Climate Change in the Windy City and the World

CHICAGO COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION TOOLKIT

Find this and other climate action tools at climatechicago.fieldmuseum.org

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE WINDY CITY AND THE WORLD

Climate Change in the Windy City and the World was created as part of the Chicago Community Climate Action Toolkit. © The Field Museum, 2012

1. What’s the difference between weather and climate? ANSWERS Weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere. Climate is the average long-term (at least 30 years) weather pattern of a specific location. Climate change refers to TO QUIZ shifts in the average long-term patterns of local and global conditions. 2. What’s the difference between climate change and global warming? How are they related? QUESTIONS Climate change refers to changing patterns in temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, etc. Global warming refers specifically to the rise in the Earth’s average temperature. Climate change and global warming are related because the rise in temperature is what causes the other climate patterns to change.

3. Describe the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “enhanced” greenhouse effect. The natural greenhouse effect occurs when natural sources such as oceans, lakes, forests, and other green spaces release greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere that in turn trap the sun’s energy, causing the Earth to warm. Natural sources not only put GHGs into the atmosphere, but they also take them back out. This cycle creates a carbon balance. The enhanced greenhouse effect occurs when human activities that burn fossil fuels release additional carbon into the atmosphere. This excess amount of carbon causes more warming than would naturally occur.

4. How is climate change today different from the past? For the first time in the history of the planet, it is human activities, and not just natural events, such as the Earth’s rotation cycle or emissions from volcanic eruptions, that is causing the climate to change. Also, the rapid rate at which this warming is occurring has never been seen before. 5. What is happening to the carbon cycle? The additional GHG emissions from human sources today are creating an imbalance in the carbon cycle that results in too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Because of this increase, the Earth’s average temperature is rising at a faster rate than ever before. 6. How is climate change affecting people, plants, and animals in the Chicago region? There are lots of impacts to discuss. Here are some from the booklet. Brainstorm some more as a group! • An increase in extreme weather events has led to more heat waves and floods; • Milder winters are causing Lake Michigan to be frozen for a shorter period during the winter; • Plant hardiness zones have shifted, changing what types of plants can thrive in the region; • Changes in temperatures, rainfall, and seasonality threaten wildlife habitat.

7. What is one action we can take to mitigate (reduce) climate change? Reduce the amount of fossil fuel energy we use so less carbon dioxide is being emitted into the atmosphere (mitigation).

8. What is one action we can take to help people, nature, and animals adapt to changes that are already inevitable? Protect and restore natural habitats (forests, prairies, wetlands, woodlands, rivers, lakes, oceans, etc.) and green

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A REGIONAL AFFAIR

Climate change doesn’t have political boundaries. This booklet shows the impact that climate change will have on the broad Chicago region. To address these impacts, we will have to take climate action in our individual lives, communities, cities—and region. Together, we can make a difference and improve our quality of life at the same time.

