Chicago’s premier resource for healthy and sustainable living
Natural Awakenings Blog 2012
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05/21/13Highland Park Hosts Fashion Show & More, May 25Based on the success from the North Shore’s Next Top Kids Model competition held in March and the first Spring Fashion Show on April 20th, Sprout Kids will be holding two more fashion shows featuring two more groups of model winners on May 25th and June 22nd at 11:30 am, featuring summer trends and swimwear. The final Next Top Kids Model winners will be chosen from these three in-store Fashion Shows, and represent Sprout Kids on the runway during Downtown Highland Park’s Fashion Week. In its third year, Highland Park’s Fashion Week will take place September 16-20, 2013, culminating with the Fashion Show on Friday, September 20th. |
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05/15/13International Biodiversity Day at The Field MuseumAttention Seed Savers! May 22 is International Biodiversity Day and several organizations are inviting you to celebrate seed diversity by attending a tour and lecture on FOOD ORIGINS by the renown photographer and seed saving advocate David Cavagnaro. |
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05/13/13Green Festival Returns to Chicago, May 28-19Green Festival returns to Chicago’s famed Navy Pier for its seventh year on May 18-19. Featured at the weekend-long show will be leaders in the social justice and environmental community, including speakers, entrepreneurs and activists; an organic beer and wine pavilion; a unique marketplace of more than 270 eco-friendly businesses, featuring the latest and greatest in sustainable products and services and new programming that will appeal to all members of the Chicagoland community. |
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05/09/13Celebrate National Drinking Water Week with a Canoe TripFor mothers who crave the outdoors (like many of us!), why not treat mom to a leisurely paddle on the North Shore Channel for Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12? |
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05/08/13Free Fitness Classes, Health Screenings for Senior Citizens, May 29Highland Park Nursing & Rehab Center (HPNRC), in collaboration with the Highwood Senior Social Club, is celebrating National Senior Health & Fitness Day at an FREE open house day of fitness classes and health screenings for senior citizens. On Wednesday, May 29th from 1-4pm at HPNRC (50 Pleasant Avenue, Highwood), will host a day of complimentary health screenings, fitness demonstrations, and speakers in honor of National Senior Health & Fitness Day. |
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05/06/13Chicago Celebrates National Bike MonthChicago celebrates National Bike Month with special events and cyclists participating in the National Bike Challenge, Bike to Work Week and Bike the Drive. |
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05/01/13City of Chicago Farmers Markets Kick Off on May 11The Chicago’s Farmers Markets selling fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers open at Lincoln Park (Armitage & Orchard) and Division Street (Division & Dearborn) on Saturday, May 11 and at Beverly (95th & Longwood) on Sunday, May 12 before the official opening at Daley Plaza (Washington & Dearborn) on Thursday, May 16. |
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04/30/13ZeroLandFill Hosts Materials Collection For Artists and Educators on May 2ZeroLandFill is hosting a materials collection on Thursday, May 2, from 5:30-7 pm at the Chicago Center for Green Technology.. Materials donated will be used by artists and educators to use. |
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04/18/13Why Do We Still Celebrate Earth Day?Why celebrate Earth Day? Climate change can seem like a remote problem for many, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places all over the world. Fortunately, others are too: those stepping up to do something about it. For Earth Day 2013, EDN will tell the world these stories. The Face of Climate Change will not only personalize and make real the massive challenge that climate change presents, it will unite Earth Day activities around the world into one call to action. |
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04/17/13Earth Day: 13 Things Everyone Can Do in 201313 recommendations from Food Tank for ways to support the future of food, health and agriculture and to celebrate Earth Day |
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04/16/13Celebrate Earth Day at Lurie Garden Family WorkshopEarth Day is a family event at Lurie Garden as guests are invited to make crafts and participate in a sustainable scavenger hunt on Saturday, April 20. |
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04/15/13Recycle Your Wedding Goods on April 28The Green Wedding Recyclery is a collection of wedding items from recently-wed couples and wedding vendors and an opportunity for brides, grooms and vendors to peruse and buy slightly used and vintage wedding items—from Mason jars, to vases, to dresses and jewelry. It’s also a great way to save money, reuse stuff and create a little less waste from a beautiful celebration. April 28 in Chicago. |
