice as many jobs per dollar as did major highway projects. Given those results, it makes sense that the budget would double funding for transit improvements over previous budgets.
President Obama’s budget is positioning the federal government as the visionary of the transportation infrastructure modernization for the nation while relying on local and regional governments to generate the location-specific transportation solutions that will help communities become more economically and environmentally resilient.
The president is following the path of other presidents—Republican and Democrat—who have pushed the public to support critical investments that make the nation stronger and a world leader in innovation. In introducing the Defense Highway Act, Pres. Dwight Eisenhower stated that ‘our very mission is in our name—we are a United States of America, and without that we’d be merely a collection of separate parts.’ Roughly 100 years prior, Pres. Abraham Lincoln found creative ways to partner with states, municipal governments and investors to build a transcontinental railway.
Ninety-one percent of those polled by the Rockefeller Foundation believe that ‘our generation has a responsibility to the future to invest in America’s infrastructure—just as our parents and grandparents did.’ CNT also agrees with that statement, and we support the president’s transportation investment proposal. Investing in America’s infrastructure will bring home the benefits of sustainable transportation and build our local economies. The ideas and the public support are there. Now our federal leaders need to work together to make it happen.
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Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on climate, energy, natural resources, transportation, and community development. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Monday, January 24th, 2011
Washington, DC (January 24, 2011)—Eighteen carsharing organizations from around the world have announced formation of an association that sets the ethical, social and environmental bar for the car sharing industry. The driving principles of the new CarSharing Association (CSA) focus on environmental and social impact and responsibility, education, research and ethical practices (www.carsharing.org).
The goals of carsharing organizations in CSA include reducing the number of cars on the road, relieving congestion and increasing transportation options. Unlike “cars on demand” services, member carsharing organizations are “transit-oriented” services, encouraging carsharing as part of a sustainable transportation network of choices that includes walking, cycling, and transit.
“We view our carsharing programs as a form of transit, getting people to the last leg of their destination,” said Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-GO Car Sharing, based in Chicago. “I-GO and other members of the Association provide an important public service that enhances mobility options while creating sustainable communities.”
The Association’s member organizations span from Sydney to Halifax to Minneapolis to Sao Paolo and represent approximately 100,000 members across the globe. CSA members include innovators of carsharing in North America, the oldest of which has been operating since 1994. Unlike traditional car rental, carsharers use vehicles by the hour at a cost that includes gas, insurance, parking and maintenance. The CSA encourages closer integration of shared services among member organizations, including roaming memberships, supporting sustainable transportation and facilitating research.
“Carsharing is a reliable and flexible alternative to car ownership,” states the CSA’s founding document, “Its mission, vision and values lead to actions aimed at decreasing individual car ownership, reducing vehicle distance traveled, improving urban land use and development, and providing affordable access to vehicles for all constituencies – including those less able to afford car ownership.”
CSA members have created and agree to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for carsharing. Key themes include upholding the association’s social and environmental commitment, establishing and maintaining standards for the industry, quality of service to members and stakeholders, and vital public education and research.
