November Green Events

Chicago Department of Environment News and Opportunities: November 2008

- Saturday, November 1: Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling
Facility Open
- Thursday, November 13: Chicago Wilderness Congress
- November 5 – December 20: Mayor Daley’s Winter Preparedness Fairs
- Through Friday, October 31: Root for Our City
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How to Have a Green Halloween

The friendly eco-people over at Tree Hugger have provided a nice guide for making your Halloween festivities a little more green. The guide provides solid information and resources for making better choices in candy, decorations and costumes.

“Holidays can creep up on you fast, making them hectic and making things such as throwaway costumes, cheap decorations, and disposable cutlery seem convenient. But with a little organization and some simple know-how for last-minute fixes, extending your eco-friendly values into your favorite celebrations doesn’t have to be hard. With our favorite green holiday products and do-it-yourself crafts, delicious and simple recipes, and tried-and-true tips, it’s never been easier to turn Halloween and Thanksgiving into eco-friendly seasons.“

Catch the full article with resources here.

Pizza Fusion Naperville

Freshness and quality have always been invaluable elements for any chef or restaurateur. And for more and more chefs across the nation, finding the best ingredients also means reconnecting with local growers. Buying locally produced foods allows you to experience the seasonal diversity of your region, helps to maintain the local economy, and means that food spends less time in transport, allowing it to retain more of its nutritional value. Since the locavore lifestyle first started gaining attention in 2005, people have been taking a look at where their food comes from and questioning why food is being shipped in from distant (or even international) growers when there are small family farms in the next valley producing marvelous produce or meats. Restaurant chefs are no exception, and as a result, restaurants across the country have begun offering menus that are chock-full of locally and sustainably sourced goodies.

Pizza Fusion proves that the words “chain restaurant,” so often uttered in disappointment, don’t have to mean low quality food. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Pizza Fusion proudly serves up delicious, gourmet pizza in its purest form – untainted by artificial additives, like preservatives, growth hormones, pesticides, nitrates and trans fats (just to name a few). While they’re famous for pizza, their 75% organic menu features an eclectic variety of gourmet sandwiches, salads, desserts, beer and wine. But the goodness doesn’t stop there. In the interests of holding up their strong environmental mission, Pizza Fusion seeks out local and environmentally conscious vendors and suppliers and educates the general public on the importance of sustainable living through ecological community service, consumer education and environmental mentoring, like their Organics 101 course for kids. Visit their website for locations nationwide www.pizzafusion.com. They have a new store opening soon in Naperville @ 2555 W. 75th St. Naperville, IL 60540.

FSC Certified Wood

GreenWerks now offers FSC- (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood in almost all standard grades of dimensional lumber and sheet products, and in many hardwoods too, for your next project. FSC wood meets rigorous standards aimed at minimizing the ecological and social impacts of logging worldwide. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is recognized as the largest and most effective third-party (neutral, non-industry) certifier of responsibly harvested forest products worldwide. Criteria for FSC certification include:

* Adoption of methods that preserve biodiversity in the local ecosystem
* Reduction of environmental impacts including soil erosion and excessive chemical use
* Recognition of the rights of indigenous communities and of forestry workers
* Maintenance of a long-term forest management plan
* Compliance with all applicable laws and international treaties

FSC-certified lumber performs no differently from regular lumber; it is simply sourced from forests or recycled wood sources that are certified as well-managed. When you buy FSC wood through GreenWerks, we can provide you with Chain of Custody (CoC) documentation for your project. This provides a guarantee that your FSC wood has been tracked all along the supply chain: from the forest to the lumber mill to any intermediate processor, distributor, or treater; and finally, to delivery at our warehouse or your jobsite. All along the chain, FSC material is kept separate to ensure that none of it is mixed in with non-FSC wood.

Sizes and availability: Comes in most standard grades of dimensional lumber and sheet products, including North American kiln-dried softwoods such as pine, spruce and Douglas fir; hardwoods such as maple, birch, and cherry; and some exotics. Many standard grades are stocked in locally here in Chicago warehouses from local lumber yards.

Make sure your next remodeling project is done with FSC certified lumber. GreenWerks offers this an an option for additions, garages and home remodeling. Call us today to learn more!

(credit to GreenBuild for Info and Photo)

Energy Star House stops in Chicago

Join the fun with GE, the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA), and ComEd, who will host the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR exhibit at Navy Pier. During this October weekend, Navy Pier is transformed into Navy Fear, with fun Halloween activities all day for all ages. The custom-built exhibit will be stationed right outside the Children’s Museum at Gateway Park. GE’s own ‘Mad Scientist’ booth will be across the pier; this interactive laboratory will be a fun way to illustrate the science behind energy-saving light bulbs, with lots of interactive gadgets including meter comparators, energy bikes, fun ‘monster mash’ music, and beakers with dry ice, for effect. Coupons, brochures, and giveaways will be provided. Don’t miss out, this event is sure to be a scream!

Take a room-by-room tour of the home and learn about ways to save with energy-efficient practices and ENERGY STAR qualified products, such as:

* Lighting
* Electronics
* Home Sealing and Insulation
* Appliances
* Office Equipment
* Heating and Cooling Equipment

While you’re there, take the ENERGY STAR Pledge to join in the fight against global warming. And if you’ve already made energy-efficient changes to your home, inspire others to do the same! Each event will have a “testimonial booth” where you can record your individual energy-saving story about how you have made a positive change for the environment.

Where: Navy Pier Chicago, Illinois
When: October 18–19, 2008