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A Visitor's Guide to Green Chicago
Chicago is one of the greenest cities in America. Experience one of the city's many green attractions, visit a functioning green roof, learn what makes a hotel 'green', and discover how to help keep Chicago green with our simple visitor tips!
Under Mayor Richard M. Daley's watch, Chicago has become a national leader in the urban green movement through the adoption of green building and business practices among other groundbreaking initiatives.
From a 46-acre nature preserve teeming with native wildlife in North Park to a fully-functioning green home of the future at the MSI (pictured above), green attractions abound in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.
There is plenty to see and do for a visitor looking for a close-up Green Chicago experience. Two world-class conservatories, award-winning Millennium Park, the innovative Center for Green Technology and a network of Green certified museums are among Chicago's many green attractions.
Chicago's dedication to green modes of transportation is evident in the over 300 miles of bikeways that span the city. Coupled with the nation's second largest public transit system and a broad car- and bike-sharing network, Chicagoans are committed to green ways of getting around!
In 2000, Mayor Daley installed a rooftop garden on Chicago's City Hall as an experiment in the economic and environmental viability of green roofs. Since then, there are over 7 million square feet of green roofs completed or underway throughout Chicago, more than all other U.S. cities combined.
The Chicago Green Hotels Initiative was instituted in 2007 with the goal of having more green certified hotels than any other U.S. city. With 13 hotels currently holding Green Seal Silver or Bronze certification, and many more on the way, Chicago has certainly met and exceeded that goal.
The Chicago Restaurant Co-op's new Guaranteed Green distinction gives diners an easy way to eat green in Chicago. There are Guaranteed Green restaurants in a wide range of cuisines and budgets so patrons can be confident that there is a healthy, sustainable and delicious green choice for them.
 This ground-breaking plan was launched in 2008 to address the impact of global climate change, and to determine ways of reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. It is one of the most comprehensive climate action plans of any city in the nation.
Meet a Green Chicago Insider
 A resident of West Town, Dave is an architect specializing in green and sustainable design, and leads green architecture tours of the Loop every summers. Read his profile.
 There are many ways visitors can help Chicago become even more of a Green city. We offer five simple tips that anyone can use to reduce their impact on the environment, and five Green things to do while having fun in Chicago.
Information on this Green Chicago page has been compiled by the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, in collaboration with the City of Chicago Department of the Environment and other partner agencies.
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