Soul Vegetarian Chicago bakes Mayor Daley B-Day Cake

Chicago puts on green face as Green Festival opens
By Bob Burgdorfer
US News

CHICAGO - Chicago put on its green face this Earth Day weekend as Mayor Richard Daley opened the Green Festival on Saturday by boasting about the city's aggressive tree planting effort and other actions to clean up the environment.

'It is not just for beauty, it is for the environment,' said Daley of his tree planting campaign. 'Everything that we plant cleans the environment. ... I am very passionate about green technology.'

Billed as the world's largest environmentally friendly consumer event, the Green Festival is expected to draw about 30,000 people during its two-day run. Daley urged attendees to join the nation's third-largest city in helping the environment by switching to more efficient florescent lightbulbs, turning off water while brushing teeth, drive less, walk or bike more and replace plastic shopping bags with reusable ones.

While Daley was talking about the city's environmental efforts, the Chicago Park District was conducting Earth Day clean-up efforts at the city's parks. After his speech, Daley, who turns 65 on Tuesday, was given an organic birthday cake made by Soul Vegetarian Restaurant.