Grow. Teach. Feed.
Since 2005, the Organic School Project has been seeking to encourage healthier lifestyles for school-age kids – one school at a time. With childhood obesity and other health-related issues like asthma and type 2 diabetes on the rise, a solution to processed cafeteria food (which only fuels these problems) is necessary. The Organic School Projects offers schools the necessary tools to make this change happen. Chef Greg Christian's goal is to connect school children with the earth so that they may make more mindful choices for themselves and their planet.
Clean. Energy. Movement.
Created to inspire students to green our world, the Climate Cycle annual fundraising bike ride raises funds to install solar panels and fund eco projects in Chicagoland schools. On June 16th and 17th you are invited to participate in Climate Cycle’s 4th annual Ride to Recharge! Cycle along the lakefront path in a variety of routes and choose a fundraising minimum or donate directly to the cause. Learn more about the initiative online!
Cleaning Up Our Oceans 1 lb of Trash at a Time
United By Blue is an organization dedicated to rediscovering and restoring our beautiful oceans. They start by selling a variety of unique eco-friendly tees, artisan jewelry, and bags online and with each item sold they remove 1 pound of trash from the world's oceans and waterways. Every year, over 14 billion pounds of trash get into our oceans and 80% of that comes from land-based sources. UBB schedules community cleanups throughout the year to reach their goals. If you aren't in a cleanup area, you can support their goals by making a purchase from their online store.
A Doll of An Idea
Our friend Alyson Beaton is a wonderful designer of kids toys, books, and activity kits and she's got a great Kickstarter campaign running now through April 25th! She's starting a new line of called Lille Huset that is an eco-friendly, modular dollhouse made right here in Chicago. Your donation will help Alyson put these unique and creative dollhouses into the hands of little kids everywhere, and yours as well. All funds will go towards production, and if enough proceeds are collected, it will also help Alyson take this great product to the New York International Gift Fair & Playtime NYC in August. Help support a local designer and product made with love and manufactured in the USA! Make a donation on Kickstarter today to see how you can help!
Farm Meets City
City Farm is a non-profit organization bringing sustainable vegetable farming right into the heart of Chicago. Their mission is to turn vacant city land, usually overgrown with weeds and crumbling cement, and turn it into productive farmland – ultimately changing the landscape of our city. At their main farm located between Cabrini Green and the Gold Coast, they've produced 25,000 pounds of veggies including tomatoes, spinach, carrots, beets and herbs in addition to new jobs and green space in the city.
Music + T-shirts = Charity
If you love wearing t-shirts, listening to indie rock and making a difference, then you should know about the Yellow Bird Project. Based out of Montreal, this organization teams up with various indie rock musicians to create unique t-shirt designs, benefiting the band's choice of charity. The artist's involved are some of our favorites and include The Decemberists, Rilo Kiley, Bloc Party, Broken Social Scene, Metric, Andrew Bird and many more.
These Ordinary Gifts Make An Extraordinary Difference
As I was sifting through my mail this week, we discovered a great way to gift to family & friends this holiday season. Outreach International mails out a Sustainable Gifts Catalog every year that has items you can purchase that will go to people in poverty that need those items. Everything from animals like goats, piglets and chickens, to environmental items like seedlings, an acre of farmland, and a tilapia pond. Your donation will help a community in need. They also have gifts available for needs such as education, school supplies, eye exam, water pumps, immunization, etc. – basically everything we can take for granted.
A New Thanksgiving Tradition
Instead of serving a turkey this Thanksgiving, try the earth-friendly and cruelty-free alternative and Adopt-A-Turkey! Started in 1986 by Farm Sanctuary, their efforts have saved thousands of turkeys from slaughter and placed them in loving homes or raised them on the Sanctuary’s grounds. Every American eating one less meal with meat a week would save as much carbon dioxide as taking more than half a million cars of the roads. So celebrate your Thanksgiving this year in a more responsible and kinder way and donate to the Adopt-A-Turkey program. Click here for more information and read on to see some great pics from Farm Sanctuary’s traditional Celebration FOR the Turkeys event.
Beagles, Boxers & Black Ties
PAWS Chicago is the city's largest No Kill animal shelter and their biggest annual fundraiser is quickly approaching. It's the adorably-named Fur Ball and it will take place at the historic Drake Hotel in the Gold Coast. The Fur Ball is a formal, black tie gala, but make sure to buy a bow tie for Fido because pets are welcome too! While your pooch is receiving the VIP treatment, including a doggie buffet and dog spa, you'll get to enjoy dinner, dancing, and raffles & auctions for amazing prizes including a luxury trip to Washington D.C., a 40" high-def TV, and more.
An Elephant Never Forgets
Next time you have some old clothes or a couch to throw away, remember The Brown Elephant Resale Shop. Someone’s trash becomes your treasure at this popular shop with locations in Andersonville, Wrigleyville and Oak Park. Reusing everyday items is one of the easiest and economical ways to go green and there are some great finds at The Brown Elephant. In addition, all the revenue generated from donations and purchases there help fund services for more than 50% of the Howard Brown Health Center clients who are under- or un-insured. Read on to learn how this elephant will never forget your generosity.
