Chicago officials say that within five years, at least 20 percent of electricity used by the city to power everything from public buildings to elevated trains will come from renewable sources like wind and solar power. City Environment Commissioner Bill Abolt said, “The competition Chicago is involved in is an international one to establish itself as the premier environmentally friendly city.” Since Mayor Richard Daley (D) took office, Chicago has planted thousands of trees, created more than 100 miles of bike paths, installed solar panels on city museums, and built a rooftop garden on City Hall.
