Buying Sustainably
Our consumer culture is tough on the environment, using up natural resources and creating pollution and waste. But many people say they simply like to shop. Or at least they think they do. It turns out that people buy stuff for a variety of reasons, including competitive consumption – the need to “keep up” with others. Others buy things because they are bored and have nothing better to do. There is also a group that buys as a form of entertainment. Finally, and most basically, we buy because we need the purchase – our old vacuum finally stopped working so we need a new one.
Before making a purchase, check out the following websites. The Responsible Purchasing Network was designed to promote responsible purchasing by identifying best practices, developing effective purchasing tools, educating the market, and using people’s collective purchasing power to maximize environmental stewardship, protect human health, and support local and global sustainability. The Responsible Purchasing Network has developed standards and practices that minimize or eliminate destructive impacts without compromising performance or cost-effectiveness. Purchasing guides exist for Cleaners, Computers, Office Electronics, Paints and Cars; more will be added. Recently, Consumer Reports developed their own site on Greener Choices. This site helps with most purchases made by students, or others. Finally, there is a great website that you should look at. Published by the WorldWatch Institute, the site is a “behind-the-scenes guide to the things we buy.” (There is also an excellent article on this subject called The New Politics of Consumption: Why Americans want so much more than they need.)
If after looking at these sites, you’re still convinced that you need to make a “big” purchase – a big expenditures of money, whatever that it is to, it is helpful to run a list of questions through your mind in order for you to make the most sustainable purchase possible. Here is a quick checklist, as well as an explanation as to why each choice is better (more sustainable), to help facilitate your decision. If, after going through this guide, you are ready to purchase a product or service, please patronize one of the businesses listed below, or referenced through the Conscious Consumer Marketplace.
1.) Reduce, reuse
Do I really need this product? Don’t let a little wear send you on a shopping spree. Take the time to fix those things can be repaired. When you do decide to purchase something, keep the scales in balance by donating some goods to Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul’s or your favorite charity. In the alternative, here are some websites to help facilitate you keeping your unwanted belongings from entering a landfill: www.freecycle.org; www.madisonstuffexchange.com
2.) Avoid excessive packaging
A large percentage of our municipal solid waste stream is the result of unnecessary packaging. When given a choice, select the product that is sensibly, not over-packaged. If possible, leave the packaging at the store. This will send a clear message to their management. If you bring packaging home, reuse or recycle it.
3.) Buy local
Local is better. The closer it was produced, the fewer the miles your food had to travel to reach you which reduces energy consumption required by global transport. And you’re supporting the local economy! Farmer’s markets are wonderful resources.
- Be sure not to pass up the amazing Madison Farmer’s Market at Capitol Square every Wednesday and Saturday – or the Tuesday Eastside Farmers’ Market (4 – 7 pm) at 201 S. Ingersoll St. (on the Isthmus Bike Path between E. Washington and Williamson Streets)
- Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition – support a local farm by paying an annual fee that entitles you to a “share” of the season’s harvest. Once harvesting begins, members pick-up a weekly box of fresh foods which may include produce, fruits, cheeses, eggs, meats, poultry, flowers, herbs or preserves.
- Find local food anywhere in the US at Localharvest.org
4.) Buy certified organic produce
Look for the “USDA certified” label
5.) Eat less meat
Cutting the average household’s consumption of red meat and poultry in half and replacing it with the nutritional equivalent of grains would cut food-related land use and common water pollution—two of the three most serious environmental consequences of food production [the third is water consumption]—by 30 percent and 24 percent, respectively. http://www.newdream.org/newsletter/Hidden%20Connections.php
6.) Buy Fair Trade products
Fair Trade products ensure that the producers of things like coffee, tea, chocolate and fresh fruit are paid a fair wage for their products. These products are also generally considered to be healthier, and produced in a more sustainable way.
