New Book! ECOpreneuring: Putting Purpose and the Planet before Profits

ECOpreneuring: Putting Purpose and the Planet before Profits
by John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

From "mom-preneurs" to Boomers launching the dream green business they always wanted, there are more people today yearning for a soul-nourishing business that celebrates our human spirit and potential. Small, sustainable and place-based businesses and the ecopreneurs who run them are becoming the very foundation of the emerging new green economy of the 21st Century. Increasingly, launching either for-profit or non-profit businesses are seen as the means to create a more sustainable and socially just tomorrow.

ECOpreneuring provides an in-depth exploration of:

• Hot business trends and the restorative opportunities in a living economy
• Ways to cultivate your core passions and sense of purpose to craft your Earth Mission
• Eco-business basics and the triple bottom line
• Money matters, including funding your business and personal finance issues never taught in business school
• Marketing in the green economy with 7-Ps, not just 5-Ps
• How technology, information and the new global commons can transform your business model

This accessible and inspiring guide includes Ecopreneur Profiles featuring businesses in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors of the green economy, including Peter Nicholson, Executive and Creative Director of the Foresight Design Initiative.

Exhibition Opportunities

3rd Annual Sustainable Cities Symposium
The Sustainable Cities Symposium serves to educate Illinois municipal leaders on how to make their communities more sustainable by implementing green practices and programs. The conference is an opportunity for businesses to share information and exchange ideas with mayors, public works departments, planners, engineers, community groups, and interested residents.

The fee to exhibit is $100 for non-profits and government entities and $200 for businesses, which includes a 6-foot table and 2 chairs from 9:00am to 4:30pm. Breakfast and lunch will be provided during the symposium. Admission to the conference plenary and breakout sessions is free.

www.GreenSolutions.il.gov

Green Procurement Exposition & Conference 2009
Navy Pier, Chicago IL
June 3-4, 2009
Sign up before September 30 and receive a $300 discount off Standard and Premium booths. Booths are regularly priced at $2300 for Standard and $2800 for Premium.

Register Online

Illinois Recycling Grants Program and Green Loans

The Illinois Recycling Grants Program helps communities, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations collect and process materials for recycling through both technical and financial assistance.

Two separate grant opportunities have simultaneously opened for:

1. Projects that address the collection or processing of traditional recyclables (paper, plastic, glass, and metal) and
   
2. Projects that address the collection or processing of electronic scrap.

Applications are due no later than Monday, December 22, 2008.

Grants are now available.

The Green Energy Program is a one-year pilot program that encourages energy efficient development and improvements by offering low-interest loans to businesses, non-profit organizations and local governments in Illinois.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office secures below-market interest rates for borrowers who finance their purchase or installation of energy efficient and renewable energy equipment at participating lenders. Projects can range from $10,000 to $10 million.

Find out more about Green Energy Loans here.

Shredder Days

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the U.S.

Saturday, September 20, 2008
US Cellular Field
35th Street & Wentworth Avenue
9 am – Noon

All materials shredded will be recycled.

A Cooperative Project of the Dep of Consumer Services, BBB, USPIS, FTC, IAG, Chicago PD, and State's Attorney's Office

Opportunity for free product/service development

Could your business offer service on 2 wheels?

The Product Design Department at Columbia College will be teaching it's Urban Bike Design class this Fall. They'll partner with businesses who wish to explore bike-based services (delivery, vending, advertising, cargo, etc).

Student teams will develop a tailored design solution to each business' potential bike-based service. Students will be required to produce working prototypes and professional-level support materials. Research and design generated will be free for participating businesses to use.

Please contact:
Carl Boyd, adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago
Email: carl@normalstuff.net
773-426-0227

Upcoming Conferences

Here are some upcoming conferences that are resources to the green business community.

Corporate Climate Response: September 22-24 in Navy Pier
CSBA members are eligible for a 20% discount. Type "AGL20" into the online discount code box or quote "AGL20" when booking by phone or fax.

Sessions will cover absolute carbon emission reduction, the outlook for national carbon trading, supply chain efficiency, and water and carbon footprinting. Peter Nicholson will chair the first day of the event. Other speakers include sustainability experts from DuPont, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Stonyfield Farm, and Burt's Bees.

For more information, please see the event website.

GreenTown: The Future of Community: Thursday, October 2, 2008, 8 am to 5:30 pm, Aurora, Illinois

$95 Discounted Rate for CSBA Members
Call Sara Rechtin or Courtney Watkins to register at 312.706.2525

Designed to help create eco-effective communities. Mayors and elected officials, city managers, public works directors, park district directors, planners, developers, engineers, architects, landscape architects, builders, and many others interested in sustainable development, gather to hear from inspiring speakers, learn from been-there case studies and discuss actionable procedures to make communities more eco-effective.

See event website.

GreenBuild
International Conference and Expo
Boston, November 19-21, 2008
Register at www.greenbuildexpo.org

Good and Green: The Green Marketing Conference
December 3rd-4th
Chicago Cultural Center
Learn how to increase your brand's emotional, cognitive and financial connection in today’s "greening" consumer markets.
Register at: http://www.goodandgreen.biz/

2009 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
January 7-8, 2009
Register at www.mwalliance.org/conference

Members in the News

Chicago's future home for one-stop green shopping, will be featured in an upcoming ABC Channel 7 special on July 26th at 6:00 pm called "Go Green with ABC 7". The half-hour program will explore some of the most eco-friendly businesses in the city while also looking at what Chicagoans can do to reduce their carbon footprint.

Green Exchange was selected to participate along with many other local enterprises including Fresh Picks, the healthy/organic food on-line delivery service, and Earth Friendly Products, specializing in the production of 60 chemical free household cleaners. In addition, Chicago designer Lara Miller will showcase her eco-friendly line of clothing made from bamboo, soy, hemp, seaweed, just to name a few. Healthy Green Goods, the Museum of Science and Industry's Smart Home, and a look at ComEd's Green Home Makeovers will round out this journey through some of Chicago's most eco-friendly endeavors.

Go Green With ABC 7 episodes are available online.