World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
Chris Campbell | 
Oct 26th, 2009 | 
What started as a London secretary’s pining for the English countryside has now turned into an international movement for green-minded people who volunteer on organic farms around the world.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), a volunteer exchange program founded in 1971 by Sue Coppard, is bringing volunteers to over 40 countries, something that the former secretary at Resurgence Magazine never envisioned. “I desperately missed being able to get out to the countryside,” she recalls of her humble beginnings, “I thought that if I offered to help out on a farm, they would let me stay.”
Let her stay they did – and with other volunteers she had tagged. Fast forward to almost four decades later, and WWOOF is now sending environment-conscious individuals from one country to another: the US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, Turkey, Israel, South Africa, Australia, India, Japan, and many more. The goal is to help more people understand the intricate relationship between food and environment, by way of connecting them with organic farmers looking for volunteer help.
In return for volunteering, the WWOOF hosts in farms all over the world provide food, accommodation, and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. Of course, there’s also the chance to see the rest of the world. Like Coppard, volunteers are placed in an environment – organic farms – where sustainability and ecologically sound practices are promoted. A genuine interest in organic lifestyles and you’re one step closer to becoming a volunteer.
Since the work is volunteer-based, some countries in WWOOF’s network require neither work nor tourist visas. People coming to the US, however, may require an American Visa to participate in the program. WWOOF nonetheless presents a win-win situation. Organic farmers are opening new doors to greener ways of living, while volunteers from around the world get the chance to have a genuine cultural exchange and learning experience.
As WWOOF continues to grow, so does Coppard’s amazement. “I’m staggered at what has happened,” she says, “but immensely proud, too.” Indeed, she has reason to. From this secretary’s simple countryside yearnings have emerged a better, greener world.
Gabriel Environmental Annual Open House
Gabriel is the Chicago expert for environmentally responsible testing and clean up of contaminated sites. They have an annual open house that is usually quite a blast and I thought I would share this invite with you.
You’re cordially invited…
You are invited to join Gabriel as we break out the grill for our Last Bash of Summer! This year’s Open House will feature live entertainment, mouth-watering food and delectable drinks.
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
4:00 pm-8:30 pm
Gabriel’s Headquarters – 1421 N. Elston Ave Guests are welcome!
Highlights include:
Tours of our award-winning gardens, rain collection system, and our NEW geothermal and solar power systems
Demonstrations of our newest and largest Geoprobe® soil boring machine
Laboratory tours
Raffles, giveaways, and more!
Do you love summer? Do you enjoy barbeques and live entertainment? Then RSVP to Sara Scardina at gabriel@gabrielenvironmental.com by September 4th, and join us at our annual Open House!
You can also RSVP by calling us at (773) 486-2123, or faxing us at (773) 486-0004.
GABRIEL Environmental Services is located at 1421 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60642 773-486-2123 ph www.gabrielenvironmental.com
Green Hero of Chicago-Jessa Brinkmeyer: Making Chicago Stylish and Sustainable
Many people look to incorporate their environmental responsibilities into their daily lives yet don’t know how. However, what if showing your green pride was as easy as simply picking out your outfit in the morning. Jessa Brinkmeyer, owner of the stylish eco-friendly boutique, Pivot, shows Chicagoans that by dressing with the environment in mind we can reduce our impact while increasing our style factor. For this reason we recognize Jessa as this week’s GreenWerks Green Hero of Chicago.
Walking into Jessa’s Pivot Boutique, you’d never suspect it was filled with clothing made from organic cotton, surplus materials, or recycled wood (in terms of the jewelry). Jessa understands that consumers today aren’t interested in being bombarded with environmentally savvy tips so she only adds subtle green touches—like her clothing tags. On the back of every tag there is information on what that piece is made of that makes it more sustainable than conventional cotton. “The tags are meant to not be too overwhelming. I want people to walk in and feel like you’re in any other boutique,” Jessa stresses. 