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04/10/13Sandwich Me In Hosts TON of Events Pre-Earth Day: April 21Earth Day is a great way to teach young children the importance of taking care of our natural resources and Sandwich Me In has an amazing full day line-up of fun and interactive events for both young children AND adults to enjoy. From kids learning how to make and shape bread to adults enjoying a demo on canning, the day is filled with activities, samples, live music and face painting! |
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04/08/13Celebrate Earth Day in Chicago ~ April 22Join others in Chicago and around the world to celebrate Earth Day with The Nature Conservancy and its Picnic for Earth event or at the Green Exchange building on April 22. |
04/04/13Kickoff to Introduce Highwood Senior Social ClubAn open forum to hear from Highwood’s seniors about what type of programming and events they would like to see in a Senior Social Club & Enrichment Program. Who: Highwood and Highland Park Seniors, Family and Friends What: An open forum for area Senior Citizens to discuss the launch of Highwood’s Senior Social Club. When: Saturday, April 6th 9-10am Where: Highland Park Nursing and Rehab Center, 50 Pleasant Ave. Highwood, IL Why: With such a strong senior community throughout Highwood, the City is now working in conjunction with the Highland Park Nursing and Rehab Center to offer Highwood’s senior citizens a Social Club that would offer them enrichment opportunities, entertainment, networking and other... |
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04/03/13Farm to School Classroom Curricula TrainingReady to implement a farm-to-school program in your classroom? Seven Generations Ahead has scheduled Educator Training Workshops for Chicago May 15, 16, 18 and June 1. |
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04/01/13Forest Preserve District of Cook County unveils 1st official Recreation Master PlanThe Forest Preserve District of Cook County unveiled its first official Recreation Master Plan at a meeting of the Board of Commissioners on March 19. The plan outlines a variety of safe and accessible outdoor recreational opportunities that build on the District’s long history of conservation and education. It calls for compatible recreational uses that are sensitive to natural resources and emphasize the importance of environmental awareness, open space advocacy and stewardship. |
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03/28/13Recycle Rumble at Resurrection College Prep through April 15Resurrection College Prep High School in Chicago is involved in a Recycling Rumble so in addition to accepting and recycling laser and inkjet printer toner cartridges and old cell phones through the Funding Factory, it can gain an additional 25% of value added to their recycled goods if it brings in the most recycled items through a friendly competition with another organization. |
03/26/13How many cars in Chicago were recycled last year?Old cars make up only 25% of vehicles on the road in the U.S., but did you know that 25% contributes to 75% of all harmful emissions? The answer to this problem? Car donation and recycling. Kars4Kids makes it easy to do just that. |
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03/22/13Sustainable Backyards Class in Chicago ~ March 28Discover how your backyard can be part of the solution to some of Chicago’s most pressing environmental problems and learn how to compost, harvest rainwater, plant trees, and plant native plant gardens on your property. Learn how the Chicago Sustainable Backyards Program can help you to get up to 50 percent off of items to green your backyard. Class on March 28 at The Center for Neighborhood Technology. |
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03/21/13Ecology's Evanston Adventure Spring Break CampStill searching for your children’s spring break activity? The Evanston Environmental Association offers the Ecology's Adventure Spring Break Camp with a variety of engaging indoor activities and outdoor adventures - at the Ecology Center and all around the City. |
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03/20/13Take Action TODAY to Stop the Frack Attack in IllinoisUrgent Calls needed to the members of the Illinois Senate Energy Communications for Moratorium on Fracking, SB1418. |
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03/19/13Free Family Art Day Classes at Zhou B - March 23OH ART will present at the Zhou B Art Center on March 23rd between 10am- 3pm. This non-profit program will consist of Family Day celebrations and FREE workshops as well as classes during the year with professional creative instructors. O Art for People is proud to offer new inspiring and creative cultural experiences to the community. This program will often act in conjunction with the existing 3rd Friday gallery openings for an enhanced artistic experience. |
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03/15/13Attend the Local Food Party of the SeasonCome mingle with other local food enthusiasts at Localicious, March 15, in Chicago! The party pairs family farmers with chef-driven restaurants for a sampling of homegrown cuisine and craft beer, wine, and cocktails. Celebrate the farmers who grow our food and the chefs who transform it. |