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INTRODUCTION

This booklet This conducted Research provides Chicago region region Chicago provides Field The by Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy GENERAL RESOURCES: offers resources on designing climate change The Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is the City LEARN MORE Power Shift Network includes 50 youth-led curricula, lesson plans, and educational activities for of Chicago’s comprehensive and detailed strategy environmental and social justice groups working a range of age groups. climategen.org to lower heat-trapping emissions that cause climate together to build the youth clean energy and climate change. chicagoclimateaction.org/ ABOUT HOW movement. The website features strong projects and WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a national a media toolkit. powershift.org/ leader of the climate justice movement and convenes The Climate Action Plan for Nature (CAPN), the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on created by the Chicago Wilderness conservation YOU CAN LEAD Center for Climate Change and Energy Solutions Climate Change, comprising over 35 organizations. alliance, addresses climate change impacts on provides a reliable and understandable introduction weact.org/Programs/MovementBuilding/ nature in the four-state Chicago Wilderness region. THE WAY to global climate change with a series of brief reports TheWEACTforClimateJusticeProject/ It complements the Chicago Climate Action Plan. entitled Climate Change 101: Understanding and AdvancingClimateJusticeConference/ https://cdn.ymaws.com/chicagowilderness. CHICAGO COMMUNITY Responding to Global Climate Change. https://www. tabid/330/Default.aspx site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Publications/ CLIMATE ACTION c2es.org/publications/cliamte-change-101/full-book Climate_Action_Plan_for_Natu.pdf TOOLKIT NOAA’s Essential Principles of Climate Skeptical Science presents common climate skeptic Science aims to increase the public’s understanding Climate Action Plan for Nature: provides a broad array arguments and gives suggestions on how to refute of basic climate science, and provides educators Community Action Strategies is a companion piece them with real findings from climate science. with entry points into discussions of climate to the Chicago Wilderness Climate Action Plan for of multimedia tools for skepticalscience.com/argument.php change. https://www.climate.gov/teaching/ Nature (CAPN). The Strategies document lays out learning about climate Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change essential-principles-climate-literacy/essential- five strategies that communities and residents can change and taking local Impacts presents adaptation science and strategies. principles-climate-literacy undertake to help the region’s nature adapt to wicci.wisc.edu/adaptation.php climate change. climatechicago.fieldmuseum.org/ climate action. learn#capn Alliance for Climate Educationaims to educate CHICAGO REGION RESOURCES: climatechicago. Union of Concerned Scientists – young people on the science of climate change and Chicago Conservation Corps Blog provides up-to- fieldmuseum.org empower them to take action. acespace.org/ Action Alerts in the Midwest guides the public in date information about a range of environmental and advocating for local and regional policy change on climate action initiatives and events in the Chicago climate-related issues important to the Midwest. area. chicagoconservationcorps.org ucsusa.org/action/alerts/midwest-actions.html BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY The Field Museum. ECCo. 2009-2011. “Engaging IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007: The Physical 350.org 350.org/en/about/science Chicago’s Diverse Communities in the Chicago Science Basis. “Contribution of Working Group Climate Action Plan” (South Chicago, North I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Thinking about a climate Arbor Day Foundation. arborday.org. Kenwood-Oakland/Bronzeville, The Polish Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.” action project in your Center for Neighborhood Technology. cnt.org. Community, Pilsen’s Mexican Community, West [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, Ridge’s South Asian Community, Roseland’s M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and community? Chicago Wilderness Climate Change Task Force. African American Community, Forest Glen, H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Learn about other tools in 2010. “Changing Landscapes in the Chicago Austin, Southwest Side). fieldmuseum.org/ Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, Wilderness Region: A Climate Change Update climateaction. NY, USA the Chicago Community to the Biodiversity Recovery Plan.”Version 1.0. Climate Action Toolkit chicagowilderness.org/climate.php. Hawkins, Belinda, Suzanne Sharrock, and Kay U.S. Department of Energy. energy.gov. Havens Hawkins. 2008. “Plants and U.S. Global Change Research Program. “Global that can help you move City of Chicago, Department of Environment. climate change: which future?” Botanic Gardens Climate Change Impacts to the US, State of cityofchicago.org/Environment. ConservationInternational, Richmond, UK. from knowledge to Knowledge Report, 2009.” globalchange. bgci.org/climate/whichfuture. action: Climate Wisconsin. “Stories From a State of gov/usimpacts. Change.” Wisconsin Educational Hellmann et al. “Climate change impacts on climatechicago. Wuebbles et al. “Introduction: Assessing the effects Communications Board. n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2011. terrestrial ecosystems in metropolitan Chicago of climate change on Chicago and the Great fieldmuseum.org/tools and its surrounding, multi-state region.” Journal The Effects of Climate Change on U.S. Ecosystems, Lakes.” Journal of Great Lakes Research 36 of Great Lakes Research 36 (2010): 74–85. 2009. sap43.ucar.edu. (2010): 1–6.

INTRODUCTION This booklet also presents some best The examples in this booklet also practices in climate action from The show the power of building on Field Museum’s research and our work around communities’ strengths—such as Do-It- the Chicago region. They demonstrate the Yourself (DIY) skills, thriftiness, conserving water, diverse and creative ways in which communities and growing food—to implement broad climate are responding to climate change. action strategies in locally meaningful ways that will encourage widespread participation.

The Field Museum works with community partner organizations to develop and carry out local climate action projects. The projects build on cultural heritage and other community strengths to implement the region’s climate action plans while simultaneously addressing community concerns. They aim to improve local quality of life as well as influence broader efforts for social and environmental change. KEY TAKEAWAY Even if you don’t memorize all the 3. Climate change affects different science, we hope you’ll remember these regions in different ways and isalready POINTS key ideas: impacting the Chicago region. 1. The world’s scientists overwhelmingly 4. People everywhere are finding ways to agree that climate change is live that will reduce the impact and happening and is caused by human help their communities adapt to the activities. changes that are inevitable. 2. People in the Chicago region are also 5. “Climate action” will not only address concerned about climate change and want climate change, but can make our to understand more about how it communities better places to live. relates to their lives.

