In a recent article, Realtor.com featured 10 top "green" cities that put clean air, clean water, renewable energy and green public transportation first. Chicago was on that list!

Chicago offers it's residents renewable and sustainable energy as well as a commitment to improve the standard of living. Our city also has 42 green-certified building projects, with more to come.

Eventhough Chicago is already green, the city aspires to improve even more and hopes to buy 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources this year. Local officials also will offer tax incentives to homeowners who invest in Chicago’s many historic homes and retrofit them with energy efficient heating and cooling systems.

Tourism is also "green". Many people are unaware that all of the city’s nine museums and the Art Institute of Chicago have been converted to run partially on solar power. Boaters and swimmers who enjoy the city's lakefront will be happy to know that the water quality is rated as excellent by the Natural Resources Defense Council.