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03/12/13Free Recycling in Schaumburg – April 20The Village of Schaumburg is hosting a FREE Recycling Event on Saturday, April 20, to help residents properly dispose of a number of items including electronics, clothing, automobile batteries and bicycles. |
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03/07/13Celebrate International Women's Day ~ Take Action on March 8Friday is International Women's Day. Oxfam Action Corps Chicago invites Chicagoland residents to celebrate in downtown Chicago with actions to encourage Mondelez (corporate parent to brands like Oreos, Nabisco, and Cadbury) to respect women cocoa farmers throughout their supply chain. |
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03/06/13Greening your LifeEarth Day may be celebrated in April but most of us know living an eco-friendly lifestyle isn’t specific to one day of the year. Luckily, there are plenty of resources to help you green your life, from your backyard, to inside your home and from your block to the office. Here are some upcoming Chicago events to help you either get started or take your eco-friendly habits to the next level. |
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03/04/13Dr. Joel Fuhrman to Give Keynote Presentation at Celebrate Yourself Healthy GalaProgressive nutritionist and health expert Dr. Joel Fuhrman will be sharing his knowledge with Chicagoans for the first time as the keynote speaker for Healthy Initiative Foundation’s “Celebrate Yourself Healthy”, event taking place on Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Chicago. |
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02/27/13You're Invited to an Inspiring Community Event April 11Get inspired by your Chicago community and join others at Greenheart’s Envisioneers event for an evening of organic food and great conversation while listening to visionaries talk about the change-maker movement happening around the city on April 11. |
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02/25/13Healthy Initiative Chicago Hosts Celebrate Yourself Healthy EventHealthy Initiative is changing the nation’s health one city at a time. To celebrate the success and personal transformations of the 40 participants, Healthy Initiative is hosting a red carpet event in their honor in Chicago called Celebrate Yourself Healthy on March 9. |
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02/21/13Animal Magnetism Raises Funds for PAWS ChicagoPAWS Chicago is committed to bringing an end to the killing of homeless cats and dogs in our community and transforming animal welfare. A daunting task, to be sure, but it has some equally committed supporters who are working hard to keep their important work going. Hundreds of those supporters will come together this Friday, February 22, to celebrate the organization’s work at its Seventh Annual Animal Magnetism event. |
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02/20/13Food Entrepreneurship … Are you ready to take the plunge?Do you consider yourself a “foodie” and wonder if you could make it as a food entrepreneur? Schurer will be leading a half day boot camp this Sunday, February 24, on food entrepreneurship. Students will be learning about the pros and cons of starting their own food venture and becoming a food entrepreneur. |
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02/18/132013 Chicago Bike SwapChicago Bike Swap 2013 anticipates more than 75 bike shops, businesses, nonprofits, bike clubs, bike teams and bike people to exhibit and sell bikes, bike parts, gear, clothing, bike event registrations and more during its March 9th event. If you’re in the market to buy or sell a bike or need some bike gear, this is the event to attend. |
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02/15/13Focus on Climate ~ Rally in Chicago on Feb 17On Sunday, February 17, hundreds will gather at Grant Park in Chicago to celebrate and display the growth of sustainable communities in the city and show that they reject the authority of governments to destroy the future of their home. |
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02/13/13Detoxing: Separating Facts from HypeDr. Sandra Scheinbaum, founder and director of Feed Your Mind Wellness Center, will lead a discussion on detoxification and teach us how to safely reduce toxic burden using food as medicine on February 24 at Madame Zuzu's Teahouse. |
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02/11/13Love in the WildAs Valentine’s Day approaches, we naturally turn to the topic of love. But it’s not just humans that pair up, split up, and make up. All year long, the animals and plants of our forest preserves are leading love lives as varied and complicated as anything in the human world. |
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02/07/13Cos Bar Chooses Highland Park as Next HomeWatch out, North Shore, Cos Bar is heading to town. Realizing many of the customers of this Aspen-based boutique retailer of high-end cosmetics and skincare herald from Highland Park, Founder Lily Garfield and her son Oliver Garfield decided it was time to make their offerings available to North Shore residents. "We have a tremendous amount of customers from Highland Park, Aspen, Scottsdale and elsewhere,” Lily Garfield told us when asked why she chose to open the first Cos Bar in the state on the 650 block of Central Avenue in downtown Highland Park early summer 2013. “We like to go where our customers are from!" she adds. The new location comes as good news to the residents of Highland Park and the North Shore community seeking luxury... |
