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November 6, 2009

Green Home Chicago

I've been on a quest to find partners and customers who really truly love beautiful products AND live by the standards for sustainable design and green building.

Here's one I've added to my list and I hope you find resourceful. Green Home Chicago http://www.ghcdesigncenter.com// is the mid-west's pre-eminent destination for Green Building products and LEED certified projects.

Located in a modest space in the Fulton Market neighborhood of Chicago's west loop, the showroom is well appointed, yet carries everything that you can possibly imagine and need for design projects: furniture, flooring, lighting, cabinetry, counter tops, ...EVERYTHING.

Founder Karen Kalmek, a South Africa native, has committed the space as a Leed certified resource for Green design and education. To help clients avoid green-washing, GHC has produced a 10 point product classification system. You don't have to remember them all, nor does a product need to meet all points. But it's great to have criteria (to which you can add your own) to see how products measure up.

Ideally its great if the product meets at least 3 of the criteria listed here.

1. Recycled content
2. Non-toxic
3. Locally produced
4. Sustainable/renewable resources
5. Cradle to cradle - product can be used, recycled
and used again without losing any material quality
6. Green manufacturing processes
7. Certifications
8. Artisanal/handmade
9. Community building/poverty alleviation
10. Vintage/reclaimed/repurposed

My additions
11. Durable/Long Lasting
12. Socially Responsible
13. If a product is not locally produced, the design and quality should justify shipping across the world.