芝加哥市長達利(Richard Daley)計畫讓芝加哥更涼快！他提出數項方案，以降低芝加哥的溫室氣體排放量和減緩氣候變遷。
芝加哥氣候執行計畫(The Chicago Climate Action Plan)在9月18日提出，透過更新商業和工業大樓、提高住宅區能源使用效率、使用乾淨的可再生電力、改善交通和減低工業污染，目標在2020年之前將溫室氣體排放量降到1990年排量的75%。
達利市長在謝德水族館(Shedd Aquarium)的記者會中說道，要達到這個目標，政府、全體市民、企業和機構都需要投入、彼此合作。
官員說，芝加哥大都市區（包含附近六個郡）每年排放1億零3百萬公噸溫室氣體，芝加哥市獨佔34.6公噸。
撰寫計畫的任務小組(Task Force)表示，芝加哥必須在2050年之前將溫室氣體排量降到1990年的20%，才能避免這個城市對氣候變遷造成惡劣的全球性影響。
為了在2050年減少80％溫室氣體排量，任務小組提出先在2020年降到1990年75%以下排量的初期目標，這也是市長聲稱讓基礎建設和生活習慣都有足夠時間改變，又能確保芝加哥市轉向正確的轉換道路上。
建築物排放的溫室氣體佔了芝加哥市的70%，是氣候執行計畫的主要目標。
芝加哥市政廳頂樓以植物作綠屋頂，接下來預計將全市空中花園增加到6600棟建築物，估計將種100萬棵樹。
到2020年之前，預計全市50%商業和工業大樓將進行更新，以降低30%能源使用。
所有的建築物更新都必須符合綠色建築標準規範，水資源使用效率也必須升級。
住宅區部份，50%房屋需要提升能源效率，以節省30%能源使用，另外會加強推廣用品交換和燈泡替換計畫。
芝加哥節能規範是比照最新的國際標準辦理。
其他計畫包括在市立機構大規模安裝太陽能發電，和興建四座公共替代能源加油站。
市政府也架設一個新網站，提供市民和業者更多氣候變遷資訊、個人日常節能方式和芝加哥在維護環境上所扮演的角色。
Mayor Richard Daley has set Chicago on a cooler path by outlining strategies to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions and avert climate change.
The Chicago Climate Action Plan introduced Thursday would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 by retrofitting commercial and industrial buildings, making residences more energy efficiency, using clean and renewable sources of electricity, improving transportation, and reducing industrial pollution.
In a news conference at the Shedd Aquarium, the mayor said that accomplishing this goal will require an enormous amount of hard work and cooperation and the commitment not only of government but also of every individual, business and institution in the city.
Officials say the Chicago metropolitan area, including the six surrounding counties, emits 103 million metric tons of greenhouse gases a year. The city of Chicago along emits 34.6 metric tons per year.
The Task Force that wrote the plan said Chicago needs to achieve an 80 percent reduction below its 1990 greenhouse gas emissions level by the year 2050 in order to do its part to avoid the worst global impacts of climate change.
To achieve this 80 percent reduction, the Task Force proposed an initial goal of a 25 percent cut in emissions below 1990 levels by 2020, a target that the mayor says is far enough in the future to allow time for major infrastructure and behaviorial changes, but soon enough to ensure the city is on the right course.
Buildings emit 70 percent of all Chicago's greenhouse gas emissions and are the primary target of the Climate Action Plan.
Chicago City Hall is topped with a green roof, and the plan would increase rooftop gardens to a total of 6,000 buildings citywide and plant an estimated one million trees.
Between now and 2020, the plan calls for retrofit 50 percent of commercial and industrial building stock, resulting in a 30 percent energy reduction.
All building renovations would be required to meet green standards, and water use efficiency in buildings would be upgraded as part of the retrofits.
The energy efficiency of 50 percent of residential buildings would be improved to achieve a 30 percent reduction in energy used, and appliance trade-in and light bulb replacement programs would be expanded.
Chicago's Energy Conservation Code would be aligned with the latest international standards.
Other steps proposed in the plan and that the city is considering include large scale solar energy installations at city facilities and the construction of four publicly accessible alternative fueling stations.
The city has launched a newwebsite where Chicagoans and businesses can learn about climate change, what they can do in their daily lives to reduce emissions, and what the city is doing to protect the climate.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