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02/05/137 Valentine's Day Gifts That Support Local OrganizationsSeven ways to show your Valentine how much you care while supporting local Chicagoland organizations, too. |
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01/30/13Kelly Gillum Crafting Beatles “LOVE” Sculpture for Valentine’s DayIn celebration of Valentine’s Day, a Beatles Cirque du Soleil “LOVE”-inspired sculpture will soon be installed in Downtown Highland Park. Local Deerfield Artist Kelly Gillum was chosen among more than 16 artists who submitted work for consideration. The sculpture, entitled “Love Always Translates”, will go on display on Central Avenue on February 1st. |
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01/30/13Break the Cycle: Flywheel's Race to Erase MS 2013This Saturday, February 2, Flywheel hosts Break the Cycle: Flywheel's Race to Erase MS 2013 at its Highland Park location. |
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01/28/13Prepare Your Spring Garden Now with Upcoming EventsWhile we anxiously wait for spring to make its real appearance, we can enjoy the next few months preparing for what we hope is a gorgeous spring, summer and fall. Luckily there are plenty of places in the Chicagoland area to tempt and tease us with great flower displays and workshops to get us into the mood. |
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01/23/13Chicago Green Wedding Alliance Presents CommittedThe Chicago Green Wedding Alliance hosts Committed, an avant-garde, green wedding event at eco-venue, Greenhouse Loft on Sunday, February 24. |
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01/21/13Are you Ready to Talk with a Life Coach?Sheree Nathanson, a certified life coach, will facilitate a free workshop on January 23 at Billy Corrigan's Madame Zuzu's in Highland Park from 10 a.m. to noon. |
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01/16/13Looking to Try Your Hand at Something New This Year?Chicago offers classes and workshops to help with almost any creative interest from building a wooden coffee table to weaving and glass blowing. |
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01/14/13Soul Food Junkies - Tonight on PBSTonight at 8pm, PBS will air the 60-minute documentary, “Soul Food Junkies,” by Byron Hurt. “Soul Food Junkies” artfully explores the historical and cultural significance of Soul Food to black identity and its effect on African American health. |
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01/11/13Join or Start a Book ClubPart of a book club or always wondered about how to start your own? Several libraries in the North Shore and Chicago host their own book clubs for both children and adults. While almost all book clubs focus on a particular niche, the one thing they have in common is an interest in reading and discussing the book amongst each other. |
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01/10/13Learn How to Green Your RoutineGreenheart and Chicago Conservation Corps will be presenting “Green Your Routine” on Saturday, January 26, at Greenheart Shop in Chicago. The workshop will feature quick recycling tips, do-it-yourself cleaning recipes and easy upcycling crafts. |
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01/09/13Learn to Photograph Nature for FreeWant to take amazing photos of the flowers or plants you see along your hikes but don't know how to use your camera? The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is hosting a new series of photo meet-ups designed for photographers of all skill levels, from beginners to experts to learn how to use your camera to photograph those nature scenes. |
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01/08/13Food Justice Conference to Discuss Ways to Improve our Food SystemThe Food Justic Conference is just one way each of us can get more involved in our food system. The sessions will address themes of food and war, food aid and humanitarianism, moral and ethical issues in defining hunger and famine, the tensions between local and global food systems, and alternative urban food movements (specifically in Chicago) |
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01/07/13Turn New Year’s Resolutions into Long-Term SolutionsEating healthier shouldn’t be an annual resolution but, rather, a way of life. There are a number of programs and services designed to help you regardless of your current situation and many of them within your community, too. |
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01/04/13Uncommon Ground reclaims World's Greenest Restaurant TitleIn recent years, 4 Star Certified Green Restaurants® across the country have engaged in a lively competition to secure the esteemed title of the World's Greenest Restaurant®. Chicago's uncommon ground held this title from December 2011 to March 2012 and has continued to make environmental changes across their operations. The 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant® has now earned over 447 GreenPoints™ based on the rigorous certification standards of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA). With more GreenPoints™ than any restaurant in the world, the GRA has once again crowned uncommon ground as the World's Greenest Restaurant®. |
