Students from Columbia College in Chicago came together with Greenpeace and The Yes Lab to take on the Chicago coal industry. The group created an elaborate scheme to announce that a new Coal Plant was planned—but instead of going in a poor neighborhood (like the two coal plants that already exist), this one would be built in a rich one.
First, a Midwest Generation website quietly appeared online.
Then, construction notices showed up on the lot where the new plant would be built:
Then, these brochures started appearing the mailboxes of condo owners adjacent to the lot:
A letter from the city of Chicago also appeared in condo mailboxes, warning residents to remain vigilant in the face of potential future health effects:
Soon, "ambulance chaser" lawyers were in on the act:
Soon enough, a protest group was formed, and these fliers went up all over the neighborhood:
The protest actually occurred and was covered in the media. The "protest group" website pointed to a very real petition in favor of the Clean Power Ordinance, and full of facts about the two coal plants that already existed in Chicago neighborhoods, albeit poor ones:
The fliers and protests got a rise out of residents, and the media coverage helped keep the heat on Chicago to pass a Clean Power Ordinance.
Selected press:
