Posts Tagged Chicago

10th anniversary for Green Festival in 2011, Chicago event May 14th and 15th

May 9

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“This year’s annual Chicago Green Festival taking place on May 14th and 15th at Chicago’s McCormick Place Lakeside occurs as Green Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2011, with an updated interactive marketplace and countless learning opportunities designed to promote sustainability and interconnectivity within the green movement.

Green Festival is a joint project of Green America and Global Exchange, two cutting-edge nonprofits that have been dedicated to furthering environmental and social concerns for nearly 30 years.

The goal of the Green Festivals, which are playfully dubbed ”Parties with a Purpose,” is to promote healthy living by addressing a wide variety of social, economic and environmental concerns.”

10th anniversary for Green Festival in 2011, Chicago event May 14th and 15th via Kirsten E. Silven – Earth Times

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Keeping it Green in Chicago

May 6

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“Yoga isn’t limited to just a practice or exercise, to many of us it is way of life—a culture, even. Yoga is non-harming: this means we do no harm to ourselves, to others, and we can even go as far as to extend that belief to the environment. We cherish the air we breathe and the earth under our feet, so why not do our best to take care of it?

Going green means something different to everybody—whether it’s recycling your newspapers, using cloth bags at the grocery store or investing in a hybrid car, every little bit helps. If you’re looking for more ideas on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle, head down to McCormick Place next weekend for the Chicago Green Festival.”

READ MORE: Keeping it Green in Chicago via Sara Lynn Antrim – Examiner.com

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City of Chicago Announces 50% off Savings Through the 2011 Chicago Sustainable Backyard Program

May 5

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CHICAGO, IL – May 3, 2011 The City of Chicago has launched the 2011 Chicago Sustainable Backyard Program to provide information and incentives to city residents to promote more environmentally-friendly landscapes in their front, side and backyards.

This summer, the Department of Environment is making rebate forms available to Chicago residents for up to 50% off their next local purchase of:

TREES (up to $100 back)

NATIVE PLANTS (up to $60 back)

COMPOST BINS (up to $50 back)

RAIN BARRELS (up to $40 back)

The Department of Environment will also be hosting a series of Sustainable Backyard Workshops to present the basics of installing a rain barrel, setting up a compost bin, planting a tree, planting a native garden and more.

Rebate amounts were allocated based on the value of the ecosystem services provided by each product. Ecosystem services are the benefits from healthy ecosystems, including greenhouse gas reduction, stormwater management, improved air quality, and improved human health. For each tree we plant, it is estimated that we receive services valued at roughly $1,200 over the life of that tree. All of these environmentally-friendly products are worth the investment and the City wants to help by reducing the costs through this rebate program.

“We want to help Chicago residents create sustainable landscapes that clean the air, reduce flooding, provide habitat for native wildlife, and combat climate change,”

commented Commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna.  “By offering rebates, the City supports the growth of local markets for these sustainable products, while keeping them affordable to residents. Over time, we hope the demand generated by these incentives will help to increase the availability of these products across the City.”

Rebate forms will be made available at all Sustainable Backyard Workshops, participating garden centers and hardware stores, and on the City’s website at www.cityofchicago.org/rainbarrel. The full workshop schedule is available on the City’s website.

The Chicago Sustainable Backyard Program is coordinated by the Department of Environment in partnership with the Departments of Water Management and Streets and Sanitation, the Chicago Trees Initiative, and others. Funding for rebates comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Pollution Prevention Program and a USDA Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant.

The City website will be updated regularly with news about our Sustainable Backyard Program.  Residents can be added to our contact list by sending an email to RainBarrel@cityofchicago.org or by calling 312.743.9283

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/doe/provdrs/nat_res/news/2011/may/city_of_chicago_announces50offsavingsthroughthe2011chicagosustai.html

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100,000 Expected to Participate in World Fair Trade Day Events Across North America

May 5

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Hundreds of sessions to educate the public on the benefits of fair trade and provide samples of products from around the globe

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 5, 2011 A record 100,000 people across the US and Canada are expected to participate in hundreds of events over the next two weeks to mark World Fair Trade Day, which is May 14, 2011. Cities, towns, churches, groups and individuals are planning events to highlight social, economic and environmental benefits to buying Fair Trade. The events include Fair Trade festivals, Fair Trade coffee breaks, webinars and Fair Trade artisan tours among others.