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01/03/13Arts Come Alive in the Form of Mosaics in Highland ParkFive local artists will have their mosaic artwork featured in downtown Highland Park, Illinois, from January 15 through March 31. |
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01/02/13CAPOW Urges Residents to Vote YES to SB 3280SB 3280, the bill in Springfield with the Moratorium on Fracking and an Investigative Task Force might be brought up for a vote on Jan 8th. The state-wide anti-fracking coalition is making progress and continuing to lobby representatives. Those interested in keeping fracking out of Illinois can do so by contacting their Illinois state representatives on Wednesday, January 2nd and Monday, January 7th and asking them to vote "yes" on SB3280 with the moratorium on fracking. |
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12/31/12Simply in Season Cookbook Takes Us Through All SeasonsSimply in Season cookbook, available at Ten Thousand Villages in Evanston, offers more than 300 recipes for all four seasons that features local and fresh ingredients, fair trade |
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12/27/1213 Ways to Change Food System in 2013As we start 2013, many people will be thinking about plans and promises to improve their diet and health. But we think a broader collection of farmers, policy-makers, and eaters need new, bigger resolutions for fixing the food system - real changes with long-term impacts in fields, boardrooms, and on plates all over the world. These are resolutions that the world can’t afford to break with nearly one billion still hungry and more than one billion suffering from the effects of being overweight and obese. We have the tools — let’s use them in 2013! |
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12/26/12Empowering Your TeenHealth Psychologist Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum, founder of Highland Park-based Feed Your Mind Wellness and Carly Scheinbaum, MS Candidate in Mind-Body Medicine, have developed a new mind-body skills group specifically geared toward adolescent women that blends mind-body skills, such as breathing techniques, meditation and yoga poses with nutrition advice, dynamic movement activities and group support. |
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12/24/12Unwrap Chicago: Eat, Drink & Buy Local in All 50 WardsLocal First Chicago releases 50 stories of businesses in each of the city of Chicago wards entitled Unwrap Chicago: Eat, Drink & Buy Local to encourage residents to support and shop its local community businesses. |
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12/21/12Global Movement Invites the World to Participate100 million are being invited to be part of a global movement to create a world that works for all. To commemorate the experience, organizers of Birth 2012 are planning to let everyone be an active participant by producing a 33 hour, global live webcast will link more than 40 major locations and hundreds of smaller ones. |
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12/20/12Sweety Pies Bakery in Downtown Skokie: Hidden GemSweety Pies Bakery in downtown Skokie, Illinois, features freshly baked goods, pies and great coffee in a quaint sit-down atmosphere. |
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12/20/12Three Days of Love: Pledge Your CommitmentThree Days of Love is a movement to unify 100 million people around the world to sharing worlds and actions of love for three days. |
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12/19/12Wild Things, a Chicago Wilderness Conference for People and NatureEvery wondered about the diversity and habitat use of bees in an urban landscape like Chicago? Have you wanted to create a native eco-garden in your community and didn’t know where to begin? Wild Things is a conference featuring more than 90 large and small group sessions which will cover everything from the details of habitat management, botany and zoology to broader topics such as advocacy, culture, history and backyard and neighborhood ecology. |
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12/18/12Celebrating Holidays Around the World in ChicagoHoliday breaks are about to begin for many families and it’s often filled with times for reflection, gatherings, sharing meals, stories and experiences. Since many experiences and memories during the holidays revolve around food, encourage your young chefs by enrolling them in a Young Chefs Academy workshop. Although the Academy offers several classes throughout the year, it is offering a Kindercooks Winter Camp from December 26-28 with a focus on cooking up holiday traditions from Around the World. |
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12/17/12House of Ayurveda Hosts December Potluck Dinner & Movie ScreeningHouse of Ayurveda is hosting a free movie screening of THE WAY and vegan potluck this month on Saturday, December 22. |
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12/13/12barker & meowsky Hosts Book Signing for Seth Casteel, December 19Chicago’s barker & meowsky is hosting New York Times bestselling author and photographer Seth Casteel at Chicago Art Source for a book signing and presentation on December 19 from 6 – 9 p.m. A portion of proceeds for the event are going to Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control (FCACC). |
