Chicago has it all. Great food, incredible skyline and architecture, and the kindest Midwestern folks you'll ever meet. Diversity of people and culture, second to none. Millions of people move to cities like Chicago each year to pursue their life's dreams and passions. I know I did, and that's because cities are booming marketplaces of people and companies of products and materials, and something not so great -- waste and greenhouse gas emissions. According to a 2022 World Bank report, our beloved communities could be responsible for 25 gigatons of carbon emissions and a ton and ton of waste. But what does this mean for your community? Think about that building being torn down, maybe on the corner next to your office or your home, and all the wood, and concrete, and steel or the office equipment or computers or furniture being tossed out, dumped in a landfill often near the homes of our low-income neighbors.

Let's follow Gary...

Chicago has it all. // Great food, / incredible skyline and architecture, / and the kindest / Midwestern folks you'll ever meet. // Diversity of people and culture, / second to none. // Millions of people move to cities like Chicago / each year / to pursue their life's dreams and passions. // I know I did, / and that's because / cities are booming marketplaces / of people and companies / of products and materials, / and something not so great / -- waste and greenhouse gas emissions. // According to a 2022 World Bank report, / our beloved communities / could be responsible for 25 gigatons / of carbon emissions / and a ton / and ton of waste. // But what does this mean for your community? // Think about that building / being torn down, / maybe on the corner next to your office / or your home, / and all the wood, / and concrete, / and steel / or the office equipment / or computers / or furniture / being tossed out, / dumped in a landfill / often near the homes / of our low-income neighbors. //

Let's read...

In United States, 40 percent of landfill contain materials from the construction and demolition of buildings. This is our linear economy. It's bad for our climate. It's bad for our health. And it's a missed economic opportunity. But we can turn this line into a circle. Many connected circles in fact, where the physical resource finds another use and another life, driving down greenhouse gas emissions from new manufacturing, shrinking harmful landfill, and creating a lot of jobs. This disconnected linear economy becomes a circular one when you transform our concept of ownership into a system where every person and every business has access to the things others no longer find useful. Wood from that building being torn down could be a dining room table. Bricks could be concrete again, and furniture could be rehabbed and resold to an up-and-coming startup.

Let's follow Gary...

In United States, / 40 percent of landfill contain materials / from the construction and demolition of buildings. // This / is our linear economy. // It's bad for our climate. // It's bad for our health. // And it's a missed economic opportunity. // But we / can turn this line / into a circle. // Many connected circles in fact, // where the physical resource finds another use / and another life, / driving down greenhouse gas emissions from new manufacturing, / shrinking harmful landfill, / and creating a lot of jobs. // This disconnected / linear economy / becomes a circular one / when you transform / our concept of ownership / into a system where every person / and every business / has access / to the things others / no longer find useful. // Wood / from that building being torn down / could be a dining room table. // Bricks / could be concrete again, // and furniture / could be rehabbed / and resold to an up-and-coming startup. //