Chicago Botanic Garden

PHOTO: knowledge and actiion vendors

Knowledge and Action Marketplace
10 a.m. to 3 P.m.

The Garden's Esplanade and Fruit & Vegetable Garden will be filled with experts providing fun ideas on ways we can all lower our carbon footprint.

Worm Composting
Families learn how to use vermiculture (worms!) to compost kitchen scraps easily at home. Explore a worm bin and take home instructions to make a simple, small compost bin. Kids can pot up a nasturtium flower seed and water it with worm compost “tea” to help the seedling grow.

Organic Gardening and Composting Demonstration
Stop by at this ongoing demonstration cart to learn about gardening organically and composting.

Melrose Pepper Giveaway
Plant an easy-to-grow, carbon-absorbing Melrose pepper. Start by making a small transplant pot with newspaper, pot up a seedling, and get ready to grow some of your own food — it doesn’t get more local than your backyard! Plant care sheet and recipe included.

The following organizations and more will offer ideas, insights, and inspiration to help visitors lower their carbon footprint at home, at school, at work, and on the road.

Business

Baxter International Inc. – A global biotechnology, medical device, and specialty pharmaceutical company that applies its expertise to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives.

North Shore - Barrington Association of REALTORS® (NSBAR)
Encouraging our members and the community to conserve natural resources and recycle responsibly. NSBAR is accepting old batteries to recycle at their booth.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP – PricewaterhouseCoopers combines its unique perspectives, skills, and diverse backgrounds to create innovative solutions to today's most complex business issues.

Recolo – Recolo helps businesses, state and local government, transit agencies and institutions of higher learning create value by collaboratively developing proactive management solutions, especially as they relate to climate change, talent development/recruitment and regulation.

COMMUNITY/PUBLIC AWARENESS

City of Chicago, Department of the Environment – Protecting human health and the environment.

Environmental Law and Policy Center – A Midwest environmental advocacy organization promoting clean energy, sound transportation, wild and natural places, and sustainable business.

Forest Preserve District of Cook County – Supporting land management, restoration, recreation, and education programs on more than 65,000 acres of woodlands and lakes in Cook County, IL.

Lake County Forest Preserve District – Supporting land acquisition, ecological restoration, stewardship, recreation, and education in northeastern Illinois.

MeGoGreen – Connecting consumers with local green businesses.

Sustain – Creating sustainable economic development through public and private partnerships.

EDUCATION

Chicago Botanic Garden – Children’s Learning Center – Offering hands-on learning about plants, science, and the environment.

Chicago Botanic Garden – Green Youth Farm – High school students managing two organic farm sites each summer.

Chicago Botanic Garden – Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden – Training botanists and horticulturists to help preserve biodiversity.

Land for Learning Institute – Creating awareness of the natural world through environmental education programs.

SGI-USA “Seeds of Change” exhibit – The exhibit displays international efforts to develop and foster sustainable development and encourages dialogue about our role in protecting the earth and its people.

The Field Museum, Renewable Energy Vehicle – Creatively educating the public about alternative energy.

The Notebaert Nature Museum – Museum exhibits and public programs foster green living. Cool Globes – popular exhibit along Chicago's lakefront examining global warming.

The Museum of Science and Industry – Smart Home: Green + Wired
Make green living and eco-friendly technology part of your life by exploring Smart Home: Green + Wired. In the Museum’s own backyard, you’ll tour a fully-functioning, 3-story, 2,500-square foot green home.

ENERGY

The Center for Neighborhood Technology – Not-for-profit organization helping consumers influence energy costs.

ComEd – The ComEd CARE Program provides information on energy efficiency education and programs, bill payment plans and financial assistance, and environmental education programs.

EcoLogical Products – Delivering environmentally sound energy options for the past eleven years.

Indigenous Energy – Promoting the use of biofuels, one community at a time.

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – Advancing energy efficiency in the Midwest to support sustainable economic development and environmental preservation.

Northern Illinois Energy Project – Partnership promoting energy conservation by offering discounted and free compact fluorescent light bulbs. www.citizensutilityboard.org

Solargenix Energy – Solar Energy solutions for homeowners and businesses.

PHOTO: marketplace vendors

FOOD

Angelic Organics Learning Center – Empowers people to create sustainable communities of soils, plants, animals, and people through programs offered in partnership with Angelic Organics.

Chicago Botanic Garden – Farmers’ Market – Local farmers selling organic produce, flowers, and herbs.

Organic School Project – Connecting students to the food they eat.

Sun Ovens – Offering an eco-friendly method to cook using energy from the sun.

The Talking Farm – Working urban farm and environmental learning center.

Whole Foods Market Deerfield – Specializing in organic and local foods.

SHELTER

Green Maker Supply – A one-stop shop for energy-intelligent, environmentally sensitive, and healthy building materials.

Horigan Urban Forest Products – Producer of high-quality hardwood lumber from the Chicago area urban forest.

U.S. Green Building Council, Chicago Chapter – Dedicated to making green buildings accessible to everyone.

PLANT CONSERVATION

Botanic Garden Conservation International – Global network for plant and habitat conservation.

Chicago Botanic Garden – Budburst Project – A nationwide, volunteer-led plant-monitoring program.

Chicago Botanic Garden – Volunteer Program – Connecting people with meaningful work while building community.

Chicago Wilderness – More than 200 organizations working to preserve Chicago's natural ecosystems.

Openlands – Preserving open space in northeastern Illinois.

TRANSPORTATION

Chicagoland Bicycle Federation – Improving local bicycling conditions and the health of the Chicagoland region.

Drive Less. Live More – Making connections to healthy, clean, and affordable public transportation in Chicagoland.

IGO – Not-for-profit car-sharing committed to a low-carbon diet.