There may not be a more overlooked bit of living history in all of Chicago than the remnants of the Union Stockyards. We are talking about a chunk of town that defined this city for the better part of a century. Arguably the birthplace of the assembly line (or, in this case, the disassembly line where two million animals were butchered annually), nursery of the labor movement and home to businesses so important to the economy that the City reversed its river in part to deal with the offal they dumped (Bubbly Creek, which ran through the Stockyards, still bubbles four decades after they closed), it is somewhat surprising that the Union Stock Yard Gate is all that is left to mark the source of so much history. more ›

A year after its opening, the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago has received the environmental certification it was seeking. The U.S. Green Building Council awarded the building with LEED Silver last week, says the Tribune's architecture critic Blair Kamin. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the silver level is below platinum and gold as the third-highest rating. The certification governs five areas of a building's construction and existence: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. more ›

The Sears Tower will receive a $350 million face lift over the next five years to reduce its energy consumption by 80 percent. The building will also receive a new neighbor--an environmentally friendly 50-story luxury hotel, located at Jackson and Wacker. The initiative could create 3,600 new jobs and Sears Tower could become the tallest building to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. more ›

The power generated by the turbine will be minimal since Gurnee's distance from Lake Michigan will prevent it from taking full advantage of those gentle lake breezes we here in the city so enjoy (especially in February). Still, it's more than most restaurants are doing, so we salute you Chipotle, maker of White People Food. more ›