photo: courtesy of Doug Stepnicka
Having fun in the city doesn't have to happen at the expense of the environment. We've picked a few ways to kick back, consume and imbibe in ways that not only stave off energy-chugging behavior, but in some cases, help the earth and your local community. So leave the car at home, hop on the L (or your bike) and head to the one of these destinations during your next day off.
Bypass the architectural boat tour for kayaking on the river
Much as we love the architectural boat tour, we know that there are better modes of transportation than a motorized boat when it comes to keeping the air and water clean and conserving energy. Among a handful of companies that rent human-powered water vehicles, the Chicago River & Kayak hosts a bevy of opportunities to the see the city from the river. In addition to renting canoes and kayaks by the hour ($10-$14/hour or $40/day), the company offers scheduled moonlight rides ($30 per person, dinner included), Paddle & Pedal trips (4 miles boating, 4.5 miles biking) and Skyscraper Canyon Trips, which take you south through downtown and ends at Lawrence's Fisheries in Chinatown. Call (773) 704-2662 for reservations.
Instead of buying new, rummage through recyclables at Creative Reuse
Run by not-for-profit recycling organization The Resource Center, the Creative Reuse Warehouse caters to the dumpster-diving set. Headquartered at 222 E. 135th Place, the facility is a goldmine for artists, set-designers and art teachers, with three rooms filled with textiles, wire, wood, office supplies, drawing paper, foam core, old electronics and even used furniture. For a mere five dollars, you could head back home with a typewriter or a TV set. The items are donated and the money goes toward the various Resource Center projects like City Farm.
Rather than staring at a flat-screen, mingle with other greenies at Green Drinks
Thanks to Foresight Design, Green Drinks has been running monthly at the Jefferson Tap and Grille since 2003. A spin-off of the London Edition, the night kicks off with a panel—addressing on anything related to sustainability, from design education to corporate social responsibility to Chicago food policies—and invites anyone interested to discuss, network and socialize with other like-minded folk. There's a suggested $5 donation entry fee, and a cash bar along with basic bar eats are available. Check the schedule to find out the next Green Drinks date, held on the third Thursday or Tuesday before the third Thursday every month.
Pass up the plastic-wrapped gourmet-to-go and cook your own organic meal
We're suckers for Thai take-out every once in a while, too, but if you whip up your own eats, you not only use one less take-out plastic (egad!) Styrofoam container, but you can choose eco-friendly, organic and local ingredients for your meal. Healthy Dining Chicago editor/publisher Laura Bruzas offers all-organic cooking classes, and Cooking Fools features vegan-friendly classes. Chopping Block offers a compromise for those who'd rather not cook: Green City meals. For $200, a chef prepares a week's worth of dinner for a family of four using ingredients from local farmers.
Instead of buying fruit and flowers at Dominicks, lend a hand at a community garden With over 600 documented active community gardens in the city, according to
GreenNet, there's more than ample opportunity to till your peppers and poppies in the city. Get our your rake and bonnet (you don't need any extra UV rays) and find the garden closest to your community, just like our own
Green Thumb did last summer. You could even
start your own.
Skip the trolley and go for a guided bike tour
Sure, you can pay 25 bucks (or more) to tour the city's sculptures at night or blaze through the South Side, but if you already own a bike, the Chicago Cycling Club offers great opportunities to see the city in a social environment. Among the average four rides per week, two of them are for riders of nearly any skill or fitness level—tours, stretch longer than 35 miles at a pace of 18 miles per hour, and social rides, which go for less than 40 miles at a pace of 10-12 miles per hour, land in some kind of watering hole, restaurant or other point of interest. Upcoming rides include a Cinco de Mayo strolls through Pilsen and a grocery shopping by bike trip through Little Italy.
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