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12/12/12Learn to Prepare Gourmet Raw FoodIf preparing and eating more raw foods are among your new year plans, Inner Metamorphosis University is making it easier for you to learn the basics and get a head start on your plan. Chef Cynthia Nirel Chico will be leading a workshop in Chicago on how to prepare raw food recipes on December 16 and January 27. |
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12/11/12Make Your Holidays Fair TradeRather than blindly buying something at the big box store, why not consider a fair trade dress or accessory to the party? Did you know Chicago boasts some of the highest number of Chicago fair trade fashion designers in the United States? |
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12/07/12Club Divine Invites You to Join the Movement JourneyWhat else is possible? Club Devine is inviting everyone to take what it calls a movement journey with them through expanded love, compassion, dancing and devotion with the Divine. Held at Bodhi Spiritual Center on December 28, the evening will include dancing, prayer, ceremony, laughing and healing chanting. It will be hosting artists, healers, musicians and performers from the Bodhi community and all of Chicago. |
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12/06/12Open Books Sale Great for Book LoversOpen Books, a Chicago-based non-profit social venture, works to promote literacy throughout the Chicagoland area through its bookstore which houses more than 50,000 donated books for sale and its and community programs. Two sales in December allow readers to stock up. |
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12/05/12Delta Institute and Merchandise Mart Pilot Pioneering Composting ProgramThe Merchandise Mart in Chicago partners with Delta Institute on a pilot a composting program. As a result, one to two tons of organic material is diverted every week from landfills. |
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12/03/12Is Illinois Ready for Fracking?Fracking has arrived in Illinois and gas lease speculation has begun. Is Illinois equipped to deal with this new industry and are safeguards in place to protect drinking water and public health? |
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11/30/12Vacant Land Transformed Into Garden, Provides EmploymentImagine turning vacant land collecting garbage into a lush organic garden growing food for low-income families while providing much-needed employment to hard-to-employ people and giving them with the training they need to re-enter the workforce on a full-time basis? That dream is quickly becoming a reality thanks to Heartland Human Care Services. The organization, which is a division of Chicago-based Heartland Alliance, is working on Chicago FarmWorks, a 2.6-acre urban farm in East Garfield Park. |
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11/30/12Create Memories This SeasonEnjoy time with friends and family during the holiday season with events that bring us closer together. |
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11/28/12House of Ayurveda Hosts Potluck Lunch & Movie ScreeningNeed a good reason to get together with new friends this season? Vladimir Kazinet, founder and clinical director of the House of Ayurveda, is hosting a film viewing and potluck dinner on Saturday, December 8, at the House of Ayurveda in Northbrook. |
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11/26/12Shopping Local in Chicago Made EasyThe city of Chicago and Local First Chicago would like to encourage you to build a new tradition of shopping local and taking the pledge. Luckily, there are a host of options to help you discover great local and independent shopping locations no matter your shopping interest! |
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11/20/12Heaven Meets Earth Wins Evanston Award for YogaHeaven Meets Earth wins Evanston Award for best yoga instruction. |
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11/20/12Chicago and Sustainability: What Does It Really MeanForesight Design presents Chicago Sustainability 101: Toward Transformation, a seminar which provides participants with a quick but thorough overview of where sustainability efforts have been, and where they are going, making sure to separate fact from exaggeration. Tailored to the interests of attendees, the course delivers information, resources, volunteer opportunities and unique insight into issues ranging from recycling to Asian Carp. |
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11/16/12Bookmania returns with Special Author AppearancesBookmania, a favorite event hosted by the Chicago Public Library, returns on November 17 at the Harold Washington Library. |
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11/07/12Benefits Of Pumpkin SeedsPumpkins are a traditional part of fall, including being the tasty filling for Thanksgiving pie. Before you throw away the pumpkin seeds, Dr. Martha Howard of Wellness Associates of Chicago offers these amazing health benefits. |
