Impact

The Chicago Sustainability Task Force is comprised of entities across Chicago that lead by example, interact with significant populations annually, and have great potential to influence people’s awareness of environmental impacts and waste reduction options.

Every Year…

 

  • 95 million passengers pass through Chicago airports
  • 2 million visitors attend MB Financial Park
  • 5 million spectators attend Allstate Arena
  • 2 million fans visit Soldier Field
  • 396,000 students are taught by 41,000 people working in Chicago Public School’s 664 schools
  • 29,000 students are housed at University of Illinois at Chicago
  • 3 million visitors pass through McCormick Place
  • 75,000 runners and 1.76 million spectators attend Bank of America’s Shamrock Shuffle & Chicago Marathon
  • 20,000 residents and visitors come to the Green Music Fest
  • 40 million people visit the Forest Preserves of Cook County
  • Chicago Park District operates 596 parks and 11 beaches within the city boundaries

 

This comes to more than 136 million visitors, spectators, participants and passengers having the chance to be impacted by our environmental initiatives each year.

 

A sampling of Chicago Sustainability Task Force members tracked over 5420 total tons diverted from the landfill in a single year… with expanded, updated reporting to come.

 

49% of Chicago Public Schools increased their recycling diversion rates since February 2014. Since January 2015 the recycling rate has gone from less than 13% to more than 27%. 99% of CPS schools are recycling in some way.

O’Hare International Airport is the first airport to recycle asphalt shingles. 8 million were kept out of the landfill and used in the construction of Runway 10R-28L.

Allstate Arena, home to the Chicago Sky, Chicago Wolves and Depaul Blue Demons, diverted 95 annual tons from the landfill and won the US EPA’s Gold Achievement Award for Public Venue Recycling and Food Recovery Challenge Award for their multi-faceted and impactful “Green For a Reason” program.

When the Bank of America Chicago Marathon changed to a virtual goodie bag, their 57,000 runners and volunteers received 69% of their advertisements digitally eliminating the use 1.88 million printed advertisements.
The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, introduced its 40,000 participants and thousands of spectators to a four-stream waste program – diverting organics, recyclables, and plant-based beer cups from landfill – with a strong educational message and outreach program.

UIC’s College of Cycling student group has joined forces with the Food Recovery Network to deliver unused food from the cafeteria to a nearby homeless shelter weekly. Via bicycles they deliver 30-80 pounds of food that would have other wise been disposed! One month’s donations helps to serve 1500 meals.

Goose Island  Brewery’s exceptional waste program that focuses on an outlet for everything utilized in their beer production has resulted in a 6-stream separation and diversion rate of more than 99% of their waste from landfills.

The Shedd Aquarium’s energy reduction strategy is ambitious and complex as they work hard to keep cold-water-loving dolphins and belugas comfortable while reducing demand on the grid. Beyond installing 913 solar panels on the roof of the Abbott Oceanarium, light fixtures throughout the building have been replaced with efficient LED bulbs and 32 smart submeters now provide real-time energy data.
The University of Illinois in partnership with the Illinois Sustainability Technology Center diverted 8,790 pounds of mixed recycling and 9,787 pounds of compost as a part of the Game Day Challenge at the 2014 Homecoming football game.
In 2014, Hofbrahaus – a business operating in MB Financial Park at Rosemont – diverted the 52 tons of spent grain it used in the brewery to a local farm to be used as cattle feed.
Chicago Sustainability Task Force members’ efforts and impacts were showcased for all visitors of the 5th annual Green Sports Alliance Summit, held at McCormick Place in July, 2015.