Where do tree hugging, vegetarian liberals belong in north Chicago? (Evanston: apartment, condo)

[Steve-o]

58 pages and counting!

[JonnyP]

jaynetarzana,

I just wanted to say thank you for posting your exploits for all here...
you have systematically eliminated or elevated many different places to live based on similar criteria as I would have (although I/we definitely fit in the carnivore category), and your latest posts made me feel a little better about potentially moving to suburban Chicago. From what I have seen, Evanston looks like a good choice.One more thing in response to your earlier posts about lead is that certain types of plants grow well and will absorb the lead from the ground, I think sunflowers or Indian mustard may actually be the best. Not just lead, but many other heavy metals such as cadmium as well. Harvest, and then throw them away and the lead soil levels should dramatically decrease. Rinse and repeat a couple seasons to make sure. If you look up "phytoremediation" you can find out some more. It is not just quack science either, this is what the EPA does to clean up some of the most polluted sites in the US.

[Nysee53]

If you would like to go with a more expensive contractor I would highly recommend Canada & Klein. They are based in Winnetka and do many projects on the North Shore and in Lincoln Park. They do everything. www.canada-klein.com

If you would like a less expensive contractor I would recommend going with JRR Service Inc. of Wilmette. I don't have their information and I know they don't have a website, but just email daniela.popa@cbexchange.com and ask for John Ille's contact information and she will set you up with him.

Good Luck!

[burnitdown2012]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

DH and I are liberal, tree hugging, vegetarian, urban hip parents of two little girls in our early 30's considering a move to Chicago.

Sounds like you want an urban, not suburban setting.

I'm a paleoconservative, Platonist, tree hugging vegetarian and I want nowhere near the cities. I've faced the reality: urban life and I don't get along.

Your mileage may vary!

[jaynetarzana]

I am appalled at the lack of recycling programs for multi-family bldgs here. I ask my neighbors what they do about recycling and everyone is totally complacent about the fact that if you live in a multi-family unit, you are not provided with bins. What does everyone else do? I don't have any space in my loft to store a bunch of recycling and I have a small car so transporting it myself won't work. I wrote to the city and this was the ridiculous response I received: "Ms. ____ The City does not provide recycling collection for apartment complexes. You would need to speak with the property management firm for your complex about starting this service. Sincerely,
Suzette Eggleston Superintendent of Streets & Sanitation". I've emailed my landlord about it several times and he just tells me that there used to be a small bin for the whole bldg, but he guesses it isn't there anymore. Why is no one making a stink about this? Everyone just thinks it is okay to throw everything into a landfill? I am so frustrated and saddened by this issue. I would have hoped for better from a college town.

[Avengerfire]

Jaynetarzana-Maybe you can help bring about "change" in Evanston. Believe me, what you described is the norm in most towns around Chicago including Chicago itself.

I get frustrated too as I live in a multi-unit building with no bins. However, I drive all of my recycling materials to a collection site.

I would love to get things rolling myself. I am trying to find a like minded group of people that can get something done.

[jaynetarzana]

Avengerfire,

I completely commend you for your efforts and I wish everyone was as conscientious, but I can't help but feel that even that is a terrible solution because of the fossil fuels required to drive your recycling someplace. What if every individual drove their own recycling to a collection site? What a waste! Bringing about this kind of change is going to take a HUGE effort on the part of Chicagoans and as much as I would love to say that I can spearhead a campaign to do it, the reality is that I am a mom of two very young children and that is a full time job right now. One of the reasons I wanted to find a place where tree huggers would fit in is because this isn't my cross to bear right now. There was a time when I spent all kinds of energy on environmental, human and animal causes, but my mission right now is to raise the next generation to care for the planet.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

... but I can't help but feel that even that is a terrible solution because of the fossil fuels required to drive your recycling someplace. What if every individual drove their own recycling to a collection site? What a waste!...

I drive my recycling to a site on a trip planned around driving to do other things. I never drive specifically to recycle. I stop and bring my things on the way of doing another errand.

The use of fossil fuels to drive your things to recycle is still less then the amount of fossil fuels used to bring your stuff to the dump and the amount of energy to manufacture new materials to replace the items you otherwise would throw away. As long as you kill more than one bird with one stone, I do not think it is a sin or counter productive to drive your recycling to a site as long as it is not a very long distance from where you reside or where you are driving to for another purpose to begin with.

[jaynetarzana]

And again I say that I wish everyone was as conscientious, but the truth is that many people don't bother to recycle even if they are provided with the proper bins and pick up. Let alone going to the trouble that you do. I rarely ever drive anywhere and when I do, it is with my girls in my Prius. We are a family of four plus a dog in a small 1 bedroom loft so storing up enough recycling to make a trip worthwhile isn't an option.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

...the truth is that many people don't bother to recycle even if they are provided with the proper bins and pick up...

Can you walk your stuff down to a collection bin of a neighbor that does not live in a multi-unit building? Maybe talk with them and ask them if it is ok. As not everyone recycles, perhaps someone down the street would let you use their bin that is not being used or would not mind you putting your stuff in theirs even if they use them...

I know it is asking a lot. But it is worth a try if you have no other way to recycle.

Otherwise, I do not know what to tell you...This is the best I can come up with...