Eco-Friendly Marketplace This document has been created by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). The Agency was formed in 1988 to provide a regional approach to the solid waste management needs of its twenty-three member communities, representing over 800,000 residents in northern Cook County. SWANCC provides a number of recycling programs and resources for its members. The Eco-Friendly Marketplace provides residents with a mulititude of recycled-content or sustainable options that have less of an impact on our Earth’s resources.
For more information, call (847) 724-9205 or visit swancc.org.
SWANCC 2700 Patriot Boulevard, Suite 110 Glenview, IL 60026 [email protected]
The listing of any product, method, technology, corporation, company, person or facility in this guide does not constitute an endorsement, approval or recommendation by SWANCC.
The resources contained in this guide were obtained through a variety of sources including books, periodicals and websites. SWANCC does not assume responsibility for third party content or websites and no attempts were made to independently confirm the resources used. It has been reproduced to provide SWANCC member communities and their residents with information on and resources for “green” living.
Website information is current as of December 2013. Please contact SWANCC at [email protected] with incorrect links.
Copyright © 2011 SWANCC Originally published in December 2011. Second edition published in December 2013.
Photo Credits by: istockphoto.com
Book Design by: Cameron Ruen Table of Contents
1 Why Buy Eco-Friendly? 3 General Resources Resources, Publications, Reuse 5 Apparel and Accessories Accessories, Clothing, Footwear, Special Occasions 9 Appliances and Electronics Resources, Related Products 11 Art and Office Supplies Furniture and Supplies, Office Paper, Cards 15 Baby Items Clothing, Diapers, Food, Furniture 17 Cleaning Resources, Products 19 Energy Conservation Resources, Energy Related Products 21 Fair Trade and Organic Goods Resources, Beverage, Clothing and Accessories, Food 25 Fundraising Cell Phones, Fair Trade, Gardening, Light Bulbs, Lunchtime Items, Material Reclamation, Misc. Products, Paper, T-shirts 29 Green Building Resources, Countertops, Flooring, Hardware, Walls 33 Home Decor Bedding, Carpet, Decoration, Fabric, Furniture 37 Home Reuse, Deconstruction and Salvage 39 Outdoor, Lawn Care and Gardening Resources, Products, Supplies and Services 43 Personal Care Resources, Books, Bath and Body, Cosmetics 47 Pet Care Products 49 Printing and Publishing 51 Promotional Items 53 Recycling Containers 55 Reusable Bags and Dishware Products 57 Transportation and Travel Live Green by Demand
Supporting companies that do good for the environment improves our lives and our planet. Why Buy Eco-Friendly?
The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC), an intergovernmental agency representing over 800,000 residents of northern Cook County in Illinois, strives to provide its residents with environmentally-friendly lifestyle options, including compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb recycling, computer and electronic recycling, document destruction and recycling, mercury thermometer recycling and pharmaceutical/sharps disposal programs, as well as many resources for waste reduction and recycling initiatives.
As the world’s population grows and resources are used to meet everyday needs, it is only prudent for consumers to examine their buying and throwing away habits, to minimize waste and support items that are made from recycled materials or sustainable/renew- able resources.
This guide provides references for a variety of goods that have less of an impact on our environment to produce, but is not an en- dorsement of any company, product or service.
Care to learn more about how you can accomplish meaningful preservation and conservation measures in your everyday life? Visit swancc.org and peruse the many programs and resources available to residents.
For questions or comments, email [email protected] or call (847) 724-9205.
Reasons to Buy Eco-Friendly Items
- To decrease exposure to ingredients that may be harmful to your health - To support businesses that care about your well-being - To reduce your use of non-renewable resources - To secure a better future for generations to come
SWANCC 1 Education Is Key
The more you know, the more you wonder what you don’t know. Be informed and get reading! General Resources
Resources Care2 New Dream Marketplace The Institute for Market Transformation Promotes healthy lifestyles. Community-related campaigns and to Sustainability - SMART Certified care2.com/greenliving programs. Rates building products, fabrics, apparel, newdream.org textiles & flooring by complete life cycle. Consumers Union Guide to mts.sustainableproducts.com Environmental Labels Organic Consumers Association Evaluates labels on products. Non-profit promoting sustainability. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service greenerchoices.org/eco-labels organicconsumers.org Promotes food safety, agriculture, fair trade and sustainability. Earth 911 Organic Trade Association ams.usda.gov Locates recycling programs or resources. Promotes organic trade. earth911.com ota.com
Green Washing Index Evaluates environmental marketing claims. greenwashingindex.com
Publications on Green Living
A Fresh Squeeze GreenGuard Environmental Institute Mother Earth Living afreshsqueeze.com greenguard.org motherearthliving.com
Big Green Purse, by Diane MacEachern Grist Mother Earth News Uses buying power for a greener world. grist.org motherearthnews.com biggreenpurse.com Healthy Child Healthy World Mother Nature Network healthychild.org mnn.com
Reuse
Craig’s List Reuse Development Organization Tools for Schools/Book Rescue Offers used items in many cities across Promotes reuse as a social, beneficial and Excess supplies, furniture and books can the country. There is a free category to economical means for managing surplus be donated to the School & Community post or look for items as well. and discarded materials. Assistance for Recycling and Composting craigslist.org redo.org Education. (SCARCE). scarceecoed.org Freecycle Throw Place Offer items or receive items for free in Businesses and individuals list excess Toyswap your community. inventory or goods to be given away. Trade gently-used toys for new ones. freecycle.org throwplace.com toyswap.com
SWANCC 3 Wear It In, Wear It Out
Our clothes can take a beating, but that doesn’t mean the environment should have to. Be an eco-conscious consumer and lighten your load on the environment and create fewer greenhouse gas emissions too. Apparel and Accessories
Accessories Alchemy Goods Foxglove Accessories Moonrise Jewelry alchemygoods.com foxgloveaccessories.com moonrisejewelry.com
Artisangear GG2G My Recycled Bags artisangear.com gg2g.com myrecycledbags.com
Cliff Gina Marie Handbags Nittna cliffbelts.com ginamariehandbags.com nittna.com
Earth Axxessories Good Humans Noon Solar earthaxxessories.com goodhumans.com noonstyle.com
Eco-Artware Green Sewn Pop Can Jewelry ecoartware.com greensewn.com popcanjewelry.com
Eco-Handbags Hemp Sisters Rebound Designs eco-handbags.ca hemp-sisters.com rebound-designs.com
Ecoist Her Design Recycled Skateboards International ecoist.com her-design.com recycledskateboardsinternational.com
Ecozini Himane Sustainable Designs Re-Sails ecozini.com himane.com resails.com
English Retreads Last Call Glass Sea Bags englishretreads.com lastcallglass.com seabags.com
Ethical Planet LittleEarth Simply Wood Rings ethicalplanet.ca littlearth.com simplywoodrings.com
Faeries Dance Livity Store Sprout Studio faeriesdance.com livity.org sproutstudio.net
First World Trash Malia Designs Ten Thousand Villages firstworldtrash.com maliadesigns.com tenthousandvillages.com
Floto Leather Bags Merry Trading Company That’s Caring flotoimports.com merrytrading.com greengiftsshop.com
SWANCC 5 • Chemicals take a toll on Accessories (Continued) our environment and human The Grommet Used Rubber USA health as a whole. Every t-shirt thegrommet.com usedrubberusa.com made of conventional cotton requires a quarter pound of The Vegetarian Site Vulcana harmful chemicals. thevegetariansite.com vulcana.net • According to the USDA, Tierra Ideas World of Good in one year alone over 50 tierraideas.com green.ebay.com million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. cotton fields. Pesticide and fertilizer use on cotton has been Clothing linked to ground and surface American Apparel Levi WasteLess and WaterLess Jeans water contamination, and the americanapparel.com us.levi.com pollution of drinking water. In California, cotton ranks Bamboosa Looptworks third in the state for total bamboosa.com looptworks.com number of pesticide-related illness. Fish and wildlife are Blend Apparel Maggie’s Organics also impacted, with pesticides blendapparel.com maggiesorganics.com causing migration die-offs and diminished reproductive Blue Canoe Organic Mama’s Earth capacity. bluecanoe.com mamasearth.com
• Clothing made of hemp fiber Clothes Made From Scrap More Trees Clothing Company is lightweight, absorbent and, clothesmadefromscrap.com moretreeshemp.com with three times the tensile strength of cotton, strong and Cotton Field USA Morph and Thro long lasting. cottonfieldUSA.com morphandthro.com
• It takes much less energy to Earth Creations Mountains of the Moon grow and sustain bamboo than earthcreations.net mountainsofthemoon.com other similar trees and plants used for fiber production. Earth Friendly Goods Nature Works, LLC Bamboo plantations require earthfriendlygoods.com natureworksllc.com very little maintenance. Bamboo also requires very Earth Ragz, Inc. Nau little water and can survive earthfashions.com nau.com drought conditions as well as flooding. Eco Choices Of the Earth ecochoices.com oftheearth.com • UV and mold-resistant, hemp is excellent for outdoor wear. ‘e ko logic Patagonia ekologic.com patagonia.com • Unlike synthetic fibers which incorporate petroleum Environgentle Point Beach Outdoors additives, bamboo clothing environgentle.com pointbeachoutdoors.com is safe for municipal disposal programs, whether by landfill Grass Roots PrAna or incineration. grassrootsstore.com prana.com
• Learn more about organic Green Label Organic Rawganique cotton, bamboo and hemp greenlabel.com rawganique.com fibers at eartheasy.com. Indigenous Fair Trade and Organic Reware • Hemp blends such as hemp/ indigenousdesigns.com rewarevintage.com silk and hemp/cotton garments are now available. Jonano SustainU jonano.com sustainuclothing.com 6 SWANCC Clothing (Continued) • Bamboo fiber is made by Sweetgrass TSDesigns pulping the grass until it sweetgrassfibers.com tsdesigns.com separates into thin threads of fiber, which can be spun for Texture Vickery weaving into cloth. Bamboo textureclothing.com vickery.com fiber resembles cotton in its un-spun form, a puffball of The Organic Company VauteCouture light, airy fibers. theorganicompany.com vautecouture.com • Hemp is a very eco-friendly Tomorrow’s World crop. It requires no pesticides tomorrowsworld.com and needs little water, yet it renews the soil with each growth cycle. Its long roots Eyeglasses prevent erosion and help retain topsoil. Hemp grows Vinylize readily in most temperate vinylize.com regions.