Fair Trade Coffee and Food in Madison:
- Ancora Coffee Roasters Multiple locations
- Barriques Coffee 127 W. Washington Ave
- Bon Appetit Café 805 Williamson St
- Café Costa Rica 2817 Union St., 141 S. Butler St
- Café Soleil 25 N. Pinckney St
- Electric Earth Cafe 546 W. Washington Ave
- Fair Trade Coffee House 418 State St
- Ground Zero 744 Williamson St
- Indie Coffee & Tea 1225 Regent St
- Jennifer Street Market 2038 Jennifer St
- Just Coffee (Madison’s 100% Fair Trade Roaster) 1129 E. Wilson St
- Johnson Brothers Coffee Roasters 5821 Femrite Dr
- Michelangelos Coffee 114 State St
- Mother Fools Coffeehouse 1101 Williamson St
- Regent Market Co-op 2136 Regent St
- Trader Joe’s 1810 Monroe St.
- Whole Foods Market 3313 University Ave
- Willy Street Co-op 1221 Williamson St
- Zuzu Café 1336 Drake St
Find other Fair Trade Products in Madison:
- Community Pharmacy, 341 State St.
- Global Express, 646 W. Washington
- SERRV International, (A Greater Gift) 122 State St., 2701 Monroe St.
- Willy St. Co-op, 1221 Williamson St.
- Fair Indigo, Hilldale Mall @ Midvale and University ave
For more information on where to buy fair trade products across the country visit Trainsfairusa.org
6.) Buy energy efficient products
Whether it’s a car or a computer, choose the most energy efficient model. For electrical appliances, look for the “Energy Star” logo. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) also maintains a very helpful web page on the most energy efficient appliances.
National Sustainable Chains
Jump to: Beauty Products | Cell Phones | Clothing | Computers | Consulting | Food | Gasoline | Investing | Large Retailers | Office Needs | Package Delivery
When you are shopping, you can find national chains that are also making an effort to become more sustainable. The companies listed below have been selected for their environmental progress. Some have also been taken from sustainability indices such as Portfolio 21, etc. that rank companies for their overall sustainability. A variety of categories are listed below in alphabetical order, with companies listed below the headings in alphabetical order.
“Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty but around the world.” – Horst M. Rechelbacher, Founder, Aveda. Aveda sells all-natural makeup, hair products and perfumes. Products are made from unique combinations of organic plants. Madison area Aveda-concept salons include Cinema Hair Studio, Cameo Day Spa, Studio 924 Hair Design LLC, Designs b the Bay, Rejuvenation Spa, Bella Salon, Ananda Salon, Rebecca Lynn Hair Studio. A retail Aveda Store is located in WestTowne Mall.
Nokia is a wireless communication company and believes that its services can help reduce environmental impacts. The company’s mission states: “By acting responsibly, we can contribute to sustainable development and build a strong foundation for economic growth.” It is trying to reduce the lifecycle impact of its products; the company is trying to reduce its use of natural resources and expand product recycling. (This information comes in part from Portfolio 21.)
Kohl’s is the second largest retail purchaser of green power and the largest among department stores, using 201,396,000 kWh annually. Kohl’s is also working to complete the largest rooftop solar project in U.S. history next year, with installations at 63 of their 80 California locations.
Nike has set a goal to be “carbon neutral” by 2011 and currently purchases 79,820,000 kWh of green power for its World Headquarters, representing 72% of annual consumption. The company is also designing its footwear to meet targets for waste reduction, elimination of volatile organic compounds and increased use of environmentally preferred materials by 2011.
In 1998, Patagonia became the first California-based company to buy electricity from 100% renewable energy sources and achieved LEED gold certification for its Nevada distribution center. Additionally, Patagonia is a leader in recycling, with its Common Threads Garment Recycling Program, which recycles used fleece for use in new products.
In 2005, the outdoor and lifestyle apparel wholesaler prAna launched their Natural Power Initiative to purchase green power equal to the electricity usage of all 250 prAna retailers, the company’s corporate headquarters, and the homes of all their full-time employees, equaling 29,678,000 kWh annually. Now prAna plans to purchase wind power for their entire North American dealer base of approximately 1,000 retail partners in addition to its contracted U.S.-based sewing facilities.
