Enviro Groups Release Green Growth Platform for Chicago’s Next Mayor

In January, 17 leading Chicago environmental and conservation groups issued their Green Growth Platform for Chicago’s next mayor. The groups are asking mayoral candidates to answer 20 questions that will help voters learn where each candidate stands on the most important environmental issues facing our city. The environmental groups will then send the candidates’ responses to their 100,000+ members and supporters and the general public.

Chicago has become a leading green city, and environmental values are shared by many Chicagoans. The groups ask Chicago’s next mayor to set a goal of making Chicago the nation’s greenest city and said that doing so will improve Chicagoans’ lives while better positioning Chicago to compete in the global market. The Green Growth Platform focuses on developing clean energy and cleaning up old highly-polluting coal plants, improving recycling city-wide, conserving water, protecting Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, promoting clean transportation and better mobility, creating more parks and open space and promoting local food. The complete survey is available at EnvironmentIllinois.org.

“The next mayor should advance Chicago’s green leadership, which attracts people and businesses to our great, livable city and spurs job creation and economic growth,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

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 and 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. Environment Illinois is a citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future in Illinois.

Learn more at EnvironmentIllinois.org.