Chicago Gets "Greener"

In August, Mayor Richard Daley, Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino and a half-dozen airport officials attended the Airports Going Green conference in Chicago. An update to the 2003 sustainable design manual for the O'Hare International Airport (seen here) was discussed.

 

Mayor Richard Daley is touting efforts to make Chicago's two airports more eco-friendly.

Mr. Daley's administration is looking at ways to cut down on water bottles that end up in airport trash. Instead of throwing the bottle out, Mr. Daley would like travelers at Chicago's airports to do what those at Portland's airport do when they go through security - pour out their water and fill up their bottles when they get to their destination.

Also, Chicago city aviation officials say they would like to explore compostable packaging for food that people buy at restaurants in the terminals.

Mr. Daley also unveiled an update to a 2003 sustainable design manual that was used as part of the O'Hare modernization project.

The updated manual expands on concepts in the O'Hare project, such as a vegetated "green roof" on the new air traffic control tower, and re-using soil dug up in construction projects on site instead of taking it to dump sites.