REI, or Recreational Equipment Inc., purchases green power equal to 100% of their annual electricity consumption, totaling 63,080,000 kWh, which ranks 9th among retail purchasers. REI has also committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 1/3 from the 2006 baseline by the end of 2009.
Timberland recently introduced Green Index tags on a number of its products, which rate products based on environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, the use of solvents, and organic content. Timberland also plans to become “carbon neutral” by 2010 and recently changed all packaging use for its footwear to 100% post-consumer recycled boxes and soy inks.
Hewlett Packard makes computer and printing systems, and the company recently merged with Compaq. Hewlett Packard believes that environmental sustainability is a must, not an option and is taking measures to reduce its ecological footprint. The company is analyzing the life cycles of its products and trying to bring environmentally-sound products to its consumers. They have been using Design for the Environment (DfE) standards since 1992. It has also recently written environmental guidelines for its suppliers. Hewlett Packard also offers “end of life return programs” that recycle computer and printing hardware. (This information comes in part from Portfolio 21.)
IBM is a computer systems manufacturer and has been awarded the “Energy Star Computer Partner of the Year” for two years by the Environmental Protection Agency. Many of the company’s products meet the terms of the Energy Star standards. The company has been working on environmental standards since 1971. It published its first Corporate Responsibility Survey in 2002. IBM built the first PC system unit using recycled plastic resins. (This information comes in part from Portfolio 21.)
Privately owned business formed to improve communication and application of CSR activities among corporations. Formula is to partner with research firms, non-profits, and CSR media to create a business case for corporations beginning to move towards CSR, and then hold roundtable discussion with corporate professionals “could go back to the company with a worksheet for action and development.”
Green design consulting company with non-profit platform formed from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry and follows cradle-to-cradle vision. Mission is to produce products that are either able to biodegrade or be recycled infinitely, as well widespread adoption of sustainable thinking.
Ben and Jerry’s is a Vermont-based ice cream company, specializing in unique flavors such as Cherry Garcia and Phish Food. The company strives for product excellence while at the same time promoting environmental friendliness in their business practices. Since 1992, Ben and Jerry’s has been publishing an annual CERES, Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, report and feels strongly about its commitment to the environment. The company makes ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, and it is available nationwide in grocery stores.
Honest Tea is a juice company started by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, two athletic entrepreneurs looking for a drink that was neither too sweet yet not flavorless. This socially responsible company uses real tea leaves to create a not-too-sweet bottled or bagged tea. Honesty Tea purchases fair-trade leaves from specific communities in an effort to improve their economic opportunities. All leaves are certified 100% USDA Organic. Honest Tea can be found in Madison at the following retailers: Jennifer Street Market, Magic Mill, Whole Foods, Mercury Deli, Williamson Street Co-op.
Starbucks now offers fair trade, shade grown, and organic shade grown beans at their stores. The company has also started a “Grounds for your Garden” program at Starbucks offers their used coffee grounds to customers for use in composting.
Whole Foods, a leading natural and organic supermarket, purchases green power equal to 100% of their electricity usage, over 509,100,000 kWh annually. Their green power usage earned them the distinction of EPA Green Power Partnership Power Partner of the Year 2006 and ranks third among all green power purchasers. Whole Foods also gained LEED Silver certification for its Sarasota, FL store, the first supermarket to earn the designation.
Once Brittish Petroleum, now Beyond Petrol, BP is one of the largest international oil and petrochemical companies. The company operates in 70 countries, and has a strong commitment to the environment : “Our goal is no damage to the environment; our challenge is to achieve this while continuing to deliver energy products that support growth and social development around the world.” BP has committed to developing alternative energy sources. They are currently working to reduce their operational emissions of CO2 and at the same time are trying to develop cleaner, more efficient fuels. BP brands include: BP, am/pm, Aral, ARCO, and Castrol.
