More Rogue Ads on Chicago Streets

Sony learned its lesson.  So did IBM.  But Zipcars... not so much.

The vehicle sharing service which promotes itself as an environmentally friendly alternative to owning a car appears to be guilty of visual pollution.

A number of big companies have done similar things -- putting graffiti on city sidewalks in order to push their products.  IBM did it with Linux.  Sony did it with the PSP.  In both cases, the companies were fined for their transgressions.

In this case, Zipcar has put chalk graffiti on the streets of Chicago's Loop pointing to the location at 160 North Wabash Street.  Whether anyone follows the arrow is a moot point.  That's not why companies post ads like these.  They're looking for branding, and if someone happens to use it as a visual aid then that's just a bonus.

Zipcar promotes itself on its web site as, "Zipcars are good for the planet."  I guess the company also believes the planet would look better with a few extra tattoos.

Slice of Life: Flowers Versus Fisk

The Fisk Generating Station pushes who-knows-what out of its smokestack in Pilsen while wildflowers along Chicago's infamous Bubbly Creek clean the air.

If you're the sort of person who believe what's written in Wikipedia, the coal and kerosene burning plant at 1111 West Cermak Road is not obligated to follow air quality standards outlined in the Clean Air Act because of its age.

We're Breathing What?

Chicago has far more beautiful blue sky days than any city in which I've ever lived.  Especially in the spring and autumn, it can seem like an enchanted place.

But Chicago is far from pristine when it comes to its air.  Much of the time it looks beautiful because we're standing on the ground, looking up into the blue sky.  But the air around us is filthy.

Here's a web site which shows the air quality from day-to-day: Illinois Air Quality Index

And here's a photo illustrating the problem:

That slice of muck at the surface is polluted air.  At the time this photo was taken, the Air Quality Index was at 126, which is "Unhealthy for sensitive groups."  But if you were to go outside and look up, it would just appear to be an ordinary overcast day.  The true extent of Chicagoland's pollution only unveils itself when you're up in the good air looking down on the bad.