For information about World Fair Trade Day events in your area or to find out more information about the benefits of buying Fair Trade, go to http://www.fairtraderesource.org/wftd/.

Many Americans are unaware how many day-to-day items are produced in abusive labor conditions which include sweatshops and child labor. These items include clothing, furniture, and foods such as coffee, chocolate and sugar. The Fair Trade system helps producers and suppliers earn a living wage and take steps to protect the environment. It also serves to empower individuals and communities, support women’s and children’s rights, promote dignity and respect, and connect developing nations with developed nations and markets.

World Fair Trade Day national campaign coordinator, and Executive Director, Fair Trade Resource Network Jeff Goldman, said: “the meaningful activities comprising this largest Fair Trade event in North America allow adults and kids to learn about empowering marginalized people while celebrating justice and sustainability with hundreds of thousands worldwide.”

Examples of World Fair Trade Day events around the U.S. include:

  • Texas. Austin Fair Trade Film Festival, May 12-14 at various locations. Events include a short film competition, a Fair Trade wine and chocolate pairing event, and the Fair Trade film festival and global market.
  • Illinois. Chicago World Fair Trade Day celebration, May 6, 2011 at Daley Plaza. Companies will be selling Fair Trade gifts, coffee, chocolate and more and there will be programs and world music played throughout the day. Additionally there will be a Fair Trade pavilion at the Chicago Green Festival on May 14-15 at McCormick Place in Lakeside, IL where non-profits and Fair Trade vendors will be on hand.
  • New York State. Several upstate events are planned, including a World Fair Trade Day celebration in Albany on May 13th at the Ten Thousand Villages store, and a Fair Trade/Coffee Break Celebration in Rochester on May 14th at One World Goods.
  • Oregon. A variety of events in Portland to include an informational Fair Trade 101 Panel Discussion at Kells Irish Pub on May 9th, and the St. Andrew/Catholic Relief Services World Fair Trade Day celebration on May 15th featuring music, food, crafts, and informational talks.
  • Florida. A Fair Trade wine tasting in Orlando on May 15, at the Lake Eola Farmers Market. This event will also feature food, live music, and local craft vendors.

Major sponsors of World Fair Trade Day include nonprofit and faith-based organizations, such as Green America, Catholic Relief Services, Fair Trade Towns and Fair Trade USA, as well as retail companies, such as Ben and Jerry’s, Fair Trade Apparel, Green Mountain Coffee, Lucuma Designs, Wholesome Sweeteners and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. Regular sponsors include Fair for Life Social & Fairtrade Certified, Fair World Project, Global Exchange, Indigenous Designs, Maggie’s Organics, Theo Chocolate and WorldofGood.com by eBay.

ABOUT FAIR TRADE RESOURCE NETWORK

Founded in 1999, the Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN) seeks to build a more just and sustainable world by gathering, developing, and disseminating educational resources about Fair Trade. FTRN is the only non-profit organization in the world focused exclusively on Fair Trade education, helping people to better understand the impact of their buying decisions.

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Celebrate “Spring” with me next weekend at Green Festival!

May 5

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“Hopefully the weather will be nicer next weekend for the Green Festival, the nation’s largest green consumer living event. This two day eco-extravaganza features over 300 environmentally-friendly vendors, educational workshops, live music, local vegetarian cuisine, and organic wine and beer. I’m hoping to get some good ideas on how I can improve my ecological footprint and of course, I want to eat some great food!! I am definitely going to check out the organic cooking demonstrations. Corey and our friends Heather and Josh are coming too so stay tuned for pics from the event! Let me know if you are going to be there! I will be attending on Sunday.”

Celebrate “Spring” with me next weekend at Green Festival! via Dishin’ About Nutrition

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Ford and Green Festival Give Organizations a Chance to Make a Difference with Community Green Grants

May 5

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  • Ford and the Green Festival are teaming up to invite organizations and communities to propose innovative and impactful ideas that would improve the environment in their local communities with a $5,000 Community Green Grant
  • The Green Festival and Community Green Grant will travel to Chicago, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco this year. Entries for the grant to be awarded at the Chicago Green Festival are due by May 7
  • As a corporate innovator partner of all five 2011 Green Festivals being held across the U.S., Ford will have a presence at each event that includes a display at the Ford Pavilion, test drives of hybrids and electrified vehicles, and a Ford executive speaker on the company’s sustainability and green vehicle strategy

Dearborn, Mich., May 3, 2011 – Ford and the Green Festival have teamed up to find and fund the most innovative projects to improve the environment in five U.S. cities. The Community Green Grant program challenges organizations and individuals to propose impactful ideas that would improve the environment in their local communities prior to the start of a local Green Festival. Attendees at the Green Festival in each city will vote to select the project proposal that will receive the $5,000 Community Green Grant.