• Popular demand for cotton Footwear textiles, and competition Alternative Outfitters ReKixx among producers, has seen alternativeoutfitters.com rekixx.com a big change in the last two generations - the increased Eco Sandals Sanuk use of pesticide. Cotton is ecosandals.com sanuk.com the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world, accounting Kalso Earth Shoes Splaff for 25% of all pesticide use. earthbrands.com/kalsoearthshoe splaff.com • 94% of recovered clothing Olsen Haus Toms can be recycled as clothing olsenhaus.com toms.com or transformed into recycled products. Recycling clothing brings environmental benefits, such as less space needed for Maternity landfills, and less pollution of water and air. Bump to Bump Nine Little Months bumptobumpmaternity.com ninelittlemonths.com • Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the Mine for Nine Rent Maternity Wear planet, making it a high yield minefornine.com rentmaternitywear.com renewable resource. It can be selectively harvested annually and is capable of complete regeneration without need to Special Occasions replant. A Vintage Wedding Earthwise Jewelry vintagewedding.com leberjeweler.com/earthwise • PETA maintains an updated list of companies that are Brillant Earth Vintageous either vegan or sell vegan brillantearth.com vintageous.com shoes at peta.org.
Conscious Clothing consciousclothing.us
SWANCC 7 Is It an Energy Star?
Saving energy saves on your electric bill. Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2009 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 30 million cars — all while saving nearly $17 billion on their utility bills. Appliances and Electronics
Resources Abt Electronics Energy Tax Incentives Assistance Project State Electornics Challenge abt.com/green energytaxincentives.org stateelectronicschallenge.net
Electronic Product Environmental EPA’s Energy Star Program The Green Guide Assessment Tool energystar.gov/products thegreenguide.com epeat.net Green Choices Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy greenchoices.org energysavers.gov
Related Products Abundant Earth Eurotech Appliances Real Goods abundantearth.com eurotechappliances.com realgoods.com
Asko USA Fisher & Paykel Snorkel askousa.com fisherpaykel.com snorkel.com
Bosch Appliances Maytag Sun Frost boschappliances.com maytag.com sunfrost.com
Conserv-a-Store Neboos Laundry Products Vermont Clothesline Company conserv-a-store.com clotheslineshop.com smartdrying.com
What Does Energy Star Mean?
For an appliance to carry the Energy Star label it must operate using 10% to 30% less energy than other similar appliances currently available. If the appli- ance uses water, such as a dishwasher or a clothes washer, it must also use 30% to 50% less water than a similar model.
SWANCC 9 Rock Paper Scissors
Office supplies have quickly expanded into the world of green. Be sure to compare supplies for your next work order. 1, 2, 3, Go! Art and Office Supplies Art Supplies Crazy Crayons Eclectic Products Green Apple Supply crazycrayons.com eclecticproducts.com greenapplesupply.org
Dick Blick Eco Artwork Milk Paint dickblick.com ecoartworks.com milkpaint.com
Dixon Eco Kids USA Stubby Pencil Studio dixonusa.com ecokidsusa.com stubbypencilstudio.com
Earth Pigments Gardening With Kids Task Board earthpigments.com gardeningwithkids.org taskboard.com
Office Paper Bonafide Green Goods Greg Barber Company Of the Earth bonafidegreengoods.com gregbarberco.com custompaper.com
Dolphin Blue GreenLine Paper Company Paper Doll dolphinblue.com greenlinepaper.com paperdollchicago.com
EcoPaper House of Doolittle Poo Poo Paper ecopaper.com houseofdoolittle.com poopoopaper.com
Environmental Paper Network Living Tree Paper Company Step Forward Paper papercalculator.org livingtreepaper.com prairiepaper.com
Fish Lips Paper Designs Lindenmeyr Munroe Paper Quill fishlipspaperdesigns.com lindenmeyr.com quill.com
Green Earth Office Supply New England Cartographics, Inc. The Green Office greenearthofficesupply.com necartographics.com thegreenoffice.com
Green Field Paper Company New Leaf Paper The Real Earth greenfieldpaper.com newleafpaper.com treeco.com
Binders, Cards, Giftwrap and Journals Acorn Designs Ex Libris Anonymous Its Our Earth acorndesigns.org bookjournals.com itsourearth.com
Earth Presents Guided Products Mr. Ellie Pooh Journals earthpresents.com guidedproducts.com mrelliepooh.com
SWANCC 11 Environmental Office Tips Binders, Cards, Giftwrap and Journals
• Think Before Printing. Do Nomad Adventure Journals Reuse First Journals you really need to print nomadjournals.com Chicago that email, memo or set of reusefirst.etsy.com instructions? If you can get Paperworks Studio away with leaving it on the paperworksstudio.com Twisted Limb Paperworks screen, do so. Paper and ink twistedlimbpaper.com are valuable resources, and Peg and Awl printers use electricity. pegandawlbuilt.com United States Business Card Company usbcards.net • Buy in bulk. Buying toner Pleasantrees or recycled paper in bulk pleasantrees.com saves on the per-unit cost and reduces waste by using less RedStamp packaging. Look for the words redstamp.com “high-efficiency” or “high- capacity” to denote bulk-sized items that lower your per- print or per-unit cost.
• Return toner bottles and cartridges for recycling. Recycling programs have kept millions of used printer supplies out of landfills. Some manufacturers even offer pre- paid shipping labels to return empty toner cartridges.
