Government Green Links

1. Green Bean is Erik Olsen’s blog about green projects in the city of Chicago.  Erik is the green projects coordinator for Chicago’s Department of Construction and Permits and has been an amazing resource for us on this project.  We’re on the blog.
   

2. Chicago’s Center for Green Technology is also a great place for ideas, information and resources about technologies, government money, initiatives, etc.  A repository of green info.
   

3. Illinois State involvement seems directed largely at business and not particularly active as its own department but here’s the link.  Illinois DCEO.
   

4. Energy Star is the government designation for energy efficiency in appliances, homes and even some standards, practices and ideas for your remodeling project.

Green Information and Resources

1. The Green Guide is a consumer guide for things green.  You might say, “stop consuming” would be the greenest solution.  Well in the in the meantime, find out the greenest diapers, light bulbs, etc. and some blogs, tips, hints, etc.
   

2. Consumer Reports has a green specific web site directed at reviewing green products called Greener Choices.
   

3. Kirk Fox is a real estate agent specializing in “green” real estate.  I’ve never met the man and can’t speak for his business but I found his website early in my search and it’s a great jumping off site for green surfing.  The web site is www.chicagogreenrealestate.com and the links and resources sections are especially helpful.

Green Shopping

1. Big Frog Mountain is a resource for purchasing alternative energy sources ie.  Solar, Wind, Efficient Appliances, and real nuts and bolts stuff for getting to ZERO power consumption or off the grid living.
   

2. Greenmaker Supply.  Chicago’s First Green building supply resource.  They are doing a great job of growing a list of green products for Chicagoans to shop for in person.  Look at bamboo, cork and recycled material flooring, low VOC paints, and they are all about educating folks who walk in.  A great resource.  Don’t just click-- VISIT!
   

3. Real Goods is a retail resource for alternative energy products in very much the same vein as Big Frog Mountain mentioned above.  They are part of GAIAM and have created a nice website and catalog and seems to be working to mainstream the shopping experience. 
   

4. eco-labels is a great web site designed to help you navigate the claims made on labels like “natural,” “organic,” “no-phosphates,” etc. 

Financial Resources

1. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy is a state by state listing of financial incentives for renewable energy.  Most of the moneys are directed at business and not for profit but there are some tax incentives and it’s worth looking at what exists in your state.
   

2. Indigo Financial Group is a lender who bills themselves Eco-mortgage provider.  I don’t know how well it works but I can tell you that bankers aren’t always to good at understanding this stuff so maybe and eco-mortgage broker is worth looking into.

Building Green   

1. The US Green Building Council is the organization which created the LEED specification which you’ve probably heard of.  A good technical resource but directed more at people in the trades.
   

2. Green Builder is a website focused on resourcing for green and sustainable building.  It’s a very heavy but very useful directory as you look at your project and determine what green materials you or your architect or builder can spec.  Use the sustainable building source-book. 
   

3. Green Building Resource Center is part of Global Green USA.  Don’t exactly know what Global Green USA is.  It seems to be a advocacy organization for green issues.  GBRC is in Santa Monica and has a definite local focus but there is some good basic info and good links for green surfing in the resources area.

Food

1. eco-labels is a great web site designed to help you navigate the claims made on labels like “natural,” “organic,” “no-phosphates,” etc. 
   

2. Angelic Organics is an organic farm which has deliveries to many neighborhoods in Chicago.  Don’t be intimidated by the overly fancy web site.  The organization is great and the core ideal of delivering locally farmed organic produce at an affordable price is great!  Our neighborhood of Logan Square has a lot of people who use Angelic.

Driving

1. Golden Fuel systems is a company that produces systems for converting your diesel vehicle to bio-diesel. 
   

2. iGo is a not-for-profit car sharing service all across the country.  There’s a very active iGo community in Chicago with a bunch of cars.  We’ve got 2 cars in Logan Square.

Editorial Green 

1. Treehugger is a great site!  It’s got news, politics, resources, shopping, a bunch of stuff.  As I’m writing this, there’s a nice little video piece about green sex toys!
   

2. Dwell Magazine, more than any other mainstream printed magazine, focuses largely on things green and things modern (which targets us and a lot of others of our generation.)  It’s a really pretty site to boot!
   

3. Green Home Guide is an online magazine about things green.  There are some good articles in the Know How section and resources.  My sense is that the resources are paid advertisement but it’s worth a look.
   

4. Here’s what Inhabitat says about itself.  Inhabitat.com is a weblog devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.
   

5. Apartment Therapy (Chicago) is a website/forum designed as a community resource and self help tool for creating your perfect living environment.  It actually came two years before the book of the same name by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan.  Lisa is pretty addicted to the site and links which I see are always very cool.  It seems to be more about reuse and creative use than running out to Target for the latest cheapo designer junk.

Community

1. Community Energy Cooperative is a project to encourage energy conservation.  Their big deal is to monitor and quantify peak energy pricing so you can use energy when it’s at it’s cheapest per kilowatt hour.  Learned about it from Apartment Therapy (see editorial green section below)
   

2. CEC is a program of the Center for Neighborhood Technology.  This is a great resource and really embodies the idea of what we are trying to do which is to live and work locally, be responsible members of our community and world, and thoughtful consumers.
   

3. Stelle Illinois.  A community formed because of it’s inhabitants shared interest in sustainability.  It’s nearby and I had never even heard of it until our friend Mark told us about it.  There’s nice article about a straw bale house on their web site.

Just Cool Stuff

1. The Story of Stuff is a cool interactive web site with a pretty elaborate interactive story of the distribution and waste chain.  It’s a great way to hear the ugly story of what consuming is doing to our country and our world.