“Being an environmentally responsible company is a key part of the Ford corporate identity,” said John Viera, Ford director of Sustainability & Vehicle Environmental Matters. “By working with the Green Festival, we are able to extend this sustainable thinking beyond Ford and do something tangible and permanent to improve the local community following each event.”

Before each event opening, a panel from Green Festival and Ford will select a group of Community Green Grant finalists from among the proposals submitted. During the Green Festival, the finalists’ project proposals will be presented in the Ford Pavilion, with the winner of the Community Green Grant chosen by a vote of festival attendees.

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Ford to bring the Community Green Grant program to all of the Green Festival cities,” said Greg Roberts, Green Festival producer. “I am confident we will receive some very creative project proposals from the many people and organizations who participate in the events.”

Attendees will vote on the grant finalists throughout the two-day event. The votes will be tallied on-site and the winning project proposal will be announced on the final afternoon of the Green Festival.

“The Green Festival is a great fit for Ford because it’s a way to connect with the most passionate and environmentally concerned consumers,” said Viera. “We can share our sustainability strategy and have a two-way dialogue about how we can work together to improve the environment.”

As a corporate innovator partner, Ford will have a presence at each of the Green Festivals that includes a display at the Ford Pavilion, test drives of hybrids and electrified vehicles, and a presentation by a Ford executive speaker who will discuss the company’s sustainability and green vehicle strategy.

Sustainable ideas
The first $5,000 Community Green Grant will be awarded during the Chicago Green Festival, May 14-15. Later in 2011, the Green Festival and Community Green Grant will travel to Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Entries for each festival must be received by the following dates:

Chicago, May 7
Seattle, May 14
New York, Sept. 24
Los Angeles, Oct. 22
San Francisco, Nov. 5

Ideas can be submitted to communitygreengrant@actionpartners.com or mailed to:

Attn: Community Green Grant
3020 Carbon Place, Suite 300
Boulder, CO 80301

Blueprint for Sustainability
Ford’s corporate sustainability strategy encompasses a wide range of efforts, such as the improved energy efficiency of its facilities around the world, the reduction of CO2 emissions of its vehicles, and accelerated development of more fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel vehicles. For additional information, see Ford’s Blueprint for Sustainability at http://www.ford.com/about-ford/company-information/corporate-sustainability.

# # #

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visitwww.ford.com.

About Green Festival
At Green Festival®, a project of Green America and Global Exchange, we’re celebrating what’s working in our communities and around the world – for people, business and the environment. Think of Green Festival® as a walk through a sustainable community. It begins with finding solutions to help make our lives healthier-socially, economically and environmentally. Individuals, business and community leaders come together to discuss critical issues that impact us at home and abroad. Organizations and businesses showcase programs and products that restore the planet and all that inhabit it. Neighbor-to-neighbor connections are formed and skills are shared to empower people to create positive change in the world.www.greenfestivals.org

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Green Team students going to Chicago

May 5

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“Members of Green Team Southwestern will participate in a service-learning trip to Chicago beginning next week.

“The Green Team does a service-learning trip every year, and this year, we are going to Chicago,” said Green Team director Jason Speegle of the trip May 9-17. “We are going to be working at Riverwoods Christian Camp, which is a camp for underprivileged kids in the Chicago area.”

Speegle said the Green Team will help prepare the camp for summer usage by painting, landscaping, wood-chopping and trail-paving.

The Green Team also will attend the Chicago Green Festival on May 14.”

Green Team students going to Chicago via the Winfield Daily Courier

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Organic Food Club Inc. Offers "Taste Before You Buy" at Chicago Green Festival

May 4

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Organic Food Club, Inc., dba Taste-A-Thon has over 35 years experience in the organic and natural food industry.  We have strived to gain exposure in the desirable and highly targeted Green and sustainable market by providing the public with the opportunity to “taste before they buy” (our motto) at mass-marketed events, schools and farmer’s markets.

