A message for all nimby's and complaining suburbs...

Gripers Should Move If Chicago Area Is So Terrible
Reprinted from Herald News
by Paul Steinhauer

Do you people complaining about railroad crossing delays, and various annoyances regarding O'Hare Airport realize that you can move to almost anywhere in the United States and reduce, even eliminate, these irritations in your life?

Didn't you ever learn, "life is about choices"? Live someplace like Peotone, if you want clean air, quiet, few trains, and no planes. Live in Chicagoland if you want more job opportunities, with larger pay checks; because Chicagoland is home to lots of huge factories that require a lot of freight service and huge offices that require a lot of passenger transportation. Don't expect your millions of neighbors to give up their chosen life style, careers and incomes because you do not like certain aspects of urban life. Most of your neighbors know the pollution and the jobs are intertwined.

Those of you closest to O'Hare may be able to elect a handful of legislators that support your cause. But the majority of legislators will continue to vote for enlarging O'Hare because they represent the millions more people who live further away from O'Hare but whose lifestyle depends on the economic benefits that require a large airport like O'Hare.

If you get satisfaction out of complaining, fine. But if you truly want to live with cleaner air in the very near future, move!

Since I moved to DesPlaines in 1953, more homes have been built near O'Hare. Housing demand has continued to grow, even with and in many cases, because of O'Hare.

You should have no problem selling your home to someone who is willing to endure the problems of urban living in order to also enjoy the benefits. You can probably buy a comparable home in a smaller community and have money left over. The cost of living is lower in most of the small towns that offer the absence of trains, quiet and/or clean air you want, because the economy there does not offer as many jobs, or as high salaries. If you stay, taking personal action to better your environment will accomplish more than expecting others to do something while you simply complain.

Buy less stuff. Those trains that keep you waiting at grade crossings are the result of people measuring the quality of life in how much "stuff" they own. Where people buy less stuff, there are fewer trains hauling stuff. Drive less. Our sidewalks, bike racks, and buses are underused. It is obvious that the majority of people complaining about O'Hare air pollution never leave home without a car. Air pollution is something each person chooses to create each time (s)he starts an engine. Some trips by car are necessary. But most people get into a car out of habit, without ever thinking if this trip could be accomplished by walking, bicycling or riding a bus. Buy less-polluting cars. How many people who complain about O'Hare air pollution have a bigger car with a bigger engine than they need?

Instead of telling legislators "no more flights" at O'Hare, we should tell them we want more tax dollars to go to research today, and schooling for future researchers. More fuel efficient engines and cleaner fuels for planes (and cars) may mean cleaner air in the future, without putting brakes on the Chicagoland economy that attract so many people to the O'Hare area.