NBC Chicago honored the green business leadership of Consolidated Printing, Distant Village Packaging, Reuseit.com, and Uncommon Ground. They made the list of fourteen entrepreneurs and business teams that the network featured for setting a high standard for green business ventures.
Here’s what NBC Chicago said about the GBN members they selected:
Marilyn Jones | Consolidated Printing Company
Marilyn started Consolidated Printing in 1973 in her basement. Thirty-five years later it is a pioneer in green printing, using safe and natural inks, toners, parts washers, solvents, and more. Marilyn and Consolidated Printing have won several awards, both for printing and for environmental prowess, including 3 Governors Pollution Prevention awards. Read the full list on her website.
Rich Cohen | Distant Village Packaging
Rich founded Distant Village in 2000, and has since fostered a successful company that blends sustainability and design by producing handmade packaging and products from natural materials for clients and companies of all sizes. Not only a member of Green America and a winner of many green awards such as "Best Eco-CSR Program of the Year" from the Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines in 2010 --- Rich and Distant Village also donate to organizations that prioritize the progress and betterment of developing nation communities.
Vincent Cobb | Reusablebags.com / Reuseit.com
When Vincent founded Reusablebags.com he became a leader not only in the reusable bags movement that has flourished since, but in the reusables movement in general. His business now incorporates bags, bottles, and other disposables. Vincent is not only known for being a leader in the reusables movement. His company was actually endorsed by the 2006 film "An Inconvenient Truth." What higher accolade for green products is there?
Michael and Helen Cameron | Uncommon Ground
Michael and Helen have opened Uncommon Ground restaurants in Lakeview and Edgewater. Atop the Edgewater location is the country's first ever Certified Organic Roof Top Farm which boasts fresh, organic produce they use in both restaurants. Their restaurants have been lauded multiple times for being the greenest in Chicago and even in America. Mayor Rahm Emanuel even chimed in, saying, “Uncommon Ground is a great example of what our city can do and what our country can do, use water and energy more efficiently, grow more sustainable food, while boasting the world’s most sustainable businesses."
Also featured:
Greg Christian (Green Festival Speaker) | Beyond Green: Sustainable Food Partners
Beyond Green is trying to modify the entire food industry one institutional kitchen at a time. They consult with kitchens to reduce their energy use and waste while still making delicious and environmentally friendly food.
Will Allen (Green American Magazine featured leader) | Growing Power
By way of Growing Power’s Chicago Projects Office, Chicago has been the humble recipient of a number of Will Allen's flourishing urban farms that are meant to address the issues of food security, nutrition, and public health. Though technically a Milwaukee business, Growing Power’s Chicago Projects Office earned Will an honorary Chicago Ecopreneur title. He was awarded a Macarthur Foundation “Genius Grant” for his work with Growing Power in 2008.