Founding members of the Car Sharing Association are:
Ashland CarShare (Ashland) Media contact: Becky Brown ashlandcarshare@gmail.com
AutoShare (Toronto) Media contact: Kevin McLaughlin kevin@autoshare.com
Buffalo CarShare (Buffalo) Media contact: Creighton Randall c.randall@buffalocarshare.org
The Car Co-op & The Company Car (Metro Vancouver) Media contact: Tanya Paz tanya@car.coop
CarShare Vermont (Burlington) Media contact: Candy Page cpage@burlingtonfreepress.com
CarShareHFX (Halifax) Media contact: Pam Cooley pmcooley@carsharehfx.ca
City CarShare (San Francisco) Media contact: Anita Daley adaley@citycarshare.org
CityWheels (Cleveland) Media contact: Ryan McKenzie ryan@mycitywheels.com
Communauto (Montreal) Media contact: Marco Viviani mviviani@communauto.ca
Community Car (Madison) Media contact: John Ribolzi john.ribolzi@communitycar.com
eGo CarShare (Denver and Boulder) Media contact: Karen Worminghaus karen@carshare.org
Goget (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane) Media contact: Bruce Jeffreys bruce@goget.com.au
HOURCAR (Minneapolis/Saint Paul) Media contact: Christopher Bineham christopherb@thenec.org
I-GO Car Sharing (Chicago) Media contact: Sharon Feigon sharon@igocars.org
Ithaca Carshare (Ithaca) Media contact: Jennifer Dotson jennifer@ithacacarshare.org
PhillyCarShare (Philadelphia) Media contact: Judith Harvey judith@phillycarshare.org
VRTUCAR (Ottawa) Media contact: Wilson Wood woodw@vrtcar.com
Zazcar (Sao Paolo) Media contact: Felipe Barroso contato@zazcar.com.br
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CONTACT:
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
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Friday, January 21st, 2011
CHICAGO (January 21, 2011)— Quantifying the economic value of green infrastructure’s benefits is the key to helping municipalities adopt this innovative and cost-effective stormwater management approach, according to a new report by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and American Rivers. “The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits” is a broad analysis that is the first to place an economic value on the numerous benefits provided by green infrastructure.
Download the guide at http://www.cnt.org/repository/gi-values-guide.pdf.
The guide fills an information gap that has hampered widespread deployment of green infrastructure—the practice of managing stormwater with natural systems. “The Value of Green Infrastructure” brings together current research on green infrastructure performance and presents methods for calculating related benefits in water management, energy, air quality, climate, and community livability.
“When you can assign economic value to the wide array of green infrastructure benefits, planners, builders, and city officials can accurately evaluate the advantages of these approaches for managing stormwater in their communities,” said Danielle Gallet, infrastructure strategist at CNT and one of the principal authors of the guide. “Establishing a framework for calculating the benefits of green infrastructure is a first, key step to making it a mainstream practice.”
Green infrastructure is a network of decentralized stormwater management practices—such as green roofs, trees, rain gardens and permeable pavement—that can capture and infiltrate rain where it falls, reducing stormwater runoff and improving the health of surrounding waterways. The practices provide multiple environmental, economic and social benefits, including, but not limited to:
- Less polluted stormwater runoff
- Improved air quality
- Energy savings
- Increased property values, and
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
“This guide helps quantify the multiple energy, economic and environmental dividends we’re seeing in Portland with our own sustainable stormwater efforts,” said Mike Rosen, Watershed Division Manager of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services. ”Every planner, stormwater manager or developer who’s deciding how to invest their water infrastructure dollars for the next 20 years should read this informative, thought-provoking handbook.”
Municipalities have often struggled to quantify green infrastructure’s monetary benefits. However, any cost-benefit analysis comparing grey infrastructure with green infrastructure is incomplete if it
fails to factor in the multiple benefits that only green infrastructure uniquely delivers. These benefits are above and beyond the basic stormwater control benefits, which are assumed to be equal to a similar investment in grey infrastructure.
The values presented in this guide are not the final word. More research is needed to put more accurate dollar figures on the full range of green infrastructure’s benefits. Based on existing research data, many of the estimates in this guide likely undervalue the true worth of green infrastructure benefits, but it is an important first step in the right direction.
“Living green infrastructure has just taken a giant leap forward with the publication of this practical, user-friendly guide that will help policy makers, designers, manufacturers and installers evaluate the many benefits of these important and too often undervalued technologies,” said Steven W. Peck, the founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
Aurora, Illinois is an example of a municipality that understands the many benefits conferred by green infrastructure. In 2009, the city installed permeable pavers, bioswales and infiltration trenches at its new police headquarters, managing the runoff from the property and from adjacent uphill land. The features minimize the discharge of water and pollutants to nearby Indian Creek and eliminate the persistent basement flooding in nearby homes. The guide’s aim is to make Aurora’s efforts standard practice across the nation.
“When you do the math, the benefits of green infrastructure really add up,” said Betsy Otto, Vice President for Conservation and Strategic Partnerships at American Rivers, a funder of the project. “This guide will help communities decide where, when, and to what extent green infrastructure practices should be incorporated into their planning, development and redevelopment activities.”