CHICAGO COMMUNITY In Forest Glen, Boy Scout and Girl Scout CLIMATE ACTION TOOLKIT troops are engaging homeowners in water conservation and promoting climate- and nature-friendly outdoor practices. The Field Museum worked with partners in four Chicago neighborhoods to develop In Pilsen, community and implement community-led organizations are climate action projects. transforming a vacant Each project builds on research lot into a native garden conducted by Museum where children can play anthropologists, which identified and families can learn local strengths and concerns about climate change. that can serve as springboards for engaging communities in the region’s two climate action In Bronzeville, community plans. organizations are building on the neighborhood’s African- Learn more and download American history to develop tools: climatechicago. culturally meaningful gardens, fieldmuseum.org. healthy vegan cooking events, and green tours.

In South Chicago, youth organizations are creating a community-wide exhibit that celebrates local green practices and their community’s vision for a green future. CHICAGO REGION ORGANIZATIONS ARE MOBILIZING THEIR Fernwood United Methodist Church in Chicago’s Roseland The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) neighborhood composts and encourages community participates in national and international climate justice COMMUNITIES members to donate leaves and food scraps in return for a efforts and leads local campaigns on public transit, water, discount on goods at their farmers’ market. The composting and clean power. It advocates the closing of Chicago’s two provides natural fertilizer for the farmers and the church–run coal-fired power plants, including the Fisk plant in Pilsen community garden while reducing the amount of landfill (pictured). waste.

Blacks in Green (BIG) builds awareness of climate change in The Council of Islamic Organizations’ “Green Ramadan” Chicago’s South Side communities through “Green-Village- campaign promotes green living and climate action among Building” activities that highlight African-American sustainable Chicago region Muslims as part of a long-term solution to traditions. These include classes run in partnership with the social disasters in Africa, including drought and famine in University of Chicago and cultural activities such as movie Somalia. discussions, green “expos,” and story circles.

WHAT’S THE Weather is short-term changes Climate is the average long-term in the atmosphere: what we experience weather pattern of a specific location: DIFFERENCE day-to-day. how the atmosphere behaves over many, BETWEEN many years. WEATHER AND CLIMATE?

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY WHAT IS Climate change refers to changing Global warming is the rise in the patterns of things like temperature, Earth’s average temperature. CLIMATE precipitation, humidity, and wind and ocean CHANGE AND circulation over long periods of time. It is caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the WHAT DOES IT Climate change today is caused in large atmosphere. These gases trap heat. HAVE TO DO part by human activity such as burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and WITH GLOBAL natural gas. WARMING?

Components Of Climate Change

CHICAGO REGION RESIDENTS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

When she leaves the house, one resident from Chicago’s Some residents in Chicago’s Pilsen and Southwest Side Roseland neighborhood disconnects all of her non-essential neighborhoods learned to conserve water from a 1970s TV appliances. Her monthly bill has been reduced by $100. campaign in Mexico called “Cierrale!” [“Turn it off!”]. One resident said it was as popular as the U.S. “Got Milk?” ads.

Volunteer stewards have been working with the Forest To save money and energy, an electrician/carpenter built Preserve District of Cook County since 1977 to revitalize this solar water heater for his family’s home in Chicago’s Glenview’s Harms Woods. Jefferson Park neighborhood, duplicating what he did at his recreational home in the Polish countryside. THE CHICAGO REGION IS LEADING THE WAY

Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago With more than 60% of trips less than three miles, Chicago In 2011, the City of Chicago helped launch Energy Impact encourages biking as a mode of transportation. The City Illinois (energyimpactillinois.org), an innovative program that plans to add 8–25 miles of bike lanes each year. connects residents and businesses with the contractors and financing options available for energy efficiency work.

Local governments and communities around the Chicago region are taking climate action and improving quality of life at the same time. The projects described here provide just a few examples of how climate change work can also help advance issues as diverse as food access, Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago economic development, religion, youth education, In 2001, the City installed a green roof on City Hall. Studies The City of Chicago is working with partners including The open space, and cultural revealed the surface temperature to be as much as 78°F Field Museum to create a Climate Ready Checklist for natural heritage. cooler than the temperature on the traditional black tar roof area and green space managers to help them take climate of the Cook County half of the building. change into account in future planning.

