Power plant hoax bad idea

05/04/2011 10:00 PM

Editorial

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We think reducing pollution on the two coal-fired power plants in the city is a good idea — that’s a given.

Though the city certainly needs electricity, it’s in the best interest of Midwest Generation, as well as the city’s health, to reduce the amount of pollution coming from the power plants.

But last week’s faux power plant stunt in the South Loop, staged by a bunch of Columbia College students, was just bad form.

We understand the desire to bring attention to issues in the less affluent part of town — though Pilsen and Little Village seem to have no shortage of activist groups.

However, conning a bunch of South Loop residents is no way to get them to support your cause. In fact, it’s a pretty good way to get them to hate you.

Particularly, ticking off Ald. Bob Fioretti is bad form. Fioretti is one of the Clean Power Ordinance’s cosponsors, and an ally of the very cause the activists were trying to advance.

But he was definitely ticked off at the hoax, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him become a little less vocal on the ordinance in the future.

On top of that, it’s generally not a good idea to tick off major utility companies, stealing their logo and imitating them. They tend to have good lawyers.


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