October 13, 2009 :: LPCC

Department of Environment Commissioner Joins LPCC for Fall Luncheon

For Immediate Release

Department of Environment Commissioner Joins
Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce for Fall Luncheon
Commissioner, LPCC Urge Businesses to do Their Part to Limit
Global Climate Change

CHICAGO (October 8, 2009) – Members of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) and other business leaders joined City of Chicago Department of Environment Commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna Thursday, October 8 for the LPCC’s annual Fall Luncheon.  In a growing commitment to “Green” initiatives throughout Chicago, the LPCC tapped Commissioner Malec-McKenna to help inform local businesses about the steps they can take to contribute to the global environment.

“We are thrilled that Commissioner Malec-McKenna was able to provide LPCC members with access to valuable information that can help them do their part for the environment while working to keep operating costs down as well,” said Kim Schilf, LPCC President and CEO.  “The LPCC is a committed supporter of the City of Chicago’s ‘Green’ movement and we use all of our outreach tools to share this message with our membership.”

As businesses work through a difficult economic landscape, many were intrigued to find out that hundreds of dollars annually can be saved by going green – even in the simplest of ways.  Commissioner Malec-McKenna shared the City of Chicago’s $800 Challenge, an easy way to change your habits and lower costs through energy-efficiency.  Tips were available for businesses of all kinds. Many of the suggestions, including lowering your heat by three degrees and replacing your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, were applicable for both the home and the office.  For those who are car dependent $185 can be saved annually by properly inflating their tires and caring for their vehicle. 

Commissioner Malec-McKenna also discussed the City of Chicago’s Climate Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy to limit Greenhouse Gases and the city’s global carbon footprint.  Launched in 2008 with help from the Clinton Foundation, Chicago’s Climate Action Plan builds on Mayor Daley’s commitment to make Chicago the most “environmentally-friendly” city in the United States.  LPCC members can help create a standard for lower greenhouse gas emissions by: using water and electricity efficiently; utilizing alternative transportation like bicycles and the CTA; streamlining resources; supporting and creating recycling efforts; and encouraging staff and nearby businesses to follow this model.

“With miles of bike lanes, three CTA train lines and dozens of bus routes to and from Lincoln Park, our neighborhood is in a position to serve as a model for other business districts and residential areas when it comes to environmental consciousness,” Schilf continued.

The LPCC is currently partnering with the Lincoln Park Community-Wide Forum, a semi-annual movement organized by Children’s Memorial Hospital to bring awareness to an issue in the neighborhood, on the “Greening of Lincoln Park.”  Businesses, residents, educational facilities and civic entities are partnering together to draw attention to recycling and energy-efficiency.