People we talked to during our research including skin cancer. Human-made aerosols WHAT DOES sometimes confused today’s climate depleted some of this ozone, creating the “hole CLIMATE change crisis with the problems that we in the ozone layer.” Since the 1970s, CHANGE HAVE faced with the ozone layer in the 1970s. international efforts have successfully TO DO WITH In fact they are related but different reduced the amount of ozone- challenges. depleting aerosols through legislation OZONE? that banned the use of the chemicals that Ozone in the upper atmosphere caused the problem. blocks UV-B radiation emitted by the sun from entering our atmosphere. This is Ground-level ozone (bad) in the lower important (good) because high levels of UV-B atmosphere is a greenhouse gas (GHG), like

radiation can cause severe skin damage, CO2. Burning fossil fuels creates pollutants that become ozone when they react with heat and sunlight. Ozone is the primary component of smog, and a contributor to climate change. Scientists throughout the world have in the Arctic: loss of ice cover and the danger HOW DO conducted thousands of studies on climate this poses for polar bears. They also tend to WE KNOW change. associate climate change with dramatic CLIMATE weather events around the country and They overwhelmingly agree that CHANGE the world—including, for immigrant residents, in climate change is happening and our Earth their home countries. IS REAL? is warming, due mainly to human activities that burn fossil fuels. Residents are also noticing the effects of climate change in the Chicago In the Chicago region, many of the region, such as stronger storms, hotter residents we surveyed believe that summers, and even acorns falling earlier climate change is real in part because from trees. of what they know about changes happening FACT: 97 out of 100 scientists who study climate conclude that climate change today is largely caused by human activity. www.skepticalscience.com

In February 2011, a Chicago blizzard stranded Lake Shore Drive commuters overnight. Global warming increases moisture in our atmosphere, resulting in extreme storms like this one. Photo courtesy of Carrie Porter, patch.com

Cities are often pointed to as a major cause In cities, everything is closer together. This CITIES WILL of climate change because they produce so pattern supports local businesses, encourages LEAD THE WAY many emissions. But in fact, they offer the people to ride trains and buses instead of drive, solution. and shortens travel times.

The effect: much lower emissions per household.

A New View of Cities and Climate Change: CO2 Generated by Automobiles in the Chicago Region per Year

Traditional View: Emerging View: Cities produce City dwellers large amounts produce relatively of greenhouse low amounts gases (GHGs) of GHGs when when measured by measured by square mile. household. It’s not too late to make a SO... WHAT Projected number of 100 degree days per year in Chicago, at difference. Two climate action current and lower emission levels. CAN WE DO? plans have been created for the Chicago Courtesy of City of Chicago ACT NOW! region (see below). These plans aim to help the region lower greenhouse gases (“mitigation”) and cope with changes already underway (“adaptation”). The City of Chicago’s plan commits to reducing GHGs to 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

Watch a video about climate action in the Chicago Climate Action Plan: Climate Action Plan for Nature: Chicago region: 5 Strategies for the City of Chicago 5 Strategies for the Chicago Region http://vimeo com/35327081 Energy Efficient Buildings Climate-Friendly Gardens and Lawns

Clean and Renewable Energy Sources Water Conservation

Improved Transportation Options Monitoring

Reduced Waste and Industrial Pollution Stewardship

Adaptation Climate Change Education Learn more: Learn more: chicagoclimateaction.org climatechicago.fieldmuseum.org/learn#capn

We burn fossil fuels when we do GHGs are also produced by many natural HOW DOES things like drive, heat our homes, dispose of sources such as forests and oceans. This is HUMAN waste, and process food. Burning fossil fuels called the “natural greenhouse effect.” But it ACTIVITY produces greenhouse gases (GHGs), is the additional amount of human-produced the most significant beingcarbon dioxide GHGs, which produce the “enhanced CAUSE (CO2). GHGs trap heat in the Earth’s lower human greenhouse effect,” that is CLIMATE atmosphere. causing the climate to change too CHANGE? quickly today.

Adapted from the Chicago Climate Action Plan People we talked to often do not realize As shown below, energy use makes up HOW DOES that the major cause of climate change 61% of greenhouse gas (GHG) HUMAN is the use of energy produced by burning emissions in the Chicago region. In the city ACTIVITY IN fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas). of Chicago, it makes up 70%. THE CHICAGO Many national and local climate change initiatives focus on reducing energy REGION CAUSE consumption, largely through commercial CLIMATE and residential retrofits (tightening up buildings CHANGE? so less energy leaks out).