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11/06/12Yellow Tractor Program presents Harvest Fest in EvanstonThis Thursday, November 8, the Yellow Tractor Program, a national non-profit that aims to unite key community organizations through garden-based nutrition and environmental best practices, celebrates the fall harvest from its Evanston Community Partner Organizations garden spaces. |
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11/05/12The Plant Celebrates its Anaerobic Digestion System with Groundbreaking CeremonyIn July’s issue of Natural Awakenings, we featured The Plant and its vision: to create a food production plant in a metropolitan city in which the energy used to power the very large, former meat processing facility is created entirely from its own waste and that of its nearby neighbors. This week, that goal is closer to becoming a reality as work is scheduled to begin on The Plant’s anaerobic digestion system, a critical component to its goal of being a sustainable, net-zero energy vertical farm and food business operation. The public is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony this Friday, Nov. 9, 2pm, at The Plant, located at 1400 W. 46th St. in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. In attendance will be Alderman Pat Dowell, a strong... |
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10/31/12New Children's Exhibit Brings Magic of Mister Rogers to LifeThe DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville is bringing the magic of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood with the newly-opened exhibit, How People Make Things. |
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10/30/12One Dime at a Time Benefits Irving Park Food PantryThis month through December 2012, Whole Foods Sauganash has chosen Chicago’s Irving Park Community Food Pantry as its One Dime at a Time (ODAAT) recipient. |
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10/30/12Free Screening of Genetic Roulette MovieGenetic Roulette, a documentary that discusses the dangers of allowing genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, will be available for a free screening on Wednesday, November 14, at 1 pm at the Wilmette Public Library. The event is sponsored by Go Green Wilmette. |
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10/29/12A World Transformed - Be the ChangeAttendees seeking to become a positive influence in their local community are invited to participate in Greenheart Transforms, a day-long event in Chicago on November 18 featuring Chicago change-makers. |
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10/26/12Hyde Park Art Center presents Mischief Night, a day-long community arts festivalHyde Park Art Center hosts Mischief Night in Chicago tomorrow, a free collaborative, community arts festival that allows all of us to be a little (or a lot) playful, mischievous and imaginative. Kid-friendly events are part of the line-up, too. |
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10/24/12Northerly Island Plant Rescue = Free Plants for You!Saturday, October 27, residents are invited to help rescue hundreds of native plants that currently live on Northerly Island Park in Chicago through its free Northerly Island Plant Rescue event. |
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10/24/12Chicago Finally Gets its (Bike) ShareChicago’s bike share system will launch in spring of 2013 with the goal of having 4,000 bicycles available throughout its 400 stations. Residents are invited to submit recommendations of where stations should be located. |
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10/23/12Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Dinner Made EasyThanksgiving is a time when many family members gather around the table for a meal but what if some of your guests have a gluten-intolerance? Dr. Kristen Bobik, founder of Hoffman Estate-based Balance Chiropractic and Wellness Practitioners, provides some tips that involve making small changes to a Thanksgiving Day meal that will make everyone happy and, more importantly, keep them safe. |
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10/18/12Diwali Celebration and Indian Cooking DemoDiwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, is a celebration of the New Year. To celebrate, head to Whole Foods at 1550 N. Kingsbury Street in Chicago where Anupy Singla, author of Vegan Indian Cooking and Indian Slow Cooking, will host a fun-filled book signing and cooking demonstration from 5-7:00 p.m. |
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10/16/12Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens Brings the Tropics to the MidwestGarfield Park Conservatory is among Chicago’s best kept secrets but head about an hour northwest of the city of Chicago and you’ll find another gem situated along the banks of the Rock River in Sinnissippi Gardens: the Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens. |
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10/10/12Yoga Rave Takes Chicago By Storm October 19Yoga Rave, part of the Art of Living Foundation, is a new concept where the body responds only to the stimulation of music, yoga and meditation. It is coming to Chicago on October 19. |