Started in September 2007, this boutique was the first of its kind in Chicago. Jessa never dreamed of owning a retail store, yet she saw a need in this city and feeling passionate enough about the benefits of alternative materials she felt inspired to open her store, “I felt there was a void in Chicago for a place dedicated to eco-fashion and its education and promotion…yet there were great designers here.”
Jessa sees a lot of business as Chicagoans are slowly catching the green fever. Despite this recent increase in environmental enthusiasm, people are still a bit hesitant about eco-fashion, “There are lots of misconceptions out there. People think of burlap sacks when they think of this business,” Jessa admits. Another issue is the fact that Americans go for the cheaper price along with cheaper materials. This trend only leads to clothing that needs to be thrown out in a year as it lacks durability and quality—making this constant cycle of buying and re-buying an unsustainable cycle. Jessa shares that we, as a nation are lost in our efforts to be more consumer conscious, “Right now, we’re focused on fast fashion—people don’t think of the process and where things came from.” Her one request is that people become more informed about where their clothes were made and how they were made—from there, people will see for themselves the harmful and unnecessary steps that exist in conventional clothing and products.
Jessa attributes a lot of her success to Chicago’s recent focus on environmental responsibility. She’s actively involved in Chicago’s green community, something she describes as “vibrant and thriving.” She believes it’s a great community and they’re even seeing new people come into the mix on a regular basis. Having people with the same interests and desires for this city can only positively influences these businesses, yet there still is some progress to be made. “Some people don’t come in to my store because they might not feel connected with the green movement or they’re intimidated—some people can be intimidated by the process of greening your lifestyle but it’s just about making different choices,” Jessa notes.
We recognize Jessa for her dedication to the green community and her desire to inform conventional consumers to think differently about the products they use and wear. Simply by reevaluating these processes she urges that we can make better choices for the planet and even make better choices for our appearance. Jessa has made it easy for Chicagoans to make this happen, “I want people to realize that you don’t have to sacrifice style and comfort to create a conscious wardrobe.”
Green Hero of Chicago- Joe Silver: Supplying for the Green Demand
Having grown up in a construction supply family, it was an easy decision for Joe Silver to take on the family business. However, Joe chose not only to uphold the business but more importantly he chose to modify his product to be more applicable to the times—the more environmentally responsible times. Joe Silver is a partner in one of the leading sustainable building supply companies in Chicago, and for this reason he is this week’s GreenWerks Green Hero of Chicago.
After having originally founded GreenMaker Supply Co., Joe recently made the move to merge with Green Depot allowing his business to flourish in not only Chicago but other states as well. Joe’s Green Depot sells sustainable building supplies, whether it’s paints, carpets, cabinets, or any materials needed to build or remodel your space in an environmentally conscious manner. Green Depot prides itself on selling products that fit its green criteria of air quality, conservation, local, energy, and responsibility. These five staples are displayed all throughout their store and website allowing consumers to actually see what makes these green products different from conventional products.
Joe urges consumers to look into using more sustainable products as it is a smart, easy decision, “These materials lead to better indoor health—we take out all the harmful chemicals. Like let’s take our cabinets: there’s no added formaldehydes.” He also points out the better sustainability of his products, “Our flooring is all renewable.”
Despite Joe’s success–his stores are doubling in number every year, he admits that there is somewhat of a green resistance among consumers who have only bought conventional products, “In the beginning, we were working mostly on education.” A major deterrent for Joe’s business is the misconception that the pricing for green products is much higher than conventional products yet he shoots down this theory, “Half of our store right now is down to conventional pricing—there’s little difference anymore.”
As far as the hesitation to build green because it may just be a fad, Joe believes that’s ridiculous. Having grown up seeing the trends of construction and remodeling he is confident that being more environmentally responsible in your home or building is the future, “It’s here to stay—it’s not green, I hate the word green because that sounds like a niche—this way of building should just be the norm.”
What can we, the individual, do to help make sustainable building supplies the “norm”? According to Joe, it’s all about our decisions, “Contractors are afraid of change, it’s the homeowners that are making the demand.” Let’s make the demand, Chicago!