• Turn off the lights in Waste Reduction Tips to Save the Trees gathering areas such as lunch rooms and lavatories. Even better, have automatic sensors With the average office worker using 100 sheets of installed that turn on only paper per day, one great way to reduce paper used when the room is occupied and turn off when the last is by limiting the amount of printing and photo- person leaves. copying in the office. This can be done by sharing
• Install faucet aerators in information in the workplace via email rather than printed out memos and a the lavs and kitchens at weekly or monthly newsletter that is produced online rather than in print. your workplace. Gallons of water will be saved with no noticeable changes in delivery. Try to further reduce the amount of paper that you use when printing by re-
• Review your supply ducing font size and print margins so less paper is used per document. If your contracts for environmental printer can print double sided then use this function too. committment. Is your office supply company offering a large selection of recycled As well as ordering in recycled paper, another great way to help save the products? What is their corporate environmental trees is to reduce the amount of packaging coming into the office. When position? ordering from your suppliers request that they use recyclable packaging if
• Be sure to power down and available or request that the packaging be taken back to the supplier to be re- turn off your computer at the used. Ordering in bulk may also reduce the overall amount of packaging and end of the day. the waste that it creates. • Use non-toxic cleaning products at home and office.
12 SWANCC Environmental Crafting Tips
• Check out the SWANCC How to Make a Simple Glue From Flour and Water Crafts From Trash ideas to create fun reuse projects at swancc.org. A paste of The simplest glue is one made from a paste of flour and • Collect common household flour and water. You may remember making this type of glue in items for reuse projects. water kindergarten. It is an easy, non-toxic recipe that is great • Search online for homemade for working with paper that needs gluing, including paper- recipes to make playdough, mâché projects. paint, chalk, and crayons.
• Draw inspiration from the Simple Glue Ingredients world outdoors and
1/2 cup flour • Re-purpose materials that 1/3 cup water would otherwise be tossed.
• An easy way to begin Simple Glue Instructions searching for the safest and most earth-friendly crafting Mix flour and Mix flour and water in a bowl. If you need more glue, materials is to check their water simply double the recipe. If you need less glue, start ingredients and labels.
with the amount of flour you will use, then add water a • Save paper scraps to use teaspoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. in future card-making and scrapbooking projects.
Blend until Blend until your glue is smooth and a little runny, but not • Buy only what you need, when you need it - you will smooth watery. It should not be too thick or too drippy. be less inclined to waste what materials you do have.
Use promptly Use it soon after creating it. It can be used to stick paper • Buying locally made products together for a variety of craft projects, such as making supports the local economy and reduces the amount of greeting cards and other small projects. fuel consumption to get the product to market.
Store in the Store in refrigerator. Keep any unused glue in a tightly- • Donate your leftovers. refrigerator sealed container in the refrigerator, where it should last a Schools, daycare centers, children’s hospitals, adult care, week or two. convalescent centers, and Girl Scout troops are some of To view this recipe, as well as instructions for paper the places that happily accept donated craft supplies that are mache glue, cornstarch paste and a simple no-cook flour in usable condition. paste, visit wikihow.com/Make-Glue. • Using recycled and handmade papers helps lessen the burden of paper production in our environment.
• Utilize both sides of paper for coloring. Also, collect used one-sided paper for coloring.
SWANCC 13 Child Safe Childplay
Kids get into everything, but do you want everything getting into them? Be aware of the chemicals made in clothing that touches our skin every day. Baby Items
Clothing All Natural Baby Great Green Baby The Ultimate Green Store allnaturalbaby.com greatgreenbaby.com theultimategreenstore.com
BabySoy Green Babies babysoyusa.com greenbabies.com
Baby Wit Kee-Ka Organics babywit.com kee-ka.com
Diapers
Comfy Bummy GDiapers comfybummy.com gdiapers.com
Formula/Bottles/Food Born Free EvenFlo Happy Family newbornfree.com evenflo.com happyfamilybrands.com
Earth’s Best Green to Grow Healthy Times earthsbest.com greentogrow.com healthytimes.com
Furniture/Bedding Ecobaby Bedding Lilipadstudio Organic Bedding Store ecobaby.com lilipadstudio.com theorganicmattressstore.com
EcoChoices Nature’s Crib Sproutz ecochoices.com naturescrib.com sproutz.biz
Fleurville Nirvana Safe Haven The Clean Bedroom fleurville.com nontoxic.com thecleanbedroom.com
Toys
Green Toys Geared for Imagination greentoys.com gearedforimagination.com
SWANCC 15 Fresh and Clean
With a little elbow grease, your home can be sparkling clean without unwanted residue, which some toxic commercial products leave behind. Cleaning
Resources Consumer Reports Greener Choices Nontoxic Cleaning Information greenerchoices.org care2.com
Household Products Database: Health SWANCC Eco-Cleaning Guide and Safety Information swancc.org householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov
Products Bag-e-Wash Country Save Method bag-e-wash.com countrysave.com methodhome.com
Bio Green Clean Dr. Bronner Mrs. Meyers biogreenclean.com drbronner.com mrsmeyers.com
Biokleen Earth Friendly Products Neu Homecare biokleenhome.com Winnetka neuhomecare.com ecos.com Blissful Home PortionPac blissfulhomeproducts.com EcoConcepts portionpaccorp.com ecoconceptsusa.com Bon Ami Seventh Generation bonami.com ESS seventhgeneration.com neutralsolution.com Caldrea Smart Klean Living caldrea.com Let’s Go Green smartkleanliving.com letsgogreen.biz CitraSolv citrasolv.com
SWANCC 17 Preserve the Environment
The planet we live on is the only planet suitable for our human needs. As a society, it is important that we conserve as much as possible to sustain our planet for future generations. Energy Conservation Resources American Council for Energy Efficient Energy Federation Inc. EPA’s Energy Star Program Economy efi.org energystar.gov/products aceee.org Energy Savers Illinois Department of Energy Consumer Reports Greener Choices energysavers.gov illinoisenergy.org greenerchoices.org Energy Tax Incentives U.S. Department of Energy Electronic Product Environmental energytaxincentives.org eere.energy.gov Assessment Tool epeat.net Environmental Defense Fund environmentaldefense.org Energy Related Products Battery Stuff Forever Flashlights Voltaic Pouch batterystuff.com foreverflashlights.com voltaicsystems.com
Bonafide Green Goods LED Liquidators Wattman LED Lamp bonafidegreengoods.com ledliquidatorsinc.com wattmanledlamp.com
Borealis Lighting Green Batteries borealislighting.com greenbatteries.com
EB Excalibur Electronics Sundance Solar excaliburelectronics.com sundancesolar.com
FEIT Ecobulb USB Cell feit.com usbcell.com
Energy Conservation Tips
• Strive for an energy-efficient building • Provide real plants to filter the air naturally • Purchase Energy Star appliances • Install motion sensors for lights • Use power strips for electronics and turn off at night, • Install programmable thermostats over weekends and holidays when away • Replace heating/cooling air filters every three months • Set computers and printers to enter “sleep” mode • Install solar panels if possible • Use rechargeable batteries • Switch to T8s, CFLs, or LEDs as new bulbs are needed • Fix leaky faucets and toilets
SWANCC 19 Fair Wages From the Bottom Up
All products have a hidden cost. Materials, production, administration, transportation and wages all are factored into the end product’s cost. Often, the best deal undervalues the human component with wages. Fair Trade and Organic Goods
Resources Chicago Fair Trade FairTrade International Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood chicagofairtrade.org fairtrade.net Watch Guide mbayaq.org Cooperative Grocers’ Fair Trade Federation Information Network fairtradefederation.org National Green Pages cgin.coop greenpages.org Fair Trade USA Cornucopia Institute’s Organic fairtradecertified.org Organic Consumers Association Integrity Project and Scorecard organicconsumers.org cornucopia.org Food Alliance foodalliance.org Organic. It’s Worth It. Eat Well Guide organicitsworthit.org eatwellguide.com Green America greenamerica.org Tree Hugger Eco Fish treehugger.com ecofish.com Greenopia greenopia.com World Fair Trade Organization Environmental Working Group wfto.com foodnews.org Local Harvest localharvest.org/food-coops Factory Farm factoryfarm.org
Beverages and Food Angelic Organics Ineeka Small Planet angelicorganics.com ineeka.com smallplanettofu.com
Cafe Mam Local First Chicago Sweet Riot cafemam.com localfirstchicago.org sweetriot.com
Family Farmed Organo Gold that’s Caring familyfarmed.org organogold.com thatscaring.com
Grounds for Change Peace Coffee Upton Tea Imports groundsforchange.com peacecoffee.com uptontea.com
