Your turn to help me.
Next Wednesday I’ll spew roughly 786 lbs of carbon into the air by flying to Chicago for the BlogHer conference.
Despite the obvious ungreeness of this trip, I’m still psyched to check out enviro-related stuff in Chicago. Among other things, Fast Company’s named Chicago one of 4 cities that’re green leaders, on account of Chicago’s rooftop gardens.
So — I’m looking for recommendations! Already on the agenda:
* Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, a public art exhibition of 100 globes displayed along Chicago’s lakefront.
* Swim Cafe, for its fair trade coffee and miniature food.
What’s your fave Chicago spot?
It’s not necessarily green, but the Museum of Contemporary Art is a great place.
The Shedd Aquarium is definitely a great place. (Yes, it’s keeping animals in captivity. I believe that breeding programs are a necessary thing right now, and they certainly try to provide a very natural habitat. The whale tank is amazing…)
Comment by Robert 'Groby' Blum — July 17, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
I run the site http://girlsguidetocitylife.com/chicago/ and there’ a great, local travel writer writing on there. I’ve also asked the same question on http://hyggehouse.com/blog.
Comment by Alex — July 17, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
I used to live at LaSalle Drive and North Avenue in the city. The Art Institute is one of my fave places (and it’s free on Tuesdays). Pretty much anywhere along the lakefront is nice. Lincoln Park Zoo is another pleasant place to spend a day. Second City has cheap shows on, I think, Monday nights.
Comment by Don Hosek — July 17, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
Chicago is great! Enjoy your trip (you can buy carbon offsets to your flight at http://www.carbonfund.org/)
Up for a scavenger hunt? Try to locate a recycling bin within the city. I only found them in the suburbs during my Eco Road Trip (www.spacesecotrip.com).
Comment by Leslie — July 17, 2007 @ 11:42 pm
there’s nothing green about real chicago cheese fries, but I say do it anyway.
Buffalo Joes in Evanston: Cheddar Chips
yes!
Comment by Zach Behrens — July 18, 2007 @ 3:07 am
the best thing I did in Chicago was go on a downtown tour led by the architects foundation:
http://www.architecture.org/tours.aspx
the tour showcased many beautiful buildings and how the buildings were built to interact with one another. It was terrific
Comment by Julia — July 18, 2007 @ 10:49 am
get a bike, ride up and down the lakefront. go from downtown chicago (or hyde park) up to the Lighthouse Beach in Evanston. not a long ride, but all mostly lakefront and carless.
Check out some green rooftops. architecture, sure. lakefront, of course.
must hear jazz at the green mill. smoking won’t be banned til jan. or so, though.
don’t go near navy pier. mag mile has become a bit too commercial.
drive down the former cabrini green corridor and decide for yourself how sustainable that is: chicago to north avenues and the chicago river to webster/downtown’s border. the towers are gone and so are most of the people. condos and “green” developments going up.
check out the u. of chicago campus and lakeshore
the mexican art/culture museum in pilsen. MUST.
chicago, run by gangsters still?
check out tiny neighborhood gardens, like the one at Thomas near Hermitage.
see if you’ll be there during greendrinks’ weekly drinks.
fridays there might still be free dancing in the native garden park on michigan ave. near harrison, just south of millennium park.
You could check out WickerParkGreens@yahoogroups.com.
drive 45 minutes to and through the indiana dunes. go to the beach at Mount Baldy.
take a side trip to Madison, see real green buildings and farms.
Comment by elsa — July 19, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
Chicago’s City Hall is semi-famous for its green roof. It’s not open to the public, but you can see it from neighboring taller buildings such as the Daley Center — right in the middle of the Loop at Washington and Clark Streets. The city’s Center for Green Technology on the near west side also has a green roof and other cool demo projects.
I haven’t visited it yet, but Cooking Light magazine just unveiled its “FitHouse” in Chicago, an exhibit that features everything green for the home at 1235 W. Belden in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It’s open to the public.
If you are worn out and thirsty from all the green sightseeing, the Butterfly Social Club just northwest of the city center provides organic alcoholic libations in an ecofriendly setting.
An earlier post mentioned “green drinks.” This week it will be held on Wed. night at the Jefferson Tap and Grill on Jefferson (west Loop area.)
I had hoped to go to one day of the Blogher conference, but it seems like registration is closed. I don’t yet have a blog of my very own, I’ve been helping a friend with hers, but it looked like a great agenda.
Have fun in Chicago. It’s a great city and the weather forecast for this weekend could hold its own with LA.
Comment by Living Green in Chicago — July 24, 2007 @ 7:53 pm