I am continually amazed at the amazing things happening in Chicago in terms of sustainability! I first learned of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s plan to turn the Windy City into the greenest city in America while watching Design e2: The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious about two years ago. Admittedly, that PBS series was a tipping point motivating me to actively participate in making the world a healthier place. I digress.
Both HBS strategy professor Michael Porter and Rotman School of Management economics professor and urban theorist Richard Florida have described the importance of like-minded people clustering together and creating a dynamic and robust economy and social culture. One such cluster that is developing in Chicago is around sustainable fashion. The city is already home to green designers Lara Miller and Abigail Glaum-Lathbury as well as several unique sustainable lifestyle businesses including Uncommon Grounds, a local cafe adorned with an organic certified rooftop garden, and eco-minded event planner Shannon Downey of Pivotal Production. In support of the fashion industry in general, the city is hosting Fashion Focus Week running October 22-25 and has joined with Macy’s in sponsoring six up-and-coming fashion designers mentored by renowned fashion maven Tommy Hilfiger at the Chicago Fashion Incubator. Also, Chicago’s 375 retail boutiques will soon be joined by a LEED-certified retail property concept called the Green Exchange which, among other features, boasts an 8,000 SF organic sky garden.
Chicago. Sustainable Fashion Hub.
In trying to place Chicago on the Sustainable Value Curve, it dawned on me that as a non-commercial entity, Chicago is probably most similar to a non-profit organization. And, through favorable policies in support of socially- and environmentally-minded businesses, the local government is well-past the Commerical Awareness Point. Clearely, the city of Chicago is pursuing a Period F opportunity and, as such, has caused me to rethink how the period is defined. I am now expanding the period to include municipalities and other governmental bodies that, through their forward-thinking policies, are promoting Sustainable Value and accelerating us towards the momentous point of Unified Achievement.