Healthy Green Goods The Organic Center healthygreengoods.com organic-center.org
SWANCC 21 • Visit greenamerica.org for Clothing & Accessories The National Green Pages™, Acacia Creations Maggie’s Organics a directory listing nearly 3,000 acaciacreations.com maggiesorganics.com businesses that have made firm Asha Imports Manos de Madres commitments to sustainable, ashaimports.com manosdemadres.org socially just principles, including Beads of Hope Africa Mata Traders the support of sweatshop-free beadsofhopeafrica.com matatraders.com labor, organic farms, fair trade, Blue Avocado Noonday Collection and cruelty-free products. BlueAvocado.com noondaycollection.com
Examples of fair trade items: Fashion ABLE Open Arms livefashionable.com theopenarmsshop.com
• Bananas Five Accessories Raven and Lily • Chocolate fiveaccessories.com ravenandlily.com
• Clothing Global Exchange Re:new Project • Coffee globalexchangestore.org renewproject.org
• Cotton Global Fair Trade Crafts Roots -n-Streams • Crafts globalcrafts.org roots-n-streams.com
• Flowers Global Handmade Hope SERRV • Fruit Park Ridge serrv.org globalhandmadehope.com • Home Decor Sochae • Honey Global Mothers sochae.tumblr.com global-mothers.com • Jewelry Sole Rebels • Olive oil Green Sewn solerebels.com greensewn.com • Rice Taraluna • Sports balls Greenopia taraluna.com greenopia.com • Sugar Ten Thousand Villages • Tea Heartland Alliance (WomanCraft) tenthousandvillages.com heartlandalliance.org • Vanilla Trades of Hope • Wine Hill Country Hill Tribers mytradesofhope.com hilltribers.org Vibella • Look for the label! In the US, Imagine Goods vibellajewelry.com imaginegoods.com Fair Trade Certified™ food World of Good products carry the label of Imani Jewelry green.ebay.com imanijewelry.com the US Fair Trade certifying World Shoppe body, TransFair USA. This label Indigenous Fair Trade and Organic world-shoppe.com indigenousdesigns.com certifies that the farmer has received a fair price for the International Princess Project shop.intlprincess.org commodity. Krochet Kids krochetkids.org
22 SWANCC • Host a Fair Trade Party! It’s just like a Tupperware party, except it benefits people and What is Fair Trade? the planet. A Fair Trade house party is one exciting way to share Fair Trade with others in your community. Plan a snack In 2008, $4.08 Fair Trade is an organized social movement and menu that incorporates as billion sales market-based approach that aims to help producers in many Fair Trade ingredients as possible – coffee, tea, and hot worldwide developing countries obtain better trading conditions cocoa to drink, plus snackbars and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the made with Fair Trade sugar and chocolate. payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular • Fair Trade weddings and commitment ceremonies: on exports from developing countries to developed you can sign onto an online countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, Fair Trade gift registry with Fair Trade retailers tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate like Ten Thousand Villages and flowers. (tenthousandvillages.com) and Global Exchange (store.gxonlinestore.org). 22% increase In 2008, Fair Trade certified sales amounted to • Valentine’s Day, birthdays, in fair trade approximately $4.08 billion worldwide, a 22% year-to- bar/bat mitzvahs, Christmas: sales in one year increase. While this represents a tiny fraction of Anytime you need to give a gift, consider giving Fair year in 2008 world trade in physical merchandise, some fair trade Trade. For example, Fair products account for 20-50% of all sales in their product Trade flowers or chocolate make excellent Valentine’s categories. In June 2008, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations Day gifts, (and your beloved International estimated that over 7.5 million producers will be impressed by your commitment to justice). Olive and their families were benefiting from fair trade-funded oil and wine make great host infrastructure, technical assistance and community gifts for dinner parties or a great birthday present for an development projects. adult.
• As a gift for a child, consider The movement intends to provide market access to Fair Trade sports balls, or otherwise marginalized producers, connecting them to some of the toys on offer from various Fair Trade Federation customers and allowing access with fewer middlemen. businesses, like finger puppets, It aims to provide higher wages (than typically paid stuffed animals, musical instruments, and kites. to producers) as well as helping producers develop knowledge, skills and resources to improve their lives. • Give out Fair Trade chocolate or other candies Fair trade advocates also seek to raise awareness of at Halloween. the movement’s philosophies among consumers in • If your school, congregation, developed nations. or non-profit organization is looking for a way to raise Sources: Wikipedia, FairTrade Labelling Organizations International money while supporting a (2009), The World Trade Organization, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations fair supply chain, a number of International & International Fair Trade Association (2008). businesses make it easy, with a variety of different fundraising methods. Be sure to check out the Fundraiser section.
SWANCC 23 Put Your Hand In the Middle
And yell Team! Many hands make light work. Build successful fundraising teams by working together for a shared goal. It’s the only way we can make our Earth a better place. Fundraising
Cell Phones/Printer Cartridges Cartridges for Kids Cure Recycling Funding Factory cartridgesforkids.com earthtonesolutions.com fundingfactory.com
Cartridge World Eco Phones Midwest Laser Cartridge cartridgeworldusa.com ecophones.com midwestlasercartridgecorp.com
Fair Trade A Fair World Global Exchange Partners for Just Trade afairworld.com globalexchangestore.org partnersforjusttrade.org
Café Campesino Global Goods Partners PUNKU cafecampesino.com globalgoodspartners.org punkuperu.com
Colores del Pueblo Green Maven Restyle Fair Trade coloresdelpueblo.org greenmaven.com restylefairtrade.com
Earth Friendly Coffee Grounds for Change Trails to Bridge earthfriendlycoffee.com groundsforchange.com trailstobridges.com
Equal Exchange Higher Grounds Trading equalexchange.com highergroundstrading.com
Fair Trade Federation Just Coffee fairtradefederation.org justcoffee.coop
Gardening Flower Power Fundraising flowerpowerfundraising.com
SWANCC 25 • Winston Churchill once Light Bulbs said, “You make a living by Help Fundraise Lights for Learning what you get. You make a helpfundraise.com lights4learning.org life by what you give.” That’s something to consider when Green Market approaching fundraising. greenmarketfundraising.com • According to Giving USA, individual contributions to Lunchtime Items non-profits reached nearly $200 billion in 2005. Added Incentives Lunch Without Waste addedincentives.com lunchwithoutwaste.com • According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eco-Promotional Products Mighty Nest 7% more women volunteer ecopromotionsonline.com mightynest.com than men (on average, about Evanston 31% of women volunteer Litter Free Lunch versus 24% of men). The most litterfreelunch.com Wrap-n-Mat active age range for both wrapnmat.com genders is 35 to 54. Lunch Bots lunchbots.com • Some of the world’s richest people are also the biggest philanthropists. Microsoft Material Reclamation for Reuse/Recycling founder Bill Gates and Virgin founder Richard Branson are Chicago Textile Recycling Terracycle Brigade among the billionaires who’ve chicagotextilerecycling.com terracycle.net pledged significant portions of their fortunes towards worthy Elmer’s Glue Crew USAgain causes. elmersgluecrew.com usagain.com
• Presidential campaigns are Preserve’s Gimme 5 Plastic Program some of the biggest fundraisers preserveproducts.com today. Past candidate Barack Obama broke records with $32.5 million raised in a three- month period. Miscellaneous Products Bags for Bucks Green Market • Helen Keller on giving: bagsforbucks.com greenmarketfundraising.com “Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true ChicoBag Greenraising happiness. It is not attained chicobag.com greenraising.com through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy EcoLabel Fundraising Let’s Go Green purpose.” ecolabelfundraising.com letsgogreen.biz
The above information is taken EcoPromotional Products Reuse This Bag from FastTrack Fundraising at ecopromotionsonline.com reusethisbag.com fasttrackfundraising.com. Equal Exchange Fundraiser Program • Keep all lines of equalexchange.coop/fundraiser communication open!
26 SWANCC Paper/Gift Wrap/Note Cards/Supplies • Register your non-profit for earth-friendly fundraising at Acorn Designs Smencils greenraising.com. acorndesigns.org smencils.com • Fundraising is necessary to Earth Presents Stop junk mail supplement the income of an earthpresents.com 41pounds.org organization, institute special programs, or provide supplies Paper Retriever Recycling which are needed. paperretriever.com • Look for fundraising products that help reduce T-Shirts/Clothing waste by substituting reusables for disposables such as plastic Eco Sprouts EcoPromotional Products water bottles, lunch bags and ecosprouts.com ecopromotionsonline.com grocery bags. Global Goods Partners • Get fundraising ideas at globalgoodspartners.org/schools green-talk.com.