FACT:

The U.S. has more CO2 emissions per person than 2000 GREENHOUSE 2000 any other country except GAS EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE Australia. THE SIX-COUNTY GAS EMISSIONS CHICAGO METRO OF THE CITY OF AREA—COOK, WILL, CHICAGO DUPAGE, KANE, MCHENRY, AND LAKE COUNTIES

Data courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy Courtesy of City of Chicago

People in regions of the world that CLIMATE on economically disadvantaged contribute the least to climate change— communities and communities of color. CHANGE IS AN including sub-Saharan Africa, low-lying This is because these communities often lack ENVIRONMENTAL Indonesian Islands, and the Arctic—will likely access to the resources needed to cope with JUSTICE ISSUE suffer the most. extreme weather events. In the places that contribute the most African-American residents in Chicago to climate change, including the U.S. and and around the country often reference other industrialized countries, climate Hurricane Katrina as a climate change will have a greater impact injustice.

739 people died from Chicago’s heat wave in 1995. Most were low-income elderly. Their deaths remind us that climate change will have the greatest impact on those lacking the resources to adapt. Climate change is a global issue, but The world’s northern regions, CLIMATE it affects different parts of theworld in such as the Arctic, are seeing the greatest CHANGE LINKS different ways. Some areas will get changes first. These include extensive THE LOCAL more floods while others will suffer from permafrost and glacial melt and increasing sea TO THE GLOBAL droughts. surface temperatures. Some places, like the Chicago region, Many of the Chicago region’s may experience a change in when and how immigrant communities maintain much rainfall they receive. The region very close ties with their home countries and is expected to have wetter winters are often affected by international and springs, and long periods of climate events. dryness in the summer punctuated with more extreme storms and flooding. The Chicago region’s Polish community rallied to help people in Poland affected by severe flooding in 1997 and 2010 (left).

Hurricanes in Mexico in 2010 caused some people to migrate to Chicago's Pilsen community as “climate refugees” (right).

Yes, the climate has always been changing, but Chicago is like many other industrial areas HASN’T THE the current warming trend is different when it comes to the causes of climate change. CLIMATE ALWAYS because: In the early 1900s, Chicago was booming. It was BEEN CHANGING? • It is largely caused by human the beginning of the Century of Progress. activities. But some progress comes at a price: intensifying • CO levels are the highest they have 2 levels of CO accelerated climate change. been in over 800,000 years. 2 • The rate of increase has never been seen before. FACTS:

Levels of CO2 have risen 25% in the last century.

CARBON DIOXIDE in ppm (parts per million)

295 ppm 1900 385 ppm 2007

Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy Many scientists say we need our

CO2 levels back below 350 ppm this century to avoid irreversible impacts. Photo public domain Natural sources like plants, animals, oceans, Sinks include oceans, lakes, forests, and other WHY ARE CO2 and soils have always released more green spaces. They keep the amount of CO2 in LEVELS SO HIGH? carbon into the atmosphere than human the atmosphere in check. This process is called activities do. But in the past the amount the “carbon cycle.” Cutting down trees and of gases released by natural sources was reducing the quality of Earth's natural sinks balanced by the amount of gases being greatly reduces the sinks' ability to store carbon. absorbed by natural “sinks.” The added emissions from human sources today create an imbalance in this cycle that

results in too much CO2 in the atmosphere. Because of this increase, the Earth is warming.

Climate change may continue to alter Climate change is also expected to HOW WILL many aspects of life in the Chicago region. affect nature and wildlife. Scientists CLIMATE Scientists anticipate increases in... project that… CHANGE • Heat-related diseases like heart • Animals and plants may become CONTINUE TO attacks and asthma; stressed from too much heat and too • Flooding, affecting residences, public much or too little precipitation; ALTER LIFE IN transportation, and bridges; • Rivers, lakes, and wetlands may THE CHICAGO • Electricity shortages and changes in become more polluted from increased REGION? energy demands; stormwater run-off, which picks up sewage, • Government expenses, such as garbage, fertilizer, etc. that then flows into landscaping, road maintenance, and these waterways; emergency response. • Invasive species and pests may become a bigger issue. The Chicago region doesn’t have polar bears, but climate change threatens animals here too. The Hine’s emerald dragonfly (left) is an endangered species only found in a few remaining wetlands, including some in the Chicago region. The Bobolink (right) is already rare in the region due to a scarcity of large open spaces for nesting and food. Climate change threatens the habitat of both. Photo courtesy of Paul Burton Photo public domain The Chicago region’s average In September 2008, a record-breaking WHAT IS temperature is increasing. 6.5 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period in ALREADY Temperatures have risen by 2.6°F since 1980. Chicago. Many parts of the city were quickly CHANGING IN The change in temperature is causing Lake flooded by the overflow of the Chicago River, THE CHICAGO Michigan to be frozen for shorter resulting in widespread damage to cars and periods of time during the winter. buildings. In Albany Park, on the northwest side REGION? of the city, dozens of residents were evacuated The region is experiencing more extreme from their homes because of dangerously high weather events, including heat waves, waters. In 2011, this record was broken when flooding, and more 100°F summer days. 6.86 inches fell on July 23rd. Primarily due to this single storm event, Chicago experienced its wettest July on record.

