After living in Detroit for 11 years and coming to Chicago back in 2013, Austin St. Peter has noticed a great difference in air quality between these two cities. 

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Even though this change is an improvement, St. Peter, a Columbia College Chicago writing professor, still fears that Chicago will be ruining the citizens’ health from a potential increase in industrialization that in turn affects the air quality. 

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During the pandemic, Chicago saw an increase in better air quality since there was less production and travel. St. Peter states that even though this recovery has been beneficial, “pandemics are not a sustainable way to improve the environment. So, as we recover, we’re going to start to see acceleration of air pollutants.” 

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Chicago and the Midwest region is seeing a rising spike in climate change issues that may be adding to severe, life-threatening climate problems in the United States and the rest of the world. 

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The White House released that at the U.N. Climate Conference this year, President Joe Biden announced the Build Back Better Framework to help work towards a healthier climate in America. This framework will “cut greenhouse gas pollution by well over one gigaton in 2030” and “reduce clean energy costs for working families,” the release states. 

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This plan is hoping to “give our kids cleaner air and water, create hundreds of thousands of good-paying, union jobs, and advance environmental justice,” the release states. 

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Climate Reality Project: Chicago Metro chapter works on bringing awareness of climate change to the Chicagoland area. 

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Jennifer Linton, who co-founded the Chicago Metro chapter, states that one of the larger climate issues in the Midwest is flooding. “There’s property damage from floods, and water storms are a huge issue,” she states in relation to farming. 

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St. Peter stated that within about the past five years, Chicago has seen more flooding from Lake Michigan, especially on Lake Shore Drive.

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“For example, car stranding, a couple of people are getting grabbed and swept out to Lake Michigan. And so, there’s a lot more weather volatility,” says St. Peter. 

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The Build Back Better Framework is also planning to cut greenhouse gas emissions so that the U.S. will be 100% carbon pollution-free by 2035. The 2022 City Budget Climate Investments states that Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan for Chicago’s carbon emissions is to lower it to 26.9 millions of tons of carbon. 

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The City Budget Climate Investments state that they will be planting 75,000 tress that will also be giving benefits for local communities. 

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Linton hopes that Chicago will be predominately putting these trees, which will provide a canopy cover to collect carbon, in the West and South sides of Chicago. 

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One way that St. Peter has been helping his local environment is through recycling. His neighborhood has a good recycling program that he contributes to often. 

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“Our condo board and condo building engages in recycling of plastics and cardboards, we make sure that the trash in the local area is pretty maintained and separated,” St. Peter says. 

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He hopes that Chicago will create a plan to reach its transit system more north and south so that people of different classes and communities have this accessibility. This will help in relation to lowering car emissions if more people use the transit system. 

 

For Chicago’s future, Linton states that it will be seeing a large amount of migration to it due to rising heat in the South. “Climate change continues to get bad, and other areas down South in our country and such become less livable. So, people are expected to come up with the cooling of the Great Lakes.”