• A natural connection for green fundraisers is to center them around Earth Month.
• Allowing potential customers to actually see the product you are selling can help sales.
• Send out a press release to local papers about your fundraising effort.
• Be sure to communicate the message about raising funds for your group and the importance of the green product you are selling.
• Read the 30 Tips for a Winning Sales Fundraiser at ptotoday.com.
• Be sure to give your group enough selling time after the fundraising promotions have gone out.
• Get leaders in the community on board with your fundraising effort.
• Remind people what their purchase was for when you drop off the products that were ordered to reinforce your mission.
SWANCC 27 Build Green and the Savings Will Come
When you take all the factors that go into creating an environmentally- friendly space, some large upfront expenses lead to cost savings for many years to come. Green Building
Resources Alliance for Environmental Sustainability Green Builder Healthy House Institute alliancees.org greenbuilder.com healthyhouseinstitute.com
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Green Building Supply Company National Association of the Economy greenbuildingsupply.com Remodeling Industry aceee.org greenremodeling.org Green Home Building Building Green greenhomebuilding.com ReGreen Program buildinggreen.com regreenprogram.org Green Seal Energy Federation Inc. greenseal.org SCS Global Services efi.org scsglobalservices.com GreenGuard Environmental Institute Environmental Design and Construction greenguard.org U.S. Department of Energy edcmag.com eere.energy.gov GreyWater Environmental Home Center greywater.com U.S. Green Building Council environmentalhomecenter.com usgbc.org
Countertops/Flooring/Hardware/Walls AFM Safecoat Caroma USA EnviroGlas Products afmsafecoat.com caromausa.com enviroglasproducts.com
American Clay Classic Metal Roofing Forbo Flooring Systems americanclay.com classicmetalroofingsystems.com themarmoleumstore.com
Auro Paint DuroDesign Gilasi aurousa.com duro-design.com gilasi.com
Bioshield Paint Eco-Friendly Flooring Green Building Supply Company bioshieldpaint.com ecofriendlyflooring.com greenbuildingsupply.com
Bright Idea Shops Eco Timber Green Planet Paints plasticlumber.com ecotimber.com greenplanetpaints.com
Cabinet King Engineered Plastic Systems (EPS) GreenDepot Environmental Living cabinetking.com epsplasticlumber.com and Building greendepot.com
SWANCC 29 • Recycle – ink jet cartridges, Countertops/Flooring/Hardware/Walls cell phones, and more – see SWANCC’s Green Pages: Ice Stone Oceanside Glasstile Reuse and Recycling Directory icestoneusa.com glasstile.com at swancc.org. Innovations Plasteak • Conduct a waste audit innovationsusa.com plasteak.com to determine what can be reduced, reused or recycled. Huma Built Radiant Floor Company buildinggreen.com radiantcompany.com • Stock kitchen with reusable cups, plates, silverware and JaDecor Scranton Products napkins. jadecor.com scrantonproducts.com
• Provide reusable mugs for Loewen Designs Smith and Fong Plyboo staff and use at meetings. loewen.com plyboo.com
• Install a filter on the faucet Mr. Bamboo Solar Light Store or get a water cooler to cut mrbambooflooring.com hayneedle.com down on individual bottles. Nass Fresco Finishes Steel Skin Inc. • Encourage staff to bring nassfresco.com steelskininc.com waste-free lunches. New Leaf Interiors Te Ma • Tap & stack trays to reduce new-leafinteriors.com te-ma.com volume in the garbage can. NuWool US Floors • Set printer on double-sided nuwool.com naturalcork.com default setting.
• “Be Nice Use It Twice Box” for drafts and faxes. Furniture
• Make note pads from old Industrial Woodworking Corp Knu Healthcare Furniture letterhead. industrialwoodworking.com getknu.com
• Distribute newsletters and Ki The Real Earth memos electronically. ki.com treeco.com
• Subscribe to online newspapers/newsletters.
• Cancel junk mail.
• Take reusable bags to the store when shopping.
• Visit these sites to find new homes for items: - freecycle.org - craigslist.org - ebay.com
• Recycle – office paper, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, cardboard, cans and bottles.
• Repair items before tossing and purchasing new ones.
30 SWANCC • Visit the Green Building Certification Institute’s site to learn more about registering US Green Buliding Council Information a project with LEED and the certification process at usgbc.org. Call LEED is an internationally recognized green building • Third-party certification LEED is an certification system, providing third-party verification through the independent internationally that a building or community was designed and built using Green Building Certification Institute (gbci.org) assures recognized strategies aimed at improving performance across all the that LEED buildings are green building metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, constructed as intended. GBCI includes a network of certification CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental ISO-compliant international system quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to certifying bodies, ensuring the consistency, capacity their impacts. and integrity of the LEED certification process.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), • LEED points are awarded LEED provides building owners and operators a concise on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect framework for identifying and implementing practical and their potential environmental measurable green building design, construction, operations impacts. Additionally, 10 bonus credits are available, four and maintenance solutions. of which address regionally specific environmental issues. A project must satisfy all LEED is flexible LEED is flexible enough to apply to all building types prerequisites and earn a enough to – commercial as well as residential. It works throughout minimum number of points to be certified. apply to all the building lifecycle – design and construction, operations building types and maintenance, tenant fitout, and significant retrofit. • In the United States alone, buildings account for: And LEED for Neighborhood Development extends the benefits of LEED beyond the building footprint into the 72%: electricity consumption, 39%: energy use, neighborhood it serves. 38%: carbon dioxide emissions, 40%: raw materials use, 30%: waste output, and LEED is a LEED is a voluntary certification program that can be 14%: potable water consumption. voluntary applied to any building type and any building lifecycle • Environmental benefits of certification phase. It promotes a whole-building approach to using the LEED system include: program that sustainability by recognizing performance in these enhanced and protected ecosystems and biodiversity, can be applied key areas: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy improved air and water quality, to any building & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor reduced solid waste and conserved natural resources. type and Environmental Quality, Locations & Linkages, Awareness any building & Education, Innovation in Design and Regional Priority. • LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the lifecycle phase design and construction of high-performance green homes. Sources: U.S. Green Building Council Green homes use less energy, water and natural resources, create less waste, and are more durable and comfortable for occupants.
