City's high-rises and nature complement each other

City's high-rises and nature complement each other November 27, 2004 BY BOB O'NEILL It may seem to be a contradiction, but high-rises and the greening of Chicago go hand-in-hand -- a close to perfect fit. There have been several articles and letters from people opposing high-rises and from people saying we need to cut back on landscaped median planters and beautification in a tight budget. We need to do just the opposite! High-rises and landscaping are integral to the fabric of downtown Chicago and environmentally essential to a cleaner, greener city. High-rises also support culture and retail and give back property tax revenue. If we do not have more high-rises and dense urban development, we create more suburban sprawl and thus the destruction of natural land and nature outside of the city. So what would seem to be at first glance a contradiction, is in fact a great balance: high-rises and nature go together well if we do it right. Chicago is becoming the model for doing it right. Throw in walking, public transit and biking, and high-rise dwellers have become our nation's leading environmentalists: efficient land use (hundreds of dwellings on a single, small lot) and less driving, so less concrete and less air pollution. At 90 stories, Trump International Hotel and Tower will be incredibly environmentally friendly: hundreds of units on one small lot compared to hundred of acres of suburban sprawl. Has Donald Trump ever thought of himself as an environmentalist? He may be. We need to continue to create more natural landscapes in the city to complement our high-rises. High-rises prevent suburban sprawl and lead to more concentrated and significant culture, and natural areas such as Northerly Island present a perfect natural habitat and resting area for nature. It is a great balance. Nature in Chicago is very important because millions will view it as they visit here, and more will learn from it and take that knowledge back home. In an urban environment, we need to have natural areas. They make living in a dense urban environment far more appealing and the green space is all the more essential. The Chicago Park District and the City of Chicago have really stepped up to the plate. Never has there been more awareness and action by the city and park district in terms of greening Chicago -- even creating international focus on Chicago in urban environmentalism. I have been reading so many letters to the editor and columns actually lumping together the greening of Chicago and corruption. What is going on? Why is it that when push comes to shove with budgets, landscaping is seen as disposable? Greening up Chicago is essential to not only the quality of life in Chicago but to creating an environmentally friendly city. It is our duty to do so and to put funds behind it. Trees and landscaping are essential to attracting visitors from all over the world and to economic development. No other improvements give a bigger bang for the buck than landscaping. Trees and landscaping not only cleanse the air of pollutants, provide habitats and food for birds and nature, have profound psychological and social benefits, attract residents, developers and jobs, but are part of the public infrastructure. They are here to stay and to even improve and expand, period! This administration has shown us that green space is an integral part of our infrastructure that contributes more than any other part, dollar per dollar. Green space, environmentally friendly design, trees, median planters and the like pay for themselves in terms of economic development, quality of life and improvements to the environment and nature. Bob O'Neill is president of the Grant Park Advisory Council.>