Green Hero of Chicago- Joe Silver: Supplying for the Green Demand
Liz Thullen | 
Jul 3rd, 2009 | 
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.
Daley named 5th Greenest Mayor in US
photo from www.drugabuse.gov
Richard Daley, Chicago
Since announcing his intention to make Chicago the country’s greenest metropolis, Daley has made great strides. Green roofs cover or are planned for 3 million square feet, topping everything from City Hall to a McDonald’s. Redevelopment and landscaping have revitalized gathering places across the city, from prominent landmarks like Grant Park to neighborhood playgrounds. And the Windy City is committed to increasing its use of renewable energy (though a recent revelation showed things lagging in that area). Chicago is even bidding to host the 2016 Olympics—a bid that hinges on the event being the greenest Olympics in history.
See what other mayor made the list here.
Chicago Green Festival 2009
Looking for something new to do that’s fun, educational and won’t burn a hole in your pocket? Look no further. Chicago Green Festival is your ticket to good, green fun for the entire family…all weekend long. And youths 18 and younger get in FREE at the Chicago Green Festival.
Your all-inclusive 2-day pass includes access to the following:
- Inspiring presentations featuring renowned authors, educators and leaders
- Great tips for home improvements and greening on a budget at the Green Home Pavilion
- More than 300 exhibits offering the best green products and services available today
- This year, the Community Action Area includes 3 great networking opportunities: green career presentations for individuals interested in=2 0the diversity of this growing field, local action presentations offering tips for participation, andlocal nonprofits providing information about what they are doing to make the world a better place.
- Great activities for children and young adults: check out the Organic Valley Kids’ Zone and theYouth Unity Pavilion.
- Tasty, sustainable delights at the Fair Trade Café, the Organic Beer & Wine Garden (21 & older) and the Natural Food Dining Area
- Some of the best local talent around on theMusic Stage
- So much more — rain or shine, a one-stop opportunity for a fun-filled weekend!
Visionary Speakers include . . .
Mayor Richard M. Daley (invited), Ron Reagan, Amy Goodman, John Perkins, Alice Waters, Jim Hightower, Damali Ayo, William Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Mike Farrell, Medea Benjamin, Stuart Pimm, Naomi Davis, Greg Palast, Paul Stamets, Zoe Weil, Jeffrey Smith, Alisa Gravitz, Kevin Danaher and many more
All at a nearly zero-waste event!
Your all-inclusive 2-day pass: $15
Only $10 (at the door) for seniors, public transit and bike riders, students
FREE – Children 18 and younger, volunteers, Green America and Global Exchange members
Donate 3 books to Better World Books and get in for FREE!
See you on May 16th and 17th at Navy Pier for Chicago Green Festival and be sure to stop by the GreenWerks booth!
GreenMaker is now Green Depot Chicago
This is an email we received from Joe and Ori at GreenMaker.
Dearest Greenmaker Customers:
As many of you already know, in November of 2008 we finalized an exciting merger with Green Depot a company based in Brooklyn, NY whose owners share our values and our mission. Greenmaker is now part of the nation’s largest chain of stores providing green living and building supplies through a network of 8 stores… and growing!
This merger represents amazing opportunities for you our customers. By harnessing the buying power of green consumers in multiple markets we can purchase more effectively, negotiate better terms and pass on savings to our growing customer base. Through a consolidation of our administrative functions we have centralized our administrative functions and again gained in efficiencies that will translate to better prices and better service for you our customers. For those of you that have shopped with us in recent months you may have already noticed improvements in our selection and pricing!
This week we officially switch our name to Green Depot. You will notice that attempting to log on to www.greenmakersupply.com forwards you immediately to Green Depot. This finishing touch on our merger will allow us to create a recognizable name that spans the nation. We wear our new name with pride as it represents our growing family of colleagues and friends and the only company of its kind in the world!
In the coming months, we hope that you will get to know our new look and our new friends… We are convinced that you will quickly understand why we are so excited to have our new partners.
From the bottom of our hearts wanted to thank you for your continued support and we hope to see all of you return as happy customers of Green Depot.
Warmest Regards,
Ori Sivan and Joe Silver, Founders Greenmaker Supply Co.
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