SWANCC 31 Home Is Where the Heart Is
Keep it this way. Take care of your home and loved ones with a healthy environment to live and play. Home Decor Bedding Pure Fiber pure-fiber.com
Carpet/Rugs Earth Weave The Maine Float Rope Co. Sisal Rugs Direct earthweave.com mainefloatroap.com sisalrugs.com
FLOR Milliken Floor Covering The Mohawk Group flor.com millikencarpet.com themohawkgroup.com
Garuda Woven Art Nature Area Rugs garudawovenart.com naturalarearugs.com
Interface Shaw Contract Group interfaceflor.com shawcontractgroup.com
Decoration Bent Bottle Corkology Sillice etsy.com/shop/bentbottle corkology.com sillice.com
Bright Endeavors Eco-Friendly Housewares Ten Thousand Villages brightendeavors.org fhdecor.com tenthousandvillages.com
Bottle Hood It’s Our Earth Terrain bottlehood.com itsourearth.com shopterrain.com
Fabric Ambatalia Green Sage Maharam ambatalia.com greensage.com maharam.com
Anna Sova Hemp Traders annasova.com hemptraders.com
Clothworks Interface Fabrics clothworks.com interfaceglobal.com
SWANCC 33 • Find green home tips at Furniture greenyourdecor.com. Alan Vogel Furniture alanvogelfurniture.com Ki • Use the green comparison ki.com shopping website at Baltix pristineplanet.com. baltix.com Knoll Group knoll.com • Check out garage sales for Barco Products unique items for your home. barcoproducts.com Lifekind lifekind.com • If you are doing remodeling, Bean Products, Inc. check to see if the items you beanproducts.com Newood are replacing can be used newood.com by someone else. Go to Bright Idea Shops SWANCC’s Green Pages for plasticlumber.com Organo options at swancc.org. organonatural.com By The Yard •The use of reclaimed bytheyard.net Pacific Rim Woodworking materials can be labor- pacificrimwoodworking.com intensive, but has Conklin’s Unique Country environmental, aesthetic, and uniquecountry.com Patio Furniture USA practical advantages-the pieces patiofurnitureusa.com are often more attractive, D & B Fabricators and more durable, than their dbfabricators.com Snow Shack modern counterparts. snowshack.com EcoLogic Furniture • Products claiming to be ecologicfurniture.com Southcone part or all recycled content southcone.com can be certified by Scientific Engineered Plastic Systems Certification Systems (SCS) epsplasticlumber.com SteelCase and will bear the SCS Certified steelcase.com logo. SCS offers certification El Furniture to manufacturers of products el-furniture.com Stone Design made from recycled or stone-design.com biodegradable materials. Furnature furnature.com Tailwind Furniture • For an introduction to tailwindfurniture.com green home products and Greater Yellowstone Furniture & Designs building materials, visit yellowstonefurniture.com Urban Woods greenhomeimprovement.com. urbanwoods.net Each material or product listed Groovy Stuff is green certified. groovystuff.com Vermont Ski Recyclers skifurniture.com • Bamboo can be flattened into Guilford of Maine flooring, molded into furniture, guilfordofmaine.com Viva Terra pressed into veneers, sliced up vivaterra.com to make window blinds. Herman Miller hermanmiller.com Whit McLeod • Synthetic materials or whitmcleod.com those treated with synthetic Horigan Urban Forest Products, Inc. substances can offgas horiganufp.com chemicals which are toxic.
• Greenguard is a certification which ensures furniture is Kitchen Supplies low toxicity. Learn more at Peg and Awl Preserve Products greenguard.org. pegandawlbuilt.com preserveproducts.com
34 SWANCC • Take gently used unwanted items to a reuse store instead of pitching in the garbage. Save on Remodeling with Reclaimed Materials • Check out freecycle.org for decorational items to give You can find Combine a limited home improvement budget with a and take for free.
great ways green frame of mind, and you can find great ways to save • Visit the Planet Reuse blog at to save on on your next Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project. There are a planetreuse.blogspot.com. your next DIY lot of worthwhile, beautiful home materials ready to be • Visit the online yards of project. reclaimed and reused thanks to savvy dealers, demolition ohmegasalvage.com and recyclingthepast.com to experts and everyday folks who rescue them from a get a coast-to-coast feel for landfill fate. Here are a few resources for trimming your the latest in salvage finds, and then dig in with a visit to your project costs. local dealer.
• Visit etsy.com for Architectural salvage yards: Modern green-building handcrafted pieces for your principles meet the architecture of the past in these home or gifts. Many artists use reused, reclaimed or upcycled gardens of historical finds. Take a stroll through a dealer’s materials in their items. offerings, and you may find replacement hardware, a • Reclaimed material is period-correct fixture or an amazing garden ornament. any building component or design feature, such as wood, brick, fabric, or an House-part recycling centers: Less-glamorous but equally old fireplace mantle, that is usable items like cabinets and flooring are brought salvaged from its original use and incorporated into a new to these green operations for your project-shopping project or space. pleasure. Contractors and homeowners alike donate • Reclaimed materials skip the excess new materials and remodeling cast-offs for recycling process, thus using recycling by others. less energy between removal and reuse. Common reclaimed materials include: wood Online classifieds: Be sure to browse online destinations products from old barns and homes, bricks and other used like Craigslist for local deals and steals. You can find masonry units, doors, paneling everything from new entry doors to railroad ties for and a slew of other building products. landscaping projects among the listings, and with a careful, common sense approach, arrange to purchase and pick up • Locally sourced fixtures and reclaimed materials can evoke items in record time. a rich history.
• Reclaimed materials are Internet-based boutiques: Online stores feature a number often sold through home of independent vendors offering great vintage furnishings, salvage auctions as well as online sales. fixtures and fittings alongside original art and handcrafts. • Try to repair furniture before replacing it.
Sources: See full article by Tom Kraeutler, AOL’s Home Improvement Editor, at dailyfinance.com.
SWANCC 35 Photo courtesty of the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse Photo by Bill Burlingham New Uses For Old Treasures
New materials may be shiny, but even the greenest of construction will never be as green as using what has already been created. Also, the character and historical appeal cannot be manufactured in new goods. Home Reuse, Deconstruction, Salvage
Construction Materials Construction and Demolition Whole Building Design Guide Reuse Marketplace Recycling Association wbdb.org reusemarketplace.com cdrecycling.org
Deconstruction Obi Deconstruction obideconstruction.com
Reuse Architectural Artifacts Horigan Urban Forest Products Reuse Devolopment Organization architecturalartifacts.com horiganufp.com redo.org
Building Materials Reuse Association I Choose to Reuse ReUseIt Network bmra.org ichoosetoreuse.org reuseitnetwork.org
Cook County Demolition Sales Milwaukee Modern Salvage One demolitionsales.com milwaukeemodern.com salvageone.com
Craig’s List Murco Recycling Enterprises, Inc. State Street Salvage craigslist.org murco.net statestreetsalvage.com
Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse Planet Reuse The Old Wood Co. evanstonrebuildingwarehouse.org planetreuse.org theoldwoodco.com
Habitat for Humanity Restore ReBuilding Exchange ThrowPlace habitatnfv.org rebuildingexchange.org throwplace.com
Heritage Salvage Chicago Reuse Alliance Urban Remains heritagesalvagechicago.com reusealliance.org urbanremainschicago.com
Material Exchanges (Business) Build Recycle Material Exchange Recycler’s World build.recycle.net material-exchange.org recycle.net
Ecycler Minnesota Materials Exchange Waste Exchange Network ecycler.com mnexchange.org wastechange.com
Greater Chicago Waste to Recycle Match Profit Network recyclematch.com wtpnetwork.org SWANCC 37 Get Your Green Thumb Moving
Work with nature by using products that will not do harm to you or the environment. Your outdoor space can look great without using chemicals. Outdoor, Lawn Care and Gardening
Resources Beyond Pesticides Rich Soil The Land Connection beyondpesticides.org richsoil.com/lawn thelandconnection.org
Grassroots Environmental Safe Lawns Water Efficiency Education safelawns.org Landscape Planner grassrootsinfo.org epa.gov/greenacres Safer Pest Control Project Organic Gardening spcpweb.org organicgardening.com Seven Generations Ahead Pesticide Action Network sevengenerationsahead.org pesticideinfo.org
Products, Supplies & Services Biodegradable Store Gardener’s Supply Company Neuton biodegradablestore.com gardeners.com neutonpower.com
City Farmer Gardens Alive! Nature Friendly Products cityfarmer.org gardens-alive.com nfpco.com
Clean Air Gardening Company Green Depot People Powered Machines cleanairgardening.com greendepot.com peoplepoweredmachines.com
Clean Air Lawn Care Service GroundSmart Rubber Mulch Planet Natural cleanairlawncare.com groundsmartrubbermulch.com planetnatural.com
Conserv-A-Store Huskie Tools Rubber Bark conservastore.com huskietools.com rubberbark.com
Eaternal Plates Lawn Boy Simply Biodegradable eaternalplates.net lawn-boy.com simbiousa.com
Eco Gardening Natural Lawn of America Solar Greens Company ecogardening.com naturallawn.com solargreens.net
EcoMowers Natures Composites Tower Garden ecomowers.com naturescomposites.com sheloves.towergarden.com
SWANCC 39 Composting Information: Products, Supplies & Services (Continued) Vermico • Outdoor composting breaks vermico.com down food waste into rich WellSpring soil. It is so rich that it must wellspringltd.com be diluted with other soil to Worm Woman use in gardens or with house wormwoman.com plants. Composting decreases the amount of food waste and creates a useful soil additive. Please be mindful of municipal composting restrictions. Yard trimmings, fruit and vegetables can be composted at home.
