CSBA Seminars

Two Important Seminars Scheduled for This Summer

Fri, 6/25: Anti-Greenwashing Seminar (CSBA 108)
Communicating a company's attributes meaningfully and accurately has become a required core competency of all sustainability-minded enterprises. This seminar covers the many legal and practical issues involved with this important topic. The course includes expert presentations, case studies, participant discussion, and a comprehensive resource guide all designed to empower participants with relevant knowledge and useful tools.

Whether you are developing a product or communicating a message, the principles and pitfalls of greenwashing need to be apparent to everyone in your organization. Come learn how what you don’t know (or inadvertently are doing) can hurt you.

Where: Women's Business Development Center, 8 S Michigan Ave #400
When: June 25, 2010, 3-5:30pm
Cost: Free for members, but registration required.

Register Here.

Tue, 7/20: The Future and Your Business Seminar (CSBA 109)
Issues & Trends for the Sustainability-Minded Enterprise

Sustainability-minded enterprises are inherent leaders and need to keep a sharp eye focused on the future in order to maintain their market advantage, avoid pitfalls, and to grow and thrive. For the busy businessperson, however, it can be difficult to step away from current priorities and consider what forces are shaping their future and how to respond. This seminar empowers participants by providing a deeper understanding of "where all of this is going." An opportunity for participants to reflect on and discuss how these issues could challenge their company's development, or present new opportunities, will also be incorporated.

The seminar will be lead by Peter Nicholson, one of the most broadly knowledgeable professionals in Chicago on sustainable business issues. He is the Executive Director of the Foresight Design Initiative, founder of the organization's Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance and an engaging teacher and facilitator. Additional special guests will be announced.

Where: Women's Business Development Center, 8 S Michigan Ave, #400
When: July 20, 2010, 3-5:30pm
Cost: $45 for members.

Register Here.

CSBA Quick Update

Welcome to our newest member:

HighTower

...and greetings to renewing members:

Healthy Green Goods

Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks

LivingRoom Realty

View all member profiles in the online Green Business Directory.

Healthy Books for Hungry Minds

Rogue Element Teams Up With Squishy Press

Developed by Design firm, Rogue Element and photographer Steven E Gross, Squishy Press is proud to announce their first two published titles: Silly Faces and Opposites. These books use 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper, soy-based inks, and non-toxic glues to ensure that they are not only easy on the eyes, but easy on the planet. Squishy Press thinks the best gift they can give kids is a cleaner and greener world.

Learn more.

Look for These Members at the Green Festival 2010

Stop By Their Booths & Say "Hi!"

2 Point Perspective

A Fresh Squeeze

City of Chicago, Department of Environment*

Digital Hub

Gourmet Gorilla

Greener Cleaner

Healthy Green Goods

I-Go Car Sharing

Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks
More Exhibitors.

Or Show Up & Listen To Their Presentations!

Ron Elkins, 2 Point Perspective

Noam Frankel, The Greener Cleaner

Brandon Leavitt, Solar Service

Peter Locke

Zina Murray, Logan Square Kitchen

Lisa Richardson Elkins, 2 Point Perspective

Alison Saffold, City of Chicago's Climate Action Plan

Steve Sherman, GreenChoice Bank

Marny Turvill, Healthy Green Goods

Cecilia Ungari, The Green Mama
More Speakers.

*Stop by the City of Chicago's Booth, Join the Quest, and become a Climate Action Hero!

Members in the News

Recent Press On Fellow Members

- Consolidated Printing, NBC Chanel 5
- Distant Village Packaging, Pure Labels, Going Green
- GreenChoice Bank, Crains Chicago Business
- Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks, Chicago Tribune
- Logan Square Kitchen, WGN-TV
- Terracom Public Relations, Daily Herald
- WRD Environmental, WGN-TV

Remember to email press items about your company
to the CSBA for publication.

Chicago Park District Announces RFI for the Garfield Park Conservatory Campus

7/29/10 Responses Due By 3pm

The Chicago Park District (CPD) is seeking ideas and potential collaborators for the development of the north section of the Garfield Park Conservatory Campus. The area comprises approximately a quarter of the twelve-acre city block where the Conservatory is located and includes both open land and built elements, including a 36,000 square foot building designed by historic architects Michaelsen & Rognstad.

Long-term, it is envisioned that the Conservatory Campus will become a major center for urban greening in the city of Chicago. At this time, CPD is casting a wide net for ideas for the development of the remaining campus elements. Responses may reflect educational, commercial, social, or other interests, as long as they fit into a wider green theme as described in the Request for Information (RFI).

The Conservatory Campus holds enormous potential, attested by the many positive changes undergone by both the Conservatory and the surrounding community in the last decade. CPD welcomes your input as it continues to shape one of the most significant institutions on Chicago’s west side.

