Founded in the fall of 2002 under the name “o2-Chicago” by Peter Nicholson and Rick Sanford, the vision for an active organization comprised of socially and ecologically responsible designers and related professionals grew out of Nicholson’s experience at the 1998 o2 Challenge in the Netherlands. A dynamic, hands-on working conference on sustainable design, the o2 Challenge was organized by o2-Netherlands, the central chapter of the Global o2 Network. .

In late 2001, Nicholson and Sanford, alumni of Oberlin College, formed initial plans for a Chicago chapter of o2. With assistance from other USA-based chapters, including o2-Upper Midwest, o2-Bay Area, and o2-NYC, Nicholson and Sanford began to lay the organizational foundations for o2-Chicago, drawing interest from professionals and students from a wide variety of design-related disciplines.

Since its inception, o2-Chicago’s network has steadily grown, not only in terms of the number of people involved, but also the diversity of fields and interests represented. Members include students and professionals involved in graphic, communication, industrial and interior design, architecture, design research and planning, marketing and entrepreneurship, government and non-profit work, among other fields.

Recognizing that sustainable design is, at its root, a discipline requiring foresight and ethical responsibility, the organization chose to incorporate under the name Foresight Design Initiative, Inc. to better represent its vision and purpose. An IL-state non-profit corporation (501(c)3 tax exempt), Foresight continues to be affiliated with and active in the o2 network.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Community Building
Foresight has brought hundreds of local professionals, leaders, students, and community members together for information exchange and discussion on local environmental issues in producing monthly Chicago Green Drinks events. Occurring since February 2003, these popular gatherings attract an attendance of over 70 people per event, many of them first-time participants.

Education for Action
Foresight has held numerous educational events (over 50 at last count!), including panel discussions, workshops, presentations, tours and design charrettes, addressing a wide breadth of local environmental and sustainability-related issues, including:

These events have reached many hundreds of local professionals, community leaders and students, and have led to active collaborations, increased integration of sustainability into business practices, more sustainable professional and consumer behavior, and the empowerment of community members to effect change.

To extend this impact, Foresight created the Chicago Sustainability Action Guide, an online directory of local resources to assist individuals in applying sustainability concerns to their professional work, community involvement and daily lives. Designed by a collaboration of environmental and design professionals, the Action Guide is the first of its kind in Chicago.

Collaboration for Change
In producing the 1st Annual Chicago Sustainable Design Challenge, Foresight brought together over 50 designers, students and related professionals who collaborated to develop 11 compelling proposals to make Chicago a more sustainable, livable city.

The Design Challenge culminated in Brave New World: Party for a Sustainable Chicago, a festive gathering of more than 240 people at the Merchandise Mart. Proposed projects attracted significant public and media attention, including articles in the Chicago Sun-Times, Conscious Choice and numerous online newsletters; and $2500 was awarded to seed sustainability initiatives at local non-profit organizations.

Empowering Future Leaders
Foresight taught 10 student interns real-life design and implementation skills through developing the Eco-Office Assessment program, which will assist small to medium sized businesses in improving the environmental impact of their office activities. Interns devised a business plan, strategized funding, set up infrastructure, and performed a test-run consulting visit, while learning about design and sustainability through books, lectures and field trips.

Reduced Ecological Footprint
All office activities and events in 2004 are 100% powered by renewable energy sources (i.e. solar, wind), thanks to a generous donation of Green Tags, renewable energy purchasing credits, by Mainstay Energy.