For details, visit The Legacy of Aldo Leopold and the Land Ethic homecomposting madeeasy.com. “Green Fire” is a documentary about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold and shares highlights • Vermicomposting is another from his extraordinary career, explaing how he way to break down food shaped conservation and the modern environmen- waste by composting with tal movement. It also illustrates how Leopold’s vision of a community that red wiggler worms. The cares about both people and land continues to inform and inspire current worms eat lots of fruit and projects around the country and around the world. View the documentary at vegetables. This method is greenfiremovie.com. beneficial for small spaces and can be accomplished indoors Considered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United or outdoors; however, in the States’ wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, phi- winter months it must be losopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. Aldo Leopold developed inside or in a heated area. In an interest in the natural world at an early age, spending hours observing, about three months some soil journaling, and sketching his surroundings. Leopold investigated ecology and will be ready to harvest, which the philosophy of conservation, and in 1933 published the first textbook in may be added to plants or the field of wildlife management. In 1935, he and his family initiated their own garden soil. ecological restoration experiment on a worn-out farm along the Wiscon- sin River outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Planting thousands of pine trees, For more information, visit restoring prairies, and documenting the ensuing changes in the flora and fauna chicagohomecomposting.org further informed and inspired Leopold. Leopold’s legacy continues to inform and inspire us to see the natural world “as a community to which we belong.”
40 SWANCC • The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Rain, Rain, Come this Way! sells rain barrels each month from March through Conserving water at home is easy with these two November. For information conservation ideas: visit mwrd.org.
• For information Rain Barrels about rain gardens, visit Outdoor Collecting rain showers conserves water that can be used chicagowilderness.org, watering for watering plants, lawns and gardens or washing the car. greenvalues.cnt.org, and consumes According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), raingardennetwork.com. up to 40% outdoor watering consumes up to 40 percent of tap of tap water water used during summer months. This amount can be • Be sure to read warnings on used during significantly reduced by utilizing rainwater instead. packaging for mulch and other summer gardening supplies for their months Rain barrels are primarily used as a water conservation toxicity in regard to pets. tool, but they also manage stormwater. As rain falls, dirt, sediment, pesticides or other contaminants are picked • Some nurseries and garden up and carried to various water systems. Lawns, trees, stores have plastic pot shrubs and other plants naturally reduce water runoff recycling programs. Check by absorbing it for growth. Manually collecting rainwater with your local nursery. runoff with a container is another method of reducing runoff. • There are a large variety of rain barrels, which makes Using rain barrels can improve local water quality and finding the right one for your lessen the stress on water treatment facilities to meet home easy. residential demand for potable water.
• Adjust sprinklers so only Rain Gardens your lawn is watered and not Rain gardens Absorbing rainwater runoff into the soil where native the house, sidewalk, or street. require very wildflowers and grasses are grown is helpful for the little, if any, environment. Rain gardens reduce the amount of water • Choose shrubs and maintenance entering the stormwater system, create lush wildlife groundcovers instead of turf habitats, require very little, if any, maintenance and for hard-to-water areas such provide a beautiful landscaped addition to any home. as steep slopes and isolated strips. To purchase a rain barrel, visit mwrd.org.
• Plant in the fall when conditions are cooler and rainfall is more plentiful. SWANCC 41 A Pretty Face
Cleansing products help keep our bodies clean. Many of the hygiene products we use every day end up in our water system, including the Great Lakes. Please be mindful of the effects of of thse products beyond your skin when making purchases. Personal Care
Resources Environmental Working Group PETA Beauty and Skincare ewg.org/skindeep peta.org
No More Dirty Looks The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics nomoredirtylooks.com safecosmetics.org
Books Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Not Just a Pretty Face, by Stacy Malkan Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener Everyday Products and What’s at Stake (New Society, 2007) World, by Diane McEachern (Penguin for American Power, by Mark Shapior Group, 2008) (Chelsea Green, 2007) Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics & Per- sonal Care Products Endanger Your The Body Toxic, by Nena Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to Health…and What You Can Do About Baker (North Point Press, 2008) an Earth-Friendly Life, by Sophie Uliano It, by Samuel Epstein, MD, with Randall (Harper Collins, 2008) Fitzgerald (BenBella, 2009)
Bath/Body/Cosmetics Alima Pure Benedetta Dr. Hauschka alimapure.com benedetta.com drhauschka.com
Aromaleigh Bright Endeavors Dr. Vita aromaleigh.com brightendeavors.org drvita.com
Aubrey Organics Burt’s Bees Ecco Bella aubrey-organics.com burtsbees.com eccobella.com
Avaion Natural Products Cranberry Lane Eco Lips avalonnaturalproducts.com cranberrylane.com ecolips.com
Aveda Crazy Rumors Enviro Products World aveda.com crazyrumors.com enviroproductsworld.com
Bare Escentuals Dr. Bronner’s Soaps Everyday Minerals bareminerals.com drbronner.com everydayminerals.com
SWANCC 43 • GoodGuide collaborates Bath/Body/Cosmetics (Continued) with a wide range of non- Fruits and Passion Noodle & Boo profit organizations that work fruits-passion.com noodleandboo.com to educate the public about health, environmental, and Giovanni Cosmetics Organic Diva social issues. Visit online at giovannicosmetics.com organicdivas.com goodguide.com to compare ratings of different products. GladRags Organic Health and Beauty gladrags.com organichealthandbeauty.com • Large quantities of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Good Clean Love Pangea Organics Care Products (PPCPs) can goodcleanlove.com pangeaorganics.com enter the environment after use by individuals or domestic Green Envee Organics Peaceful Parlour animals. greenenvee.com peacefulparlour.com
• Sewage systems are not Honeybee Gardens Preserve Products equipped for PPCP removal. honeybeegardens.com preserveproducts.com Currently, there are no municipal sewage treatment Intelligent Nutrients Seventh Generation plants that are engineered intelligentnutrients.com seventhgeneration.com specifically for PPCP removal or other contaminants. John Masters Organics Soap Studio Brookside johnmasters.com soapstudiobrookside.com • The risks posed to aquatic organisms, and to humans are Lush Handmade Cosmetics The Organic Company unknown, largely because the lushusa.com theorganiccompany.com concentrations are so low. While the major concerns Miessence The Organic Make-up Company have been the resistance to miessenceproducts.com organicmakeup.ca antibiotics and disruption of aquatic endocrine systems (the Monave Tom’s of Maine system of glands that produce monave.com tomsofmaine.com hormones that help control the body’s metabolic activity) Mountain Rose Herbs Urban Decay by natural and synthetic sex mountainroseherbs.com urbandecay.com steroids, many other PPCPs have unknown consequences. Natracare Vermont Soapworks natracare.com vermontsoap.com • The number of PPCPs are growing. In addition to Nature’s Cupboard antibiotics and steroids, over naturescupboardonline.com 100 individual PPCPs have been identified (as of 2007) in environmental samples and drinking water. 11 Ingredients to Avoid • Personal care products tend to be made in large quantities - 1. Formaldehyde 7. DMDM Hydantoin thousands of tons per year. 2. Parabens 8. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) • The effects of PPCPs are 3. Phthalates 9. Quaternium-15 different from conventional pollutants. Drugs are 4. Synthetic Colors 10. Triethanolamine (TEA) and purposefully designed to 5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Diethanolamine (DEA) interact at low concentrations and to elicit specific biological 6. Petroleum 11. Synthetic Fragrances effects. Unintended adverse effects can also occur from the Sources: alternet.org and mightynest.com interactions.
44 SWANCC • Be sure to take advantage of SWANCC’s Prescription Drug and Sharps disposal program. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Information at swancc.org.