Start of Construction for Hutchinson Residence
We got some great feedback on the recent pictures we posted of the Oak Park project. I stopped out last week at the Hutchinson Residence where we are doing an entire home rehab. Our project manager Mark and site manager Santana has been doing a great job keeping this 8 week project on schedule. You can see from the photos below that in the first two weeks we did a successful deconstruction of the interior of the home and have begun framing out the new layout. The entire floor plan is being changed to open up this Chicago home, including relocation of the stairs which has been completed. Are you ready to have GreenWerks start your project? Give us a call today.
Framing, plumbing and electric are all working on site today!
The stairway was relocated and he built out the floor to cover up the area where the previous stair way existed.
Santana the GreenWerks site manager is reviewing the blueprints for this Chicago home remodeling project.
Green Hero of Chicago-Lisa Elkins: Redesigning Chicago’s Sustainability
All around the nation there’s a buzz in the air. No, it’s not regarding the scandalous affair of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Nor is it about the unexpected death of legendary Michael Jackson. No. The real buzz—the buzz that haunts our dreams and drains our bank accounts is the constant reminder of our failing economy. I know, sick of it yet? But, good news, there just might be a simple solution in sight. GreenWerks’ latest Green Hero of Chicago, Lisa Elkins, shows that going green can also mean saving green.
Owner of the innovative and environmentally responsible architectural company, 2 Point Perspective, Lisa Elkins works to combat the environmental issues as well as homeowners’ economical woes by designing more sustainable buildings that can cut energy bills in half. As an accredited LEED professional, she can insure the proper and most efficient design of your home or business. Having lived in both San Francisco and London, two cities with very modern understandings of the planet and our personal responsibilities, Lisa brings alternate ideas to enhance Chicago’s green community. She wants Chicagoans to think differently as she did stating, “Once you learn what your business is doing to the environment, you want to change it.”
“There are huge impacts—LEED research has helped prove it,” she claims in response to consumers’ resistance to environmentally sustainable living. With today’s struggling economy, people are finally starting to make the smarter decision: “people are more willing to invest in their home—it’s smart right now, who knows where the stock market will lead you, but investing in homes is proven savings,” Lisa urges.
As far as green being the new black, Lisa shoots down this idea that sustainable design is a mere fad. As education spreads, “more people are getting interested,” she claims with a definite display of confidence. “Enough people are making a shift that soon everyone must make the shift—it is not a fad.”
Currently working on a green restaurant and GreenChoice Bank, Lisa not only looks to offer more sustainable building practices but also offers a fresh and modern style to her spaces. She demonstrates an aesthetically appealing design that is bright and welcoming while telling its inhabitants and visitors of its natural origins.
Lisa urges Chicagoans to look out for the Green Exchange, an environmental building and marketplace that is currently being built. She explains its crucial impacts on Chicago’s green community as it will be a much needed meeting place for Chicagoans looking to get involved in their local environment as people will actually be able to see these sustainable practices put into effect. For Lisa, no buzz of a fallen pop star or even a dwindling economy is bigger than the hopeful prospects of Chicago quickly getting a little greener.
GreenWerks has chosen various environmental activists/enthusiasts of Chicago that we will be featuring every Friday for the next few weeks. These people were chosen based on their ongoing dedication to impact Chicago’s green community. We will be highlighting some of the people that we, at GreenWerks, feel need to be recognized and appreciated in our newest blog series GreenWerks Green Heroes of Chicago.
Green Hero of Chicago-Jen Khatchatrian: Mom on a Mission
“Where are your recycling bins?” five year old Jack asked a Starbucks employee.
“Oh, don’t worry. We keep them in back,” the employee claimed.
“Well, you should really display them so people can recycle,” Jack fired back.
“Good idea, we’ll be sure to do that,” the employee responded.
Jack followed up on the employee’s words on his next visit to Starbucks only to find that no recycling bins had since been displayed. Marching up to the same employee he encountered last time he inquired as to where they were yet got the same response with the same lack of enthusiasm.
