If all the talk of a looming recession and potential energy crisis makes you want to give up on work and stay in bed, don’t despair. While some sectors are suffering, the green economy is on the cusp of changing the way we look at the workforce and will lead to the creation of millions of new jobs, if it hasn’t already. Not only will the nation benefit as a whole, with numerous local initiatives and strong support from Mayor Richard M. Daley, Chicago has the potential to become a leader in this emerging green economy.

“From green building to green [packaging], there is a whole range of things that will ultimately transform the way we do business and will be a core aspect of both our national and local economy over time,” says Suzanne Malec-McKenna, commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Environment. The evidence for this growing green economy is all around us—from the development of energy-efficient technologies to small businesses wanting to become more sustainable. “We built a green roof on top of City Hall in 2001 and, at that time, there were two companies nationally who could build it and warrantee it,” says Malec-McKenna. “Now there are two dozen companies just in the Chicago region who could do that work.” There’s also the popularity of the twice-a-month Sustainability Career Workshops run by the Foresight Design Initiative—a non-profit organization that encourages sustainable innovation in Chicago. “We currently have 60 people on the waitlist, and we can only take 16 people because the workshop is small,” says Peter Nicholson, founder and executive director of Foresight Design Initiative.

Although Chicago does not yet have as green an image as West Coast cities, it has the potential. “One of the reasons it’s promising is that we are not at the forefront, the market is not as saturated and everyone here is not a tree hugger,” says Nicholson. “Sometimes it is better to be in an up-and-coming place in terms of green culture than it is to be in a place already green-culture saturated, as there are more opportunities.” Chicago certainly does not lack in opportunities, and recently a range of initiatives has been introduced by a variety of groups and businesses. Significantly, they can all rely on the support of Daley, who vowed years ago that he will transform Chicago into “the greenest city in the nation”—and with Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics, there is even more pressure to be seen to be progressing toward this aspiration.

Integral to the mayor’s goal is the work of the Department of Environment, with its aim to protect health and safety and overall quality of life. Such a broad mission translates into a wide range of responsibilities—which is reflected in their soon-to-be-launched comprehensive Climate Action Plan—but for Malec-McKenna, the support of the green infrastructure is a vital, if only small, part of the department’s role. “It is important for us to engage in the development of the green economy and see what the city’s role is in helping invest into the green economy,” says Malec-McKenna.

Chicago thus provides a very fertile environment for the nascent green economy. One of the most exciting current initiatives is the Green Exchange, which both reflects the strength of the current green marketplace and shows how it will develop in the future. Opening in spring 2009, the Green Exchange will be the country’s largest sustainable business community, with tenants including a green cafe, a green bank, green boutiques and energy consultants, among others. If this was not already impressive, the Green Exchange will keep 95 percent of the building’s original infrastructure, while aiming to meet the Platinum Standard of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, and will feature a green roof and solar water-heating system.

However, this was not the original plan when Chicago-based Baum Development bought the former 272,000-square-foot factory in Logan Square. Initially planning to do an adaptive reuse of the building, the company’s plan evolved when they were approached by local eco-entrepreneur Barry Bursak with a proposal to transform the structure into a green building and a center for the green business community. “This idea provided us with the chance to apply our expertise in renovating buildings and creating communities toward positive change in the green and social world,” says Phil Baugh, the director of community development for Green Exchange. Not only will the building be a “venue and platform” for businesses, but Baugh hopes the building will “be a catalyst for public education and increase awareness and adoption of sustainable practices, products and services.”

While businesses like Baum Development take advantage of the green market, a coalition in Chicago has emerged to ensure that the benefits of the green economy are enjoyed by all sectors of society. Formed in September 2007, the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative aims to capture new employment opportunities in the green economy for low-skilled individuals in the Chicago area. “We started as some colleagues around a conference table last year, and now we have nine steering partners and 50 members,” says Kindy Kruller, chair of the steering committee and an associate at environmental non-profit Delta Institute. A collaboration of partners from labor groups, businesses, community colleges, sustainability organizations and non-profits, the initiative has grown quickly since it was first started. Still young, the Green Collar Jobs Initiative is finding its feet but has already begun research into identifying which job sectors will be more suitable for “green collar” jobs. While similar to national organizations like Green for All, the Chicago Green Collar Jobs Initiative benefits from having many local partners, which will allow it to truly meet the needs of the region.

Chicago still has a long way to go before it catches up with the West Coast in the green marketplace. But with support from the city government and a plethora of initiatives from businesses and local community members, the future looks bright for the Chicago green economy.