Jeffrey Haussler, Ellie Frey, Michael McCoy, Roshni Nair
The practice of redlining has created starkly color-coded neighborhoods in the city of Chicago that have far-reaching implications on the income, education levels, health, and life expectancy of citizens, especially for people of color. Often, the practice of investment in green-lined areas, leads to the decline of red-lined areas, compounding the effects of race and class division in Chicago. By analyzing demographic data, analyzing current policies, and critiquing them, we seek to propose a more radical approach to providing redlined areas with more tree canopy, and social and economic equity. The demographic data reveals that black and brown neighborhoods in the south side of Chicago have vastly lower tree canopy than the suburbs that are occupied by white communities. Lower tree canopy combined with higher urban heat, higher impervious surfaces and lower income and education creates a city in which your neighborhood can be the best indicator of how long you can expect to live. While thinking about south side Chicago, it is impossible to ignore the fact that black and brown people are policed and incarcerated at higher rates than others in this country, therefore, we also analyzed where parolees from the city of Chicago are likely to live.
Chicago Region Tree Initiative (CRTI) is a masterplan for the city that was developed to increase its tree canopy overall. However, the areas that were specified as “priority communities” varied drastically from areas that we identified as “areas of need” by analyzing demographic data. The CRTI plan as it is, would continue to invest in majority white neighborhoods and Chicago suburbs while overlooking the black and brown communities of the south side. To push back, we propose “Rooted in Chicago,” a three pronged approach to empower communities in a sustainable fashion. By providing tax incentives to those residents that plant trees, we empower community members to take the greening of Chicago into their own hands and get paid for keeping trees alive. The arborist work program is based in social justice and equity distribution. This program allows for ex-incarcerated people to get certified as arborists and make a living wage by contributing to their communities and maintaining street trees. Lastly, the green streets initiative takes environmental justice into account by retrofitting streets and turning them into green streets. Not only would this provide green space to residents in walkable distance, but it also reduces automobile pollution, increases tree canopy, and increases property value. Through the “Rooted in Chicago” proposal, we aim to radically expand the CRTI’s plan in a way that prioritizes social, economic, and environmental equity to continue to empower residents to actively participate in the greening of their city.