On Jack’s third visit to this Starbucks location he again found no recycling bins so he rushed to an employee’s side demanding some kind of bin be displayed. Resigning to the child’s persistence, an employee made a makeshift sign over a trash can claiming “RECYCLING” thinking this would alleviate the situation and ease Jack’s demands. As expected Jack followed up on his newly created recycling bin only to discover it was no longer there. Why is a five year old more educated and environmentally responsible than adults? It only makes sense that this persistent and eco-friendly boy was the son of environmental activist and our green hero Jen Khatchatrain.
At GreenWerks, we are not only interested in green paints, kitchen models, and solar paneling, but we are also interested in the expansion of Chicago’s green community. It is for this reason that we have identified and awarded a few local Chicagoans with the most prestigious honor of being a GreenWerks Green Hero. These people have displayed outstanding efforts to positively impact Chicago’s green community so in our minds they’re the modern heroes of today’s biggest battle—the battle for sustainability.
Many Chicagoans lack direction in their environmental endeavors…How can I manage my family and work while being responsible for the environment? How do I find time? What do I do first? The answers to all these questions lie in Jen Khatchatrain, a green navigator in Chicago.
Jen makes her name known through her countless blogs such as ecochicoraganizer.com where she divulges anything from interesting green tips to fun and interactive activities to do with the family while being mindful of the planet. She created Chicago Green Families that aims to allow families to be together outside and enjoy the beautiful (and free) simplicity of the city. Convening a couple of times a month, this group takes part in various environmentally friendly activities that promote sustainability and family fun including anything from making art out of used materials or planting food in the Edible Garden at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Jen has even adopted two beaches that she regularly monitors as if they were her adopted children. She removes every single piece of trash from the beaches every week. Jen urges Chicagoans, “We need to change our practices at the beach.” Having found syringes, beer bottles, and countless cigarette butts that will end up washing into our water, she is determined to change Chicagoans’ view on their own personal responsibility for their actions. “This is more than picking up trash, it’s education, grasping our impacts—it’s showing stewardship,” Jen declares.
What makes Jen a GreenWerks Green Hero is not only her ability to serve but also her exceptional ability to inspire. Through her countless “green networking” outlets Jen’s mission is “outreach, inspire, connect, act” and with her rock-on attitude she adds a fresh enthusiasm to Chicago’s green community.
Yet she needs your help. There’s a pivotal piece missing to this green puzzle and that’s a little taste of reality. “What’s missing” she claims, “is mainstream America seeing people walk the talk.” She explains her personal experience with a “green resistance” as people are unsure of such new practices—such practices that aren’t familiarized well enough in the media. Jen stresses that the real obstruction in seeing the Chicago’s full potential for sustainability is that “we need to see everyday green, we need to see real people doing green.” She outlines that this will be the challenge for the next couple of years, as we must face the drama of navigating through mainstream America.
“This is a movement about awareness and consumerism.” Jen points out. It’s about simple daily choices. “We must rethink where we put our dollars in this controlled burn.”
In Chicago, we have numerous resources and opportunities to make a difference, so grab hold of them. Take a Chicago Corp Conservation Class. Attend a Chicago Green Family Event. Or even more simply, follow Jen’s advice and simply “get on board with personal responsibility!”
We honor Jen for her endless efforts to navigate Chicagoans in the right direction. For her this is all about inspiring people to impact the greater good—it’s not for celebrity—it’s for future generations. People resist this “green movement” as they may be hesitant with any change, yet people like Jen aren’t here to intimidate and look down on newcomers, they’re here to teach, “we call ourselves ‘olive’—not yet green” Jen admits, “we’re not perfect.”
GreenWerks has chosen various environmental activists/enthusiasts of Chicago that we will be featuring every Friday for the next few weeks. These people were chosen based on their ongoing dedication to impact Chicago’s green community. We will be highlighting some of the people that we, at GreenWerks, feel need to be recognized and appreciated in our newest blog series GreenWerks Green Heroes of Chicago.