The RFI and other supplemental information can be downloaded from the CPD website:
Click on "doing business" then "contract opportunities" and "Garfield Park Project P-10020," register, and download.

Notes From a Webinar by Yalmaz Siddiqui, Office Depot’s Director of Environmental Strategy

4/20/2010

1. Defining "green"
       -applicable to biz of all sizes and sectors
       -green is a spectrum (many shades), not a binary
       -nothing is eco-friendly, rather, only eco-preferable

2. Why go green?
      -if you personally care
      -to tap into a growing marketplace
      -to save money

3. How to prioritize green initiatives?
       -select them based on customer needs (i.e. pursuing certifications if they request them)
       -"balance environmental issues w/primary customer needs or be forever relegated to the green graveyard"
       -what do you want to be able to say about your green initiatives in 12/24/36 months?

4. Reach green customers
      -who are your primary green customers?
      -why are they buying green?
      -where do you find them?
      -how do you bring them something that's different?
  
The emphasis on adopting green initiatives almost solely based on customer demand was most interesting.

Learn more.

Find Sustainability-minded People For Your Company's Positions

Promote Your Jobs & Internships With Foresight

It's easy! Send job and internship descriptions (or links to descriptions on your site) to jobs@foresightdesign.org. We will get the word out to the 4200+ people on Foresight's Sustainability Hub email list.

Email descriptions here.

Wed, 5/19 Meet the City of Chicago Hospitality Experts

Invitation From The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) Hospitality Industry Advisory Group

WHO:Chicago's nightclub, bar, restaurant and hotel managers, operators and proprietors
WHERE: Rockit, 22 W. Hubbard, Chicago
WHEN: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The goal of the network is to ensure entrepreneurs understand City policies, know the industry issues specific to Chicago and help create a more positive and pro-active effort to grow Chicago's hospitality industry.

Learn more.

Request For Applications (RFA) for the 2011 Business Industry Training and Education Program

June 1st Deadline

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administers the BITE Program to encourage education on cost-effective energy efficiency measures and to increase the receipt and completion of incentive projects through the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS).

The purpose of this year's BITE Program RFA is to identify and fund projects that provide statewide, regional or sector-based support through outreach, education and application assistance for public sector electric customers in either ComEd or Ameren territory.

Your participation will help qualified customers understand the EEPS incentives available to them and determine which measures will provide the best return on their investment. Ultimately, your technical assistance and support will ensure quality EEPS applications are submitted to DCEO in an accurate and timely manner.

Applications are due June 1, 2010, and must be submitted via email. For more information call The Smart Energy Design Assistance Program at 800-214-7954. Full details are available by downloading the official RFA.

Learn more.
Note: The link to download the file is under "Market Transformation" and is titled "Guidelines 2010-11."

Fujifilm Introduces "Biodiversity Conservation' into Eco-friendly Design

Fujifilm Corp., Japan's leading photographic company, announced on February 16, 2010, that it will incorporate "biodiversity conservation" in its environmentally-friendly design policy. The policy aims to reduce environmental impact throughout the total life cycle of its products and services.

Learn more.

Say NO to Plastic Shopping Bags

...And Support Local Environmental Conservation

The large Japanese retailer, Marui Group Co., launched an environmental conservation contribution program at six stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area in February 2010. In the program, shoppers who do not need plastic bags can make a contribution to their local government or to an environmental group. The company hopes to encourage its customers to bring their own shopping bags, as well as to support local environmental conservation activities through the campaign.

Learn more.

New Greenhouse Cultivation Method Increases Tomato Yield by 50%

Japan

The Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on December 22, 2009, that it has developed a greenhouse cultivation method that consistently produces a high yield of tomatoes. The center reported that the method can yield 30 tons of tomatoes for every ten acres, or 1.5 times of yield compared to the
conventional method, which would result in doubling a farmer's net income.

Learn more.

Put Illinois to Work: Employers Wanted!

Illinois Provides Subsidized Employment for Up to Six Months

Put Illinois to Work program is an initiative of Governor Pat Quinn to create jobs throughout Illinois and provide employment experience to those hardest hit by this recession. Put Illinois to Work is funded by the State of Illinois and federal funding made available in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Through Put Illinois to Work, unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents can be placed into subsidized employment positions for up to six months. Under the subsidized employment model, the wages of the participant are provided by state/federal funding, and the employer must provide supervision and training of the participant for the duration of the placement.

This program has been designed to provide support to hard-working Illinoisans, with safeguards to ensure program integrity and that all Federal TANF guidelines and stringent ARRA audit standards are met. The funding expires on September 30, 2010. Therefore all subsidized employment placements must end by that date.

If you have even one position available, Put Illinois to Work can welcome you as an employer!

Questions? Please contact us.