• Do not flush medications PPCPs Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products as pollutants down the water system.
comprise (PPCPs) refers, in general, to any product used by • Be wary of products that a diverse individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons do not disclose all ingredient information on packaging. collection of or used by agribusiness to enhance growth or health thousands of livestock. PPCPs comprise a diverse collection of • PPCPs include: Prescription drugs of chemical thousands of chemical substances, including prescription Over-the counter drugs substances and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, Veterinary drugs Fragrances fragrances, and cosmetics. Cosmetics Sun-screen products Diagnostic agents PPCPs are Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals are present Nutraceuticals (e.g., vitamins) present in in our nation’s waterbodies. Further research suggests • Sources of PPCPs: our nation’s that certain drugs may cause ecological harm. The EPA Human activity waterbodies is committed to investigating this topic and developing Residues from manufacturing Residues from hospitals strategies to help protect the health of both the Illicit drugs environment and the public. To date, scientists have found Veterinary drug use Agribusiness no evidence of adverse human health effects from PPCPs in the environment. • The importance of individuals directly contributing to the combined load of chemicals Drugs are PPCPs have probably been present in water and the in the environment has been largely unrecognized. PPCPs in not entirely environment for as long as humans have been using them. the environment illustrate the absorbed by The drugs that we take are not entirely absorbed by our immediate connection of the actions/activities of individuals our bodies... bodies, and are excreted and passed into wastewater and with their environment. and passed surface water. With advances in technology that improved • Individuals add PPCPs to into waste the ability to detect and quantify these chemicals, we can the environment through water now begin to identify what effects, if any, these chemicals excretion (the elimination of waste material from the body) have on human and environmental health. and bathing, and disposal of unwanted medications to sewers and trash. Do not The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) flush your is a federal law controlling the management and disposal • Effects may be subtle because PPCPs in the environment medications of solid and hazardous wastes produced by a wide variety occur at low concentrations. down the of industries and sources. The RCRA program regulates There’s a need to develop tests that detect more subtle toilet or sink! the management and disposal of hazardous pharmaceutical end-points. Neurobehavioral wastes produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers and the effects and inhibition of efflux pumps are two examples. health care industry. Subtle effects that accumulate may be significant. Source: Environmental Protection Agency
SWANCC 45 Man’s Best Friend
Be as loyal to your pet as he is to you. Find products that will be safe for him and the environment. Pet Care Products
A La Upcycle Green Dog Inc. Planet Dog alaupcycle.etsy.com greendoginc.com planetdog.com
CycleDog Krasco Inc. Spectrum cycle-dog.com basketsleeves.com spectrumbrands.com
Dogtime Natural Pet Market Swheat Scoop dogtime.com naturalpetmarket.com swheatscoop.com
Eagle Pack Only Natural Pet Store Tail Waggins Dog Bakery eaglepack.com onlynaturalpet.com tailwagginsbakery.com
Earth Bath OrganiPets earthbath.com organipets.co.uk
Great Green Pets Pitaya greatgreenpet.com cybercanine.com
SWANCC 47 Read Between the Lines
There are many eco-friendly opportunities when you send out files to print. Ask your printing representative what options are available to you. Printing and Publishing
American Graphics Network Consolidated Printing Rolling Press Glenview consolidatedprinting.net rollingpress.com agninc.com Greg Barber Company Digital Hub gregbarberco.com digitalhubchicago.com New Society Chelsea Green Publishing newsociety.com chelseagreen.com
SWANCC 49 Green Promotions
When looking for give-a-ways, be sure to look at the many eco-friendly options available and pay it forward to your cause and the environment. Promotional Items
Added Incentives Eco Promotional Products Target Marketing Group Northbrook Glenview recycledpromos.com addedincentives.com ecopromotionsonline.com Treetop Promotions American Graphics IAS Promotes Elk Grove Village Glenview iaspromotes.com (847) 734-5400 agninc.com Signature Marketing Weisenbach Recycled Products AmeriMark Direct signaturemarketing.com recycledproducts.com amerimarkdirect.com Signman Signs & More Crestline signmansam.com crestline.com
Discovering the World Stan Miller & Associates dtworld.com millerpromos.net
SWANCC 51 It Can Be Done
A good recycling system consists of well marked containers to keep contamination as low as possible. Pairing recycling and landfill containers together allows people to make a choice at the point of pitch. Recycling Containers
Barco Products Keep Tidy T2 Site Amenities barcoproducts.com keeptidy.com t2-sa.com
Busch Systems Recycle Away The Fibrex Group buschsystems.com recycleaway.com fibrexgroup.com
Clean River Recycle Box Bin T.M. Fitzgerald & Assoc. cleanriver.com recycleboxbin.com tmfitzgerald.com
Consolidated Plastics Co. Recycle Clear Toter consolidatedplastics.com recycleclear.com toter.com
D & B Fabricators Rehrig Pacific Company Upbeat dbfabricators.com rehrigpacific.com upbeat.com
Forms + Surfaces Resourceful Bag & Tag Windsor Barrel Works forms-surfaces.com resourcefulclearstream.com windsorbarrel.com
Tips For Recycling Containers
• Place a recycling receptacle next to every trash can, cafeteria, hallways, concession and vending machine also called “twinning”. This allows individuals to have a areas, outdoor sports fields, etc. choice – and to “Think Before They Throw”. Make • Specific locations may require different sizes or kinds recycling an easy and convenient choice to make. of containers, depending on the materials targeted for • Recycling receptacles should be visibly different than collection and the space constraints of the location. trash cans, providing instant recognition. • Be sure to label each recycling receptacle with the • Recycling receptacles need to be placed in classrooms, materials you want to collect to reinforce your overall offices, work rooms and high traffic areas, such as the message and to deter from incorrect behaviors.
SWANCC 53 Bag It Up
Remember to bring your own bag when shopping to create less waste in the first place. Reusable Bags & Dishware Products
Reusable Bags 1 Bag at a Time Eco Bags Reuse This Bag onebagatatime.com ecobags.com reusethisbag.com
ChicoBag Papermart chicobag.com papermart.com
Food Containers and Dishware Products Added Incentives International Paper Mighty Nest addedincentives.com internationalpaper.com mightynest.com Evanston Crestline Kids Konserve crestline.com store.kidskonserve.com Preserve Products preserveproducts.com Eaternal Plates Laptop Lunches eaternalplates.net laptoplunches.com Recyclaholics recyclaholics.com EcoPromotional Products Libbey Food Service ecopromotionsonline.com foodservice.libbey.com Simbiousa simbiousa.com Enviro Products Litter Free Lunch newwaveenviro.com litterfreelunch.com Stainless steel containers lunchbots.com Go Fresh Lunch Without Waste freshsnackpack.com lunchwithoutwaste.com Wrap-n-Mat wrapnmat.com
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag
According to the Worldwatch Institute, approximately 100 billion plastic bags are buried in landfills each year in the United States. Additionally, littered plastic bags are impacting the health and safety of wildlife on land and in the water. Reduce waste and conserve resources – please take your own reusable bags when shopping!
SWANCC 55 Trains, Planes and Automobiles
And buses, bikes and foot power. There are many ways to get from point A to point B with less of an impact. Transportation and Travel Resources Active Transportation Alliance Bureau of Transportation U.S. Dept. of Energy activetrans.org Statistics fueleconomy.gov bts.gov Bike Commuting Tips U.S. EPA Green Vehicle Guide runmuki.com/commute Fuel Cell Resources epa.gov/greenvehicles fuelcells.org Bio Diesel America biodieselamerica.org Green Car greencar.com
Products Better World Club I-Go Working Bikes Cooperative betterworldclub.com igocars.org workingbikes.org eGo Pedro’s Zip Car egovehicles.com pedros.com zipcar.com
Electra Bike Rickshaw Rick’s Tours and Taxi electrabike.com rickshawrick.com
Electrik Motion Schwinn electrikmotion.com schwinnbike.com
Travel Eco Tour Directory Sierra Club Sustainable Travel International ecotourdirectory.com sierraclub.org sustainabletravelinternational.org
Green Concierge Travel Ski Area Environmental Travel Green Wisconsin greenconciergetravel.com Scorecard travelgreenwisconsin.com skiareacitizens.com Green Hotels Association greenhotels.com
SWANCC 57 Products With Impact.
Reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled. These are important elements in living a green lifestyle. Buying recycled-content and sustainable products is a vital component of completing the chain.
The Eco-Friendly Marketplace provides many different green products and services that impact the Earth and our well being in a positive way. They create less of a demand on the Earth’s resources and a safer environment for our families, which provides a better future for us all.
As consumers, our role is important. Through purchasing, we are giving feedback to companies about the types of products we desire. We vote with our dollars each and every day. On your next shopping trip, think about what you want from the products you purchase and the message this gives.
For information about recycling and waste reduction, visit swancc.org.
Visit SWANCC on the web at swancc.org.