Chicago Gateway Green has been a pioneer in urban-greening solutions for the past 25 years and the TREEcago initiative is another example of that leadership. Trees provide a variety of benefits to urban areas by removing carbon dioxide and harmful particulates from the air and producing oxygen. They provide shade, reducing cooling costs and storm water run-off and also add to the quality of daily life in the neighborhoods. Originally established to beautify and "green" gateways into Chicago along expressways, TREEcago will allow Gateway Green to expand its efforts into Chicago's neighborhoods.
TREEcago is an effort to address the problem of urban-heat islands along transportation corridors and will serve as an opportunity for people from all over the Chicagoland region to directly invest in their communities and engage in the fight to combat climate change. These improvements are greening our economy for the future and are creating the jobs of tomorrow. For instance, CCIL's Landscape Services will be filling many of TREEcago's staffing needs going forward.
"CCIL is dedicated to providing structure, support and a sense of purpose in the lives of the homeless men and women who come to us. Green jobs, like the ones required to make TREEcago a success, are the backbone of the new economy and we're excited to be helping workers transition into that new workforce," said Eric Hage, Director of Landscape Services at CCIL.
