I am currently in Chicago, and I am struck by some parallels between this city and San Francisco. Chicago’s Mayor Daly has a reputation as one of America’s greenest mayors. Publications from the SF Sentinel to Metropolis Magazine have cited Chicago’s various programs as true examples of a Green City.

The city is greener, in the sense that there’s a lot more shrubbery and trees and plants around than there used to be. Still, as a Green City, it’d be more convincing if it had a functional recycling program.

This emphasis on model programs over the less sexy, more day-to-day stuff is one that I think funds parallels in many cities, not excepting San Francisco.

Green Roofs without a functional recylcing program may sound good, but it doesn’t make the city more environmental.

TechConnect without making sure that the people who don’t know how to use a computer–or don’t have access to tech support–get the training and help they need will not close the digital divide in San Francisco.

Making a commitment to Community Policing while cops are still too busy making bad video parodies to care about our communities will keep people from being gunned down in our streets.

It’s great that mayors can point to these programs as great and innovative, and they certainly get a lot of press, but if the day-to-day stuff does not get done, they end up being PR opportunities and not real change.