Hannah Flynn
Hannah is a fourth year undergraduate Environmental Studies student at the University of Chicago with a concentration in Economics and Policy and a minor in Visual Arts. She is interested in climate change policy, public transit, and how we can use art and design to communicate. In her free time she boxes, sings in a choir, and paints.
Chicago Blogger Hannah Flynn Says Farewell to The Global Grid
by Hannah Flynn
A little over six months ago, I was weathering my final winter as an Environmental Studies student at the University of Chicago. I was knee-deep in midterms and my BA Thesis. I was also planning to interview with Ren... Read article
Chicago’s Farr Associates Continues to Define Sustainable Urbanism
by Hannah Flynn
There is a growing movement for architecture firms to consider how building usage, both inside and out, can promote sustainability. Farr Associates, a Chicago-based architecture firm, is an excellent example of integ... Read article
Chicago’s Nighttime Glow Fades as LEDs Replace Vapor Lamps
by Hannah Flynn
Chicago is known for its bright orange glow at night, thanks to its ubiquitous high pressure sodium vapor lamps. It’s a local detail that many associate viscerally with the city, including Chicago native Mike Mesterh... Read article
Nature, Biking, Connectivity: What’s Coming to the South Side of Chicago
by Hannah Flynn
The North Side of Chicago has spent over a year with its new elevated greenway, The 606. It’s a project that has generally met with positive feedback and has been the setting of everyday commutes and leisurely walks,... Read article
Advances in Bike Sharing Access in Chicago, Illinois
by Hannah Flynn
Since over 600 cities worldwide have their own bike share programs, one would hope that Chicago, ranked the sixth most bike-friendly city in the United States, would have a strong program. Chicago’s Divvy Bikes, intr... Read article
Battle for Bus Lanes: Prioritizing Chicago’s Public Transit
by Hannah Flynn
The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) most iconic feature may be its mostly-elevated rail line system, affectionately known as the “L.” However, its bus system is more widespread and more utilized, with bus routes co... Read article
Chicago Residents Utilizing Gentrification Index to Identify At-Risk Neighborhoods
by Hannah Flynn
Long-time residents of Chicago’s Pilsen, Logan Square, and Bridgeport communities have complained anecdotally that their neighborhoods are gentrifying. John J. Betancur and Youngjun Kim, researchers with the Voorhees... Read article
Studio Gang Builds Chicago’s Changing Future
by Hannah Flynn
The Chicago-based architecture firm, Studio Gang, is quickly gaining worldwide renown. It has been recognized as a growingly preeminent architectural presence in its hometown, as well as other cities across the world... Read article
Chicago Neighborhoods Show Sustainability & Economic Development Go Hand-in-Hand
by Hannah Flynn
The South East Chicago Commission (SECC) has spearheaded the creation of Green Healthy Neighborhoods in Action (GHNA). The effort is focused around building a coalition of South Side sustainability organizations that... Read article
Chicago’s Elevated Greenway “The 606” Solidifying its Identity as it Turns One
by Hannah Flynn
Just under a year ago, Chicago saw the opening of its very own elevated greenway, similar to the more well-known High Line in New York City. Titled “The 606,” after the prefix on all Chicago zip codes, the space is i... Read article
Lucas Museum's Waterfront Location Raises Land Use Questions in Chicago, Illinois
by Hannah Flynn
The George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is slated to open in Chicago, Illinois in 2018. Ma Yonsong of MAD Architects produced a sleek and sloping all-white design to house George Lucas’s personal collection of art, ... Read article
Chicago's Rebuilding Exchange Provides Community Access to Reclaimed Materials
by Hannah Flynn
In working toward sustainable construction, contractors and deconstruction firms want to ensure their extra materials are put to good use and diverted from the waste stream. The Rebuilding Exchange has become a one-s... Read article
Chicago's Shedd Aquarium Demonstrates Leading in Sustainability is Profitable
by Hannah Flynn
How does an aquarium – an institution that’s essentially a building full of chilled tanks of water – embrace sustainability in its practices? The Shedd Aquarium in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, ha... Read article