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10/09/12Celebrate Fall with Autumn Harvest CelebrationFamilyFarmed.org celebrates fall foods with Top Chef alum Sarah Grueneberg and Chris Marchino of Spiaggia as they serve up dishes like cabbage-stuffed Becker Lane pork and Mint Creek turkey confit on Sunday afternoon, October 21, at Heritage Prairie Farm, located about an hour west from Chicago. |
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10/08/12Does Fair Trade Chocolate Matter to You?Whole Foods agrees to pull some chocolate from its shelves due to lack of information of the manufacturer's production process. |
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10/05/12Chicago FarmWorks Newest Urban FarmChicago FarmWorks is the newest urban farm to hit Chicago. A program of Heartland Alliance, the 2.6 acre urban farm will provide 30 transitional jobs per year to low-income residents overcoming barriers to employment, increase locally grown produce for local food pantries and create environmental benefits by transforming vacant lots into productive green space. The farm is the result of collaboration among Heartland Human Care Services, Inc. (HHCS), the City of Chicago, NeighborSpace and the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) HHCS plans to create a productive green use of vacant lots located at Kedzie near Franklin in the East Garfield Park community on Chicago’s West Side. To celebrate the launch, a benefit is planned for Wednesday, October 10, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.... |
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10/05/12ReBuilding Exchange Moves WarehouseRebuilding Exchange, a treasure trove of re-used and reclaimed materials and, yes, even the kitchen sink, is being packed, carried and shuttled to a new retail warehouse right across the street. Many pieces come from Chicago-area homes built in the early 20th century and feature the charm, elegance and durability that marked that period in history. The new warehouse, located at 1740 W. Webster Ave. in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, opens to the public on November 1. At the heart of this unique Chicago nonprofit is the creation of a market for reclaimed building materials that otherwise might be dumped into area landfills. Since 2009, Rebuilding Exchange has diverted 7,000 tons of building materials from landfills, making them available to the public to renovate... |
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10/04/12Hiking Meditation Allows Us To Be One with NatureResearch has shown that meditation can be beneficial for not only our body but our mind, too, but many of us don’t know where to start. For those who are ready to give it a shot (or want to add to their current meditation practice), Amona Buechler, co-founder of Inner Metamorphosis University, is facilitating a hiking meditation on Sunday, October 7 and December 2. While many of us retreat to the warmth of our homes as the temperatures dip, being outside during these brisk days becomes even more important to help us connect with nature, breathe in fresh air and to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us. We wrote about the many benefits of awakening your spirit using the outdoors in our December issue. According to Buechler, simply walking in... |
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10/03/12Socially Conscious Shop Opens in ElmhurstLeslie Pozen is no stranger to the effect art has in our daily lives. As founder of Ellu Bags, she feels every woman should shine and her bags are meant to help women celebrate their own true self by carrying a piece that makes them feel empowered. Pozen brings that same breath of fresh air and self-expression to a new boutique opening in Elmhurst: Rouse. The shop, dubbed rustically modern in design, offers socially-conscious shoppers more than 1,600 square feet of socially conscious gifts and apparel, including her line of Ellu handbags. The space also doubles as a workshop space to host art and craft classes, yoga and meditation sessions and events for children and adults to enjoy. The shop opens its doors in a grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 6, with... |
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09/27/12Evanston Green Living Festival ~ Sept 29From low-flow showerheads to reusing wastewater to dual-flush toilets – new products and practices designed to preserve and protect our water supply are becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives. And yet many of us have done little to take the next step and adopt water conservation behaviors that would help preserve and protect the clean supply of water serving our community. Organizers of the 2012 Evanston Green Living Festival, September 29, aim to help us learn how to take care of our precious resource. |
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09/26/12Celebrating National Coffee Day Becomes Harder with Global WarmingNational Coffee Day will be celebrated around the United States on Saturday, September 29 and several local and national coffee companies will be offering discounts or free coffee throughout the day. As if we needed another reason to celebrate our beloved drink? |
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09/25/12Chicago VeganMania Returns September 29Three years after it hosted its first event, Chicago VeganMania returns as a free, day-long celebration of vegan culture, commerce, community, cuisine and couture. |
