Mayor Richard M. Daley

Mayor, City of Chicago

Since Mayor Richard M. Daley became mayor in 1989, the City of Chicago has planted more than 500,000 trees; added more than 200 acres of new open space and more than 100 campus parks at schools; built more than 90 miles of landscaped street medians; and constructed more than 400 gardens and green roofs, covering four million square feet, on public and private buildings, including City Hall. Chicago created an aggressive program to transform brownfields into new industrial facilities, green spaces, affordable housing, and manufacturing centers. The City opened the Center for Green Technology, the first municipal building in the nation to receive the LEED Platinum Rating. Daley implemented a set of environmentally-sensitive construction standards for public buildings and a green permitting program for developers, which has helped produce more than 70 LEED certified buildings. In 2006, the City opened a permanent Household Chemical and Computer Recycling Center. Daley has led conservation and protection efforts and founded the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to preserve and protect the Great Lakes.

He has received the J. Sterling Morton Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation; the Kevin Lynch Award from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and a National Design Award from the Smithsonian Institution.

To learn more about Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago's sustainable initiatives please visit the city of Chicago's web site.

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