This map shows the projected summer Average projections for Watch Chicago Climate Change: 2010-2029 climate changes over http://vimeo.com/31034957 this century for Illinois Projections for lower relative to existing average GHG emissions summer temperature Projections for higher and precipitation found GHG emissions throughout the United States. For the higher- emissions case, the Chicago region would have a summer climate more like eastern Texas by the end of the century.

Many of our natural sinks have been be less effective at reducing the amount of CO HOW DO WE 2 greatly fragmented or completely lost to in the atmosphere than they have been in the CORRECT THE development, agriculture, and pollution. past. IMBALANCE IN Preserving and restoring the sinks we do Oceans and lakes are likely to reach a CO2 intake THE CARBON threshold in the future. This means that they have left is essential to addressing today’s CYCLE? would not be as good at capturing and storing climate change challenge. carbon, so more carbon would remain in the atmosphere. As a result, our remaining natural sinks would

A Greener Vision for the Chicago Region

FACTS: Hegewisch Marsh, a 130-acre Lake Michigan and wetland on Chicago’s Far the green spaces in the Chicago Southeast Side, is a natural “sink.” region, including 75,500 acres It survived incredible industrial of parks and forest preserves in pollution and is now being Cook County, act as CO sinks. 2 restored. These areas are also critical in providing There are 370,000 acres habitat for the region’s plants of protected land in the Chicago’s suburbs contain and animals. Chicago region. This some of the best remaining map depicts a vision of tallgrass prairie and oak an expanded network savanna. Their deep roots of waterways and open store a substantial amount Image courtesy of space. of carbon. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning The Earth’s temperature has In many regions, spring is coming WHAT EXACTLY increased about 1°F over the past earlier, which is disrupting natural IS CHANGING? 100 years. This has resulted in changes in the processes. For example, some animals atmosphere, ice, ocean, and land. that migrate, such as insect-eating birds, are finding that the animals or plants they are These changes have already made the accustomed to eating are no longer around climate less stable, resulting in some when they arrive. The scientific term for this is regions experiencing more extreme storm “phenological mismatch.” events and flooding, as well as rising sea levels, and others facing drought.

Plant Hardiness Zone 1990 2006 The plant hardiness zone in the Chicago region is changing. This measurement uses average annual CHICAGO minimum temperatures to determine which plant species thrive in which climatic regions. During the past 15 years, over half the U.S., including the Chicago region, warmed one hardiness zone. Plants that once thrived in this region Zone now fare better farther north. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 © 2006 by The National Arbor Day Foundation®

The Chicago region’s average In September 2008, a record-breaking WHAT IS ALREADY temperature is increasing. Temperatures 6.5 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period in CHANGING IN have risen by 2.6°F since 1980. The change in Chicago. Many parts of the city were quickly THE CHICAGO temperature is causing Lake Michigan to be flooded by the overflow of the Chicago River, REGION? frozen for shorter periods of time during resulting in widespread damage to cars and the winter. buildings. In Albany Park, on the northwest side of the city, dozens of residents were evacuated The region is experiencing more extreme from their homes because of dangerously high weather events, including heat waves, waters. In 2011, this record was broken when flooding, and more 100°F summer days. 6.86 inches fell on July 23rd. Primarily due to this single storm event, Chicago experienced its wettest July on record.

This map shows the projected summer climate changes over Average projections for Watch Chicago Climate Change: this century for Illinois relative 2010-2029 http://vimeo.com/31034957 to existing average summer Projections for lower temperature and precipitation GHG emissions found throughout the United Projections for higher States. For the higher-emissions GHG emissions case, the Chicago region would have a summer climate more like eastern Texas by the end of the century.