Chicago Green Music Fest
25 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Chicago, Food, Green Mansions, Sustainability Tags: art, awesome, beer, chicago, crafts, DJ Klever, festival, food, Green Music Fest, local, Wailers
There’s not much better than Chicago in the summertime. This weekend, in particular, there are dozens of exciting things to do (Tour de Fat, Taste of Chicago, Summerfest, and Pride Fest are but a few examples). After much deliberation, Green Mansions Foundation has decided to attend the Chicago Green Music Fest on Sunday, June 27.
The innovative green technology-themed event will fuse original live music with green vendors, services and local retail, art, craft and food vendors. There will be two stages and musical guests include great acts such as the Wailers and DJ Klever. There will also be activities for kids of all ages, including break-dancing lessons, cooking demonstrations, and face painting.
Important to Green Mansions Foundation is that the event will also be produced in the most eco-friendly way possible with bio-diesel fuel operated generators, biodegradable plastic cups, recycling and composting options, free bike valet courtesy of Active Transportation Alliance and Special Service Area 29.
The Green Music Fest is located in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, on Chicago Ave. between Ashland and Noble. The event runs from 12 pm – 10 pm on June 26 and 27. There is a suggested donation of $5.
Green Mansions Foundation’s Logo Design Competition
24 Jun 2010 1 Comment
in Green Mansions Tags: awesome, competition, design, graphic design, green, Green Mansions Foundation, logo, sustainability
Green Mansions Foundation needs a new logo. We’re looking for creativity, simplicity, and general awesomeness. We are open-minded about the design, as long as it is original, goes with the overall sustainability mission of Green Mansions Foundation, and is able to be re-sized. The logo design contest is free and open to anyone. We are a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and you can feel good knowing that your design will help us spread the word about simple sustainable living.
The submission deadline is Friday, July 30, 2010. The top graphic will be the official Green Mansions Foundation logo and will be used everywhere and with everything we do. The top three finishers, judged by Green Mansions Foundation supporters, will be credited on our blog, website, and everywhere else we have a presence.
For more information about Green Mansions Foundation, visit us at http://www.greenmansionsfoundation.wordpress.com.
Email your submission/contact us at jfaber@greenmansions.org.
Thank you and good luck!
Berry Leather and Fiddlehead Pie
24 Jun 2010 1 Comment
in Food Tags: awesome, berry, book, forage, local, recipes
Here at Green Mansions Foundation, we’ve often wondered what we could create with the wild plants growing around our office. This is why we were so excited when we stumbled upon nature writer Jean Craighead George’s book, Acorn Pancakes, Dandelion Salad, and 38 Other Wild Recipes. Each recipe is created using wild ingredients found right outside your front door, from dandelions to day lilies. George’s instructions are easy to follow and the illustrations are beautiful. As huge berry fans, we decided to tackle the Berry Leather recipe found on page 12. Not only was it delicious and simple, we made it with our very own wild strawberries. To try it yourself:
Take thoroughly ripe strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries and mash them to a pulp
Press through sieve to remove seeds
Spread on cookie sheet and dry in sun (or oven)
When dry, dust lightly with powdered sugar and roll like a jelly roll
Store in tin boxes and jars and use as a candy treat or for pies, sauces, or tarts
Or do like GMF did and enjoy immediately.
Green…errr…Muddy Sneakers for a Cause
23 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Chicago, Sustainability Tags: awesome, exercise, fire, Green Sneakers, Joliet, mud, reuse, sustainable, Warrior Dash
Green Mansions Foundation decided that it was time to really conquer the outdoors and participated in Warrior Dash this past Sunday. Held in Joliet, Illinois, the Warrior Dash course was more challenging than expected, with very muddy terrain and insane obstacles to clear (like fire!), but the GMF gang managed to complete the race in a respectable amount of time.
Once we finished the race, we de-muddified ourselves under a large water cannon that was strategically located next to an enormous pile of very dirty shoes. These shoes, left by hundreds if not thousands of Warrior Dash participants, were donated to Green Sneakers.
Green Sneakers is an nonprofit organization that enables groups to fundraise by purchasing collected shoes for $1 a pair. Once the shoes have been collected, cleaned, and sorted, Green Sneakers sells the shoes to people in need across the country and around the globe for very low prices. It’s a great way to earn money for your organization, reuse your old shoes instead of tossing them, and help others.
We left Joliet feeling really great about ourselves. We’ll be back next year. Will you be there to join us?
(Photos from Warrior Dash’s Facebook page. We’ll post our own asap.)
Eco-Andersonville: Sustainable Community
22 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Chicago, Sustainability Tags: awesome, business, certification, event, local
Andersonville, a unique Chicago neighborhood with a small-town feel, has recently launched the Eco-Andersonville Sustainable Business Certification Program. The program certifies small, local businesses as sustainable and provides them with a rigorous checklist of requirements, guidelines, resources and incentives to adopt sustainable business practices and let their customers know that they care about the planet. The checklist was adapted from best practices of national green business programs, but was tailored to apply to small, locally owned, independent businesses, by a committee of local constituents and sustainability experts from local universities and non-profits.
Other Eco-Andersonville programs and events encourage environmental, economic, and social sustainability. These programs include the first on-street recycling program in Chicago, energy audits, eco-programming at the Andersonville Farmers Market, commercial district composting, recycling advocacy, and more.
Andersonville’s next large event is Green Week, a week-long celebration of sustainability with green activities, events, and workshops for businesses and residents. Andersonville Green Week runs from July 12 through 18.
Green Mansions Foundation
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