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CONTACT:
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
Will Hewes, American Rivers, whewes@americanrivers.org, 202-347-7550
American Rivers is the leading conservation organization fighting for healthy rivers so communities can thrive. American Rivers protects and restores the nation’s rivers and the clean water that sustains people, wildlife and nature. Founded in 1973, American Rivers has more than 65,000 members and supporters, with offices in Washington, DC and nationwide. Visit www.AmericanRivers.org.
Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on climate, energy, natural resources, transportation, and community development. CNT is one of eight nonprofits selected from around the world to be recognized by a 2009 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
Questionnaire Responses Show All Candidates Support “Green Growth Platform” of Leading Chicago Environmental Groups
Chicago – All of Chicago’s mayoral candidates committed to improving Chicago’s environment through their responses to the Green Growth Platform issued by the City’s leading environmental and conservation groups. The candidates’ responses are online at: www.mayoralgreenplatform.org.
All of the mayoral candidates have said they will increase renewable energy and make city buildings more energy efficient, increase CTA funding, expand recycling citywide, disinfect sewage pumped into the Chicago River, and add parkland.
The Green Growth Platform asked candidates to answer 20 questions focused on: developing clean energy and cleaning up old highly-polluting coal plants, improving recycling citywide, conserving water, protecting Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, promoting clean transportation and better mobility, creating more parks and open space.
The Green Growth Platform was created by a coalition of 17 environmental, conservation and civic organizations, including: Active Transportation Alliance, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Blacks in Green, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago Recycling Coalition, Citizen Action/Illinois, Environment Illinois, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Friends of the Chicago River, Friends of the Forest Preserves, Friends of the Parks, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Metropolitan Planning Council, Nuclear Energy Information Services, Openlands, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and Sierra Club/Illinois Chapter. The groups will work to educate candidates on the issues and share the candidates’ responses with the public.
“Actions to make Chicago a leading ‘Green City’ attract jobs, people and businesses, and make our great city an even better and healthier place to live. All of the mayoral candidates clearly recognize that making Chicago a greener city is important to Chicagoans and voters,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We look forward to working with the next mayor to move the Green Growth Platform forward.”
“Chicago’s longest border is uniquely defined by the world’s largest surface source of fresh water,” said Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes. “While the next mayor of Chicago will not have to solve Great Lakes problems on his or her own, Chicago’s continuing leadership is absolutely essential to protect the lakes for all generations.”
“We look forward to continuing to work with all of the mayoral candidates so that they embrace transportation policies and investments that connect people and goods to their destinations, generate economic development, encourage healthy lifestyles, and reduce Chicago’s carbon footprint,” said MarySue Barrett, president, Metropolitan Planning Council. “And we encourage Chicagoans to consider the candidates’ responses to the Green Growth Platform as part of the information that helps them to make their voting decisions.”
“Cleaner air will mean healthier Chicago residents,” said Joel J. Africk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. “Whichever candidate wins will need to finish the job of cleaning up the two dirty coal power plants as well as the older diesel buses and trucks that pollute the air we all breathe.”
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Contact: Peter Gray, ELPC, (312) 795-3715
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Thursday, January 13th, 2011
NEW YORK (January 13, 2011)—The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) presented its innovative web service, Abogo, earlier today at the Inman Real Estate Connect conference session on “the coolest new real estate apps” for 2011.
Abogo (abogo.cnt.org), a combination of the words “abode” and “go,” is a web tool based on the idea that housing location and transportation costs are interrelated. Abogo helps people consider both together by allowing users to type in an address and calculate the transportation costs for a typical family. Transportation costs include car ownership, gas and transit expenses.
“Housing and transportation are a household’s two biggest costs, but people don’t think about the transportation implications of the home they choose,” said CNT Social Ventures Associate Adam Mays. “Abogo helps people make a better decision about where to live by revealing the cost of transportation at a given location. Our new Abogo app allows people to learn the transportation costs of a house as they’re walking through it.”
