Green Conscious neighborhoods in Chicago (Addison, Avon: fit in, co-ops, home)

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

I probably did more than anyone you know to make the air and water around us cleaner. But I don't claim any virtue, I did it for the most reliable of motives, the money. Not a Goddam "lifestyle".

You're a scold.

Tom, some things have to be done even if there is no immediate financial benefit - banning the chemical that resulted in "flipper babies" for example.

The reason why we're even having this discussion is 150 years of the economics being warped due to companies not accounting for the externalities, so yes, we are stuck with that legacy, and I see no problem with wanting to live around people who take that seriously.

Take brownfield remediation - the EPA is often involved, but it also often takes citizens banding together (much like a union) to have their voices heard. City soils are full of heavy metals, our river probably has several inches of near-toxic sludge on the bottom, etc.

[chet everett]

Honda did a lot of research into why their Civic CNG and Hybrid vehicles sold so poorly compared to the Prius. Turns out where you have to squint hard to tell the differences between the Civics the Prius SCREAMS "look how eco-conscious I AM..." {see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smug_Alert! }

Arguably the benefits of the CNG would do more for energy and global climate change more quickly, but becuase the HOLLYWOOD types embrace the Prius and its "look at me" behavior Honda was forced to rethink their whole design...


I think the idea of co-ops, especially in areas which are underserveed, can work. That said there are HUGE differences between the level of "overt greenness" one is likely to find in Minnesota and Chicago, and while it easy to make fun of folks trying to find a "concsious" neighborhood that is MOSTLY because of the EXTREME mismatch in priorities that this indicates -- how about concentrating on finding a SAFE neighborhood? Or one that will afford you a SHORT commute, which is both GREENER, SAFER, and will allow more TIME to participate in other nieghborhood building beneficial activities ...

To me and others the thought of some one needing to proclaim their "commitment to GREEN" is indicative of some the less positive aspects of new comers -- assuming that things "are just like home, but maybe with a wider variety of races" or something equally out of touch. That sort of thinking, in a roundabout way, leads to a homogenization of places and disrespects the unique traditions / history of Chicago...

Originally Posted by almost3am

Yeah, but why would you mock someone that wants to live in an area with certain amenities that fit what they like to do and how they like to shop? When I choose a place to live, it is based on what the priorities in my life are, so is this person.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I think the idea of co-ops, especially in areas which are underserveed, can work. That said there are HUGE differences between the level of "overt greenness" one is likely to find in Minnesota and Chicago, and while it easy to make fun of folks trying to find a "concsious" neighborhood that is MOSTLY because of the EXTREME mismatch in priorities that this indicates -- how about concentrating on finding a SAFE neighborhood? Or one that will afford you a SHORT commute, which is both GREENER, SAFER, and will allow more TIME to participate in other nieghborhood building beneficial activities ...

To me and others the thought of some one needing to proclaim their "commitment to GREEN" is indicative of some the less positive aspects of new comers -- assuming that things "are just like home, but maybe with a wider variety of races" or something equally out of touch. That sort of thinking, in a roundabout way, leads to a homogenization of places and disrespects the unique traditions / history of Chicago...

If people learning where their food & energy come from & where their trash & recycling goes can be considered a "homogenous" social trait, I am 100% for it.

I attended the Midwest Renewable Energy Association's Energy Fair this weekend - thousands of attendees, not one fight/any violence, even though there were no security professionals there.

So perhaps embracing some "green" principles might actually be the way to achieve the safe neighborhoods we are all looking for.

There is nothing sustainable about violence - hence the age-old cliche of "If you go with eye-for-an-eye justice, everyone just ends up blind."

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by almost3am

Yeah, but why would you mock someone that wants to live in an area with certain amenities that fit what they like to do and how they like to shop? When I choose a place to live, it is based on what the priorities in my life are, so is this person.

t


You're right, I'm just being a jerk.

Before I retired I had ample opprotunity for hard-boiled ball-busting and sometimes I just can't resist giving someone a shot.

I apologize to all.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Feeling a little defensive?

I'll tell you what, if you want to clean up after the people who dump their motor oil right down the drain, throw whole bags of McDonald's waste out their windows on the highways, you be my guest.

To paraphrase an old sign we had up in our 12-person college house:

"This ain't your mama's City - clean up after your own damn self."

Really? So the only choices are "green-conscious neighborhood" or a neighborhood where everyone dumps their oil down the drain and throws McDonald's bags out the window? Which do you live in? Luckily for me, I happen to live in a neighborhood where people are neither slobs nor braggarts about the fact that they're not slobs.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

Really? So the only choices are "green-conscious neighborhood" or a neighborhood where everyone dumps their oil down the drain and throws McDonald's bags out the window? Which do you live in? Luckily for me, I happen to live in a neighborhood where people are neither slobs nor braggarts about the fact that they're not slobs.

Right, because that's exactly what I said.

Seriously, if you have nothing to say, why speak at all? Are you under the allusion you need to comment in every single thread? Why don't you go start a "neighborhoods for people who want live in a toxic pig sty" or something...

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Right, because that's exactly what I said.

Seriously, if you have nothing to say, why speak at all? Are you under the allusion you need to comment in every single thread? Why don't you go start a "neighborhoods for people who want live in a toxic pig sty" or something...

But I do have something to say, and I said it. If you don't like it, tough muffins. Find a way to cope.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

But I do have something to say, and I said it. If you don't like it, tough muffins. Find a way to cope.

Hey, here's a brilliant idea - take your own advice.

None of the people who were posting were talking to you, now were they? So I am correct, you are largely talking just to hear yourself speak.

And more pertinent to the OP, you're also (as you are often) just completely wrong.

Here's the kind of organization/event we associate with green consciousness:

Chicago's Andersonville Neighborhood Hosts Green Week | Chicagoland Real Estate Forum

Andersonville is a neighborhood. Look that up if you don't believe me. I get their sustainability organization's emails about twice a month, and they are excellent.

If the very concept of a "green conscious" neighborhood offends you to your core & that's why you just can't help but offer your 2 pesos, I just feel sorry for you.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Hey, here's a brilliant idea - take your own advice.

None of the people who were posting were talking to you, now were they? So I am correct, you are largely talking just to hear yourself speak.

And more pertinent to the OP, you're also (as you are often) just completely wrong.

Here's the kind of organization/event we associate with green consciousness:

Chicago's Andersonville Neighborhood Hosts Green Week | Chicagoland Real Estate Forum

Andersonville is a neighborhood. Look that up if you don't believe me. I get their sustainability organization's emails about twice a month, and they are excellent.

If the very concept of a "green conscious" neighborhood offends you to your core & that's why you just can't help but offer your 2 pesos, I just feel sorry for you.

I suppose then you lack the basic self-awareness to notice that you are talking to me. If you don't like what I have to say or feel like it isn't worth anyone's time, why do you feel so compelled to engage so often?

As for being "completely wrong," I have no idea what the hell you are talking about, and as is often the case, neither do you. I never made any claims whatsoever about whether Andersonville is a green-conscious neighborhood or not.

I'll go ahead and let you have the last word. We know you must.

[Runuova]

This is getting good!