The Taste-A-Thon concept has been a lively and popular attraction for over twenty-three years.  We are proud of the fact that our booths are consistently busy with people waiting to taste and sample our foods throughout the day.  Taste-A-Thons are located in cities where retail merchants sell the products we sample.  In addition, by handing out product information and coupons, this is a powerful way to increase the retailer’s customer base.

Recently, we have implemented www.OrganicFoodClub.com, an Amazon (online) Store, conveniently organized for an easy accessible shopping experience.  One click and you can select over 30 alphabetized categories, ranging from baby products to sweeteners and syrups, including dips & spreads, snack bars, energy beverages and gluten free cookies, etc. Amazon’s healthy organic product pricing is practically impossible to match due to their massive economies of scale. We urge you to check our low prices and compare to where you buy your healthy organic products now.

Our involvement in the Green Festivals began in 2007 in San Francisco, CA, and we have since participated each year.  This month at the Chicago Green Festival, we will be sampling products from the following companies:

  • Santa Cruz Organic / RW Knudsen (organic juices, sodas, peanut butter, jelly and applesauce);
  • Lisanatti Foods (alternative organic soy and almond-based cheeses);
  • Lifeway Foods (local organic / natural kefir beverages);
  • Follow Your Heart / Earth Island (vegan soy organic cream cheese, salad dressings, mayonnaise, cheeses);
  • Alvarado Street Bakery (organic sprouted variety of breads and bagels);
  • Tiny Mighty Popcorn (organic popcorn);
  • Raw Indulgence (organic fruit and nut snack bars);
  • Food For Life Bakery (organic gluten free english muffins, cereals and veggie burgers);
  • Earth Friendly Products (plant-based household cleaning products);
  • Lundberg Family Farms (organic rice cakes and chips);
  • San-J (organic tamari samples and sauces);
  • Sunshine Burger (organic vegan burgers);
  • Michael Seasons Natural Snacks (organic corn curls and chips);
  • Dr. Kracker (assorted organic flatbread crackers); and
  • Others to come.

Our newest company, Taste Marketing, Inc. dba Organic Produce Box has created a fundraising opportunity for schools, organizations, businesses, or an individual.  This program makes it possible to conveniently purchase certified organic produce that is affordable and fresher than store bought.  We are currently looking for new pickup locations for a minimum of 25 people / families to order these boxes.  Please visit www.organicproducebox.com for more information, or contact 773-331-0260.  Stop by the Taste-A-Thon booth.

Finally, we have aligned our efforts with community action/non-profit organizations such as Farm Aid and the Organic Farming Research Foundation.  It is through their generous donations that we continue to create fundraising campaigns which set us apart from any other consumer direct marketing company.  We are extremely pleased with our donation concept, as it has raised thousands of dollars over the last several years.

For more information contact:

Ed Kugler, Taste-a-thon Founder

tastemarketing@gmail.com

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Neo-Network: Mimi's Organic Exchange

May 2

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“In an online, instantaneous, and ever-evolving world, we have innumerable social networks and a myriad of opportunities to connect with others. But face-to-face communication is waning and quality time is fading away—so are we really creating lasting connections?Mimi’s Organic Exchange (MOE), which is located in Chicago, is another kind of network, a healing network that facilitates “positive sharing” among professionals, small businesses, artisans, non-profits, and others interested in developing sustainable connections through social events. MOE supports socially, environmentally, and spiritually sustainable products and services.

Both MOE and The Convergence Project are groups that are passionate about teaching and encouraging others to be more open-minded, building community, and forming real connections. In Clayton’s words, we want people to “be respectful to each other. We are living on this planet. We are all living together.”

MOE and The Convergence Project will be presenting at the upcoming Green Festival on May 14-15 at McCormick Center”

READ MORE: Neo-Network: Mimi’s Organic Exchange via Chicagoist

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Defy Bags: From yesterday's campaign to today's fashion

Apr 29

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From yesterday’s campaign to today’s fashion

What happens to old billboards? One local man asked- and didn’t like the answer. So now he’s giving new purpose… via ABC7 Chicago

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