Abogo uses data and calculations from CNT‘s Housing + Transportation (H+T®) Affordability Index (htaindex.cnt.org), the nation’s most comprehensive assessment of household transportation costs by location. The H+T Index presents housing and transportation cost data as maps, charts and statistics for neighborhoods in 337 metro areas, enabling users to compare the relative costs of communities within a region. Importantly, the H+T Index quantifies how choosing to live in walkable, transit-connected neighborhood can lower household expenses and one’s impact on the environment.
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CONTACT:Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
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Monday, December 13th, 2010
CHICAGO (December 13, 2010)—A set of 22 policy recommendations released today make a case for how Chicago’s next leaders can apply sustainable development principles to strengthen the city’s economy. The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s “Investing in a Better Chicago” argues that investing in strategies that make the city more sustainable will also make the economy more productive and resilient. The CNT report calls for increased energy conservation, improved transportation options, prioritized development around transit nodes, and wide deployment of green infrastructure. All would save money, create jobs, conserve resources, and combat climate change.
“Sustainable development is economic development,” said Kathryn Tholin, CEO of CNT. “Now more than ever, Chicago needs leaders who champion policies that create jobs, increase residents’ incomes, are fiscally responsible, and protect the environment. Implementing these sustainability recommendations will help Chicago emerge from the current recession as home to the nation’s most productive place to live and work.”
Chicago has a reputation as a sustainable city, but it has unrealized potential when it comes to increasing the productivity of its urban economy. Realizing that potential requires investing in the assets that will make business, households and government run more cheaply and efficiently in the long term. Meanwhile, expensive inefficiencies force people to pay too much to conduct business and live their lives. The city’s future leaders can do their part to support Chicago’s long-term productivity by making sustainable development the guiding ethos of public decision making. CNT mailed each mayoral and aldermanic candidate a copy of its recommendations last week.
“The efficient use of resources is a basic tenet of good business, and it also applies to urban areas,” said Scott Bernstein, president of CNT. “That simple concept has driven CNT’s work for 32 years. We are committed to working with the city’s next leaders to help Chicago reach its full potential.”
“Investing in a Better Chicago” has four key strategies that call on the next mayor and City Council to:
- Ramp up energy conservation with efficiency retrofits of the city’s buildings and other cost- and energy-saving measures.
- Improve transportation alternatives, encourage development around transit, and champion Chicago’s rail assets so people and products can travel affordably.
- Strengthen benchmarks and incentives to encourage value-enhancing green infrastructure to manage stormwater and avoid costly flooding to private property.
- Reduce climate change emissions by pursuing the above strategies and implementing low-carbon, low-cost goals for municipal operations.
“Chicago is at risk of falling behind other regions and cities unless it takes additional steps to improve its productivity as an urban area,” said Jacky Grimshaw, CNT vice-president of policy. “By investing rather than spending, Chicago’s new leaders can position us to be the most productive, competitive, environmentally conscientious, livable and profitable city in America in the 21st century.”
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CONTACT:
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
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Monday, October 25th, 2010
October 25, 2010 (Chicago IL) – The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s My HomeEQ project was one of nine projects selected to receive funding through the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s national competition soliciting ideas for scalable approaches to spurring energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings in the United States. Launched in April 2010, the selection process was highly competitive, with 372 pre-proposals submitted by organizations in 44 states. The process included review by a panel of experts in real estate, finance, construction, efficiency technologies and government policies. More information on the competition can be found at www.ddcf.org/retrofits.
CNT will refine and launch the online MyHomeEQ tool for homeowners interested in how to retrofit their homes for greater energy efficiency. The tool will calculate and display a home’s actual energy use, allow for comparison with similar homes based on location and type of house, provide customized recommendations for energy efficiency improvements, and offer information about local contractors and financing opportunities.
“MyHomeEQ will make it easy for homeowners to make energy improvements to their homes and, ultimately, to enable the real estate marketplace to value the improvements,” said Anne Evens, director of CNT Energy, a division of CNT.
The MyHomeEQ project will focus on the Chicago area for the initial roll-out and will develop a business plan for how to expand to other metropolitan areas.
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For more information contact:
Stephanie Folk, CNT Energy
Phone: (773) 269-4085
E-mail: sfolk@cntenergy.org
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