A Green Chicago

- Let’s turn to the subject of greening. Many people see the beautifying of Chicago’s streets as cute but frivolous. Is there an economic benefit to making Chicago green?

R.M.D.: Every time you plant a tree, it automatically cleans the air. Flowers and bushes clean the air. That has an influence on air qua-lity, on the health of the individual. Anytime you conserve water, the result is lower taxes, and the Great Lakes and their tributary water system are strengthened. Any time you clean up the land, it provides a health benefit. Any time you clean up a lake, a stream, or a river, it helps families with health issues. Every time you make a roof green, it causes it to absorb sunlight, water, and helps the environment. People talk a lot about global warming. Every time you recycle – prevent plastic, cans, bottles from going into dump sites, it saves money, it saves the environment. So greening is not all frivolous, it’s a quality of life issue. The problem of global warming should be treated seriously by individuals rather then relegated to international organizations.

 - Do you think that setting an example as the mayor of Chicago of a serious and progressive attitude towards ecology is a factor focusing people’s attention on that issue?

R.M.D.: I think so. But sometimes people are way ahead of the politicians, of the bureaucracy of local, state, and federal governments.

 - How would you explain the focus on sustainable growth in the city? Why invest in special run-offs from McCormick Place, turbines on top of the Daley Center, and tons and tons of mulch?

R.M.D.: At McCormick Place we get 55 million gallons of rain water a year. Rather than having that water go into the combined sewer system, it’s better to have it go directly into the lake. Why should we divert fresh rain water into sewage costing taxpayers’ money? Why not send it directly into the lake? That is cost-effective. The energy-producing turbines which will be mounted on top of the Daley Center will demonstrate for the first time that such a device can be mounted on top of a high-rise. You can’t always rely on oil, oil, and only oil; you have to look for alternative ways of producing energy. You have to deal with cost, which you have to cut down because it affects businesses and home owners.