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

Tease the Senses Event From Pallandrome

Join Pallandrome and VeeV Organic Vodka at NV Penthouse Lounge October 23rd from 7:00pm - 10:00pm for a party to celebrate the senses, benefiting TreeCago. Pallandrome is a local small business that is hosting eco-friendly green events around the city.

Enjoy complimentary VeeV cocktails, Mystic Tarot readings, massages, aromatherapy, and more…

With the “Tease Your Senses” event, Pallandrome is bringing green products and services to a new market - people who are not necessarily already interested in being “green”. Our mission with this event is not to preach to the choir, but rather show people that you can still have fun and look great, but be conscious of the small changes you can make with simple choices that can help make a difference in the health of the earth.

“Tease Your Senses” is a party sponsored by VeeV organic vodka on Thursday, October 23rd at NV Penthouse Lounge from 7-10pm. A few green or holistic focused businesses will come and showcase their products or services in a fun, festive ambiance. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and more for a $10 cover charge to benefit TreeCago.

Metra, CTA and I-Go Cars One Card?

GreenWerks staff has confirmed a rumor that the Metra, CTA and I-Go cars are in talks to create “one card” for public transit in Chicago. Anyone who takes public transit on a regular basis can verify that the system is fragmented when you want to travel outside of the city. We are excited to hear that these talks are going on and we hope that all the parties involved can create a solution to traveling all around Chicagoland.

T. Boone Pickens Visits Chicago Navy Pier

For those of you who don’t know anything about Pickens or his Plan (http://www.pickensplan.com/), he is a Texas oilman who has acknowledged the many limitations of oil and wants to develop renewable energy and natural gas to replace our reliance on it. He is running many TV ads so you may have seen one of those, we have featured a few of his videos on our blog. Since Pickens has the ear of government and financial leaders, his ideas hold a lot of weight. The event is at 10:30am on Oct. 14th in the Grand Ballroom at the end of Navy Pier. I plan to go and hope to see you there if you can make it.

Info from his staff-

I’m working on behalf of T. Boone Pickens and the Pickens Plan here in Illinois, and I want to invite you to attend a Town Hall Meeting next Tuesday, October 14th at 10:30 am in the Navy Pier Grand Ballroom.

Congressman Rahm Emanuel will speak and introduce Mr. Pickens, who will take questions from the audience. Please pass this invite along to anyone you know who may also like to attend.

Please join T.Boone Pickens For an Energy Town Hall Meeting Where he will discuss his plan and take questions from the audience.

When: Tuesday, October 14
10:30 AM (Doors Open 9:00 AM)
Where: Navy Pier 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 in the Grand Ballroom

No ticket required, open to the public. Limited seating available.

R.S.V.P. reply to townhall@respublicagroup.com

ABC won’t air ad for the environment?

Did you notice the ads after the presidential debate?

ABC had Chevron. CBS had Exxon. CNN had the coal lobby. But you know what happened last week? ABC refused to run our Repower America ad — the ad that takes on this same oil and coal lobby.

I sent a letter asking ABC to reconsider their decision and put our ad on the air, but still we haven’t heard back more than a week later. I think they need to hear from all of us. Can you help? Please send a message to ABC and tell them to air the Repower America ad this Friday on 20/20. Just click here:

http://www.wecansolveit.org/ABC

We’re working to get 150,000 public comments to ABC before 20/20’s next airing.

Our Repower America ad has a clear and simple message — that massive spending by oil and coal companies on advertising is a key reason our nation hasn’t switched to clean and renewable sources for our energy.

Here’s the script of the ad:

The solution to our climate crisis seems simple.
Repower America with wind and solar.
End our dependence on foreign oil. A stronger economy.
So why are we still stuck with dirty and expensive energy?
Because big oil spends hundreds of millions of dollars to block clean energy.
Lobbyists, ads, even scandals.
All to increase their profits, while America suffers.
Breaking big oil’s lock on our government …
Now that’s change.
We’re the American people and we approve this message.

As our country faces deep economic problems, we need to be able to have an honest debate about the root causes of our problems. As Al Gore has said, “We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the future of human civilization. And every bit of that has to change.”

As oil and coal backed groups outspend even major party committees in this political year, it’s outrageous that ABC would deny our ad. Let ABC know what you think. Just click here.

Thank you,

Cathy Zoi
CEO
www.wecansolveit.org

(source wecansolveit.org)

Zero VOC Paint Element from California Paints

ZERO VOC PAINT | 100% ACRYLIC | ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED

ELEMENTS interior Zero VOC paints continue the spirit of California’s # 1 Rating by being of the highest quality, 100% acrylic and specially formulated to provide one coat coverage, and an ultra long-lasting, scrubbable finish. GreenWerks is proud to offer the first truly Zero VOC paint to our offering. California well know for its historic paint colors and high rating in consumer reports has unveiled its newest creation, Elements!

The ELEMENTS interior paint line includes a primer, a ceiling white and three interior finishes. A commercial grade Zero VOC environmentally preferred interior product line marketed under the name ENVIROTECH will be launched in parallel with ELEMENTS.

Notably, ELEMENTS is the first interior Zero VOC paint line to contain Microban®, the unique anti-bacterial additive that creates an internal germ-proof barrier within the paint formulation.

Zero VOC means that ELEMENTS paints are virtually odor free and rooms have minimum downtime. This feature, combined with mildew resistance and highly washable finishes, makes ELEMENTS the best choices when painting homes, hospitals, daycare centers, schools and elderly housing facilities.

All ELEMENTS finishes are GREENWISE certified. The GREEN WISE certification mark assures that a product is environmentally preferred and is LEED® Compliant. ELEMENTS will earn valuable credits under the Indoor Environmental Quality LEED category.

Look for Elements this October as a paint offering from GreenWerks or you can purchase it directly from Colori Eco Paint Boutique!!