White House Gets a Little Greener Thanks to a New Veggie Garden
The White House is a symbol of this country’s strength and power as it’s the central nervous system of the nation. What would be more symbolic in today’s green movement than to have a sustainable and all natural vegetable garden on these grounds? Displaying a productive and efficient resource for food in this hub of power would demonstrate that this is the definite direction the country is going in. First Lady Michelle Obama jumped at this idea as she made a landmark change to this capital landmark.
“I want to make sure that our family, as well as the staff and all the people who come to the White House and eat our food, get access to really fresh vegetables and fruits,” Obama said.
Mrs. Obama is looking to provide a healthy, fresh, tasty, and sustainable resource of vegetables and herbs including spinach, peas, squash, fennel, and possibly berries and mint in the future. Using her celebrity and power for good—she hopes to inspire Americans to hop aboard the new modern lifestyle as being not only environmentally friendly but also providing a solution to the nation’s ongoing battle with obesity.
Gardening in pure first lady fashion, Michelle, donned in pink pants, a striped tank top, and a matching floral cardigan, teamed up with a local elementary school to help her harvest the newly sprouted vegetables this week. Over 90 pounds of produce have been collected not including the immense amount of herbs harvested as well. So far, the garden has proven to be quite the success as rainy weather and weekly weed management, along with a fortunate lack of interest from the Obama’s dog, Bo, has allowed the garden to flourish.
In order to show that harvesting your own vegetables can not only be fun but also delicious, the first lady hosted a small cooking lesson followed by an outdoor picnic to give her elementary school gardeners a gift for all their hard work. Mrs. Obama took a knife to the newly picked lettuce demonstrating to the kids how simple and delicious it is to prepare your own fresh salad as they decorated cupcakes with berries (a healthier alternative to frosting).
So what’s next for the White House (or should we now say the Green House)?
Mrs. Obama is now looking into making her own honey by housing her own beehive on the White House grounds, “My kids aren’t very excited about the beehive,” she said. “But we’re going to try to make our own honey here.”
Whether Michelle Obama is harvesting spinach or monitoring her beehive, she will always be promoting community values, healthier alternatives, and greener practices—now that’s what we want to see as the symbol for America.
Oak Park Remodeling Photos
These are some photos from a second floor gut rehab of a Oak Park Bungalow. The final project came out specular! We will be sure to add some more photos to the photo gallery soon.
Chicago Bans BPA in Kids Products
Photo courtesy of EnviroBlog
Chicago has made a stand for children (and green parents). Today, March 13th, Chicago became the first American city to ban BPA from products geared toward children 3 and under. The City of Chicago’s action follows similar leadership by the state of Minnesota, and the county of Suffolk in New York.
Canada banned BPA from use in baby bottles and “will take action to limit the amount of bisphenol A that is being released into the environment” in 2008. Japan started a program of voluntary compliance in 1998 that drastically curbed BPA exposure for all ages by changing the lining in canned foods and using alternatives other than polycarbonate tableware in schools, but they have not passed a full-out ban. The EU has considered bans on BPA, but currently has not passed a ban and has taken a similar stance on the issue to that of the FDA.
In the US, the FDA maintains that BPA is safe, including for young children: “Based on our ongoing review, we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects. However, we will continue to consider new research and information as they become available.”
Another US government agency, the National Toxicology Institute, however sparked much of the BPA concern after they published a report stating: “In the case of BPA, the NTP and our expert panel expressed ’some concern’ for potential exposures to the fetus, infants and children. There are insufficient data from studies in humans to reach a conclusion on reproductive or developmental hazards presented by current exposures to bisphenol A, but there is limited evidence of developmental changes occurring in some animal studies at doses that are experienced by humans. It is uncertain if similar changes would occur in humans, but the possibility of adverse health effects cannot be dismissed.
Chicago’s ban is a voluntary one. Retailers will have to police themselves. Violators could lose their business license and be fined up to $500.
“The Chicago City Council is not going to wait and it is sending a strong message, not only to the FDA, but to other jurisdictions, other communities, saying it is time to move forward, it is time to protect our children,” says Alderman Manny Flores who sponsored the bill (from Chi-Town Daily News article).
Special Thanks to Green Mama for writing this great article.
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