This investment group invests only in socially responsible companies. It was the first company of its kind and is currently $1.8 billion in assets for investors. Its Domini 400 Social Index contains a large variety of companies deemed socially responsible through Domini’s criteria. Check out the “Consumer Staples” sector on the list which includes companies such as Whole Foods, Coca Cola, Kimberly-Clark, and Kellogg Company.
The discount retailer, Target, became a certified organic produce retailer late last year and now offers more than 500 choices of organic certified food. Target also reduces waste through food-donation programs, giving away nearly 7 million pounds of food last year. They also have four buildings in California using on-site solar electricity, with systems under development at 14 additional stores.
Wal-Mart has made a commitment to reduce overall GHG emissions by 20% over the next 8 years and set a long-term corporate goal to purchase 100% of their energy from renewable sources. Wal-Mart has also set a goal to increase fuel efficiency of its fleet by 25% over the next 3 years and is currently the largest single purchaser of 100% organic cotton products.
This printing company, an operating branch of FedEx, now stocks 100% post-consumer recycled paper and has joined The Natural Step. Kinkos is also trying to reduce the energy demands of each store and awards outstanding branches with the U.S. Environmental Branch of the Year Award.
UPS operates the largest alternative fuel and low-emission fleet in the industry, with 19,647 such vehicles worldwide. UPS is also reducing its emissions by purchasing 2,949,545 kWh of green power for its California facilities and streamlining delivery routes resulting in the elimination of more than 28.5 million miles of driving to date.
Sustainable Business in the Madison Area
Jump to: Architects, Designers,
& Building Industry | Consultants |
Food | Health & Beauty |
Hospitality & Restaurants |
Recyclers |
Specialty Retail | Utilities
| ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS and the BUILDING INDUSTRY |
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| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Design Coalition, Inc. Contact person: Lou Host-Jablonski |
2088 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI 53704 Phone: (608) 246-8846 Fax: (608) 246-8670 Email: contact@designcoalition.org Web site: http://www.designcoalition.org/ |
| Design Coalition is a nonprofit architectural and planning office that serves a wide range of clients, including nonprofit organizations, housing co-ops, church, school and service groups, renters, homeowners, businesses and municipalities. Typical projects include new and rehabilitated housing, child care and community centers, and community planning. Design Coalition has an advisory Board, and serves the southwestern portion of Wisconsin. |
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| Earth in Balance Interiors Contact person: Josie Pradella |
4803 Buckeye Road #2, Madison, WI 53716 Phone: (608) 221-0588 Email: einbalance@juno.com |
| Earth In Balance Interiors offers a variety of services, each promoting well-being: Individual exploration of design needs to help articulate your goals and create earth-friendly design options. Core Creatives life purpose coaching classes (www.corecreatives.com). Reiki energetic healing sessions. Crystal healing sessions. |
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| Green Builders Cooperative Contact person: Eric J. Nelson: coordinator and webmaster |
Phone: (608) 437-1499
Email: shivaskin77@yahoo.com Web site: http://greenbuilders.soul-flame.com |
| Green Builders Cooperative is a website that enables natural builders and clients to connect with each other creating a viable and responsible source of business for all those interested in green building. If you are interested in getting involved with the natural building trade or already have a business that you would like to advertise as green building, here is where you can post your own links and information about what your specific business offers. |
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| Power Designers | 931 East Main Street, Suite 4, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 231-0450 Fax: (608) 231-9979 Email: pdc@powerdesigners.com Web site: http://powerdesigners.com |
| Power Designers is a high tech company with core competencies in the design, development, and manufacturing of battery maintenance products. Members of our engineering team have worked on some of the leading electric vehicle and battery charging engineering projects. |
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| Santulli Painting & Eco Finishes Address Contact person: Teresa Santulli |
1243 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 259-9565 Email: TMSantulli@earthlink.net |
| Experienced residential and small commercial painting contractor with an emphasis on non-toxic paints, stains and preparation methods. Offer specialty and decorative finishes. |
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| Sustainable Woods Cooperative | PO Box 307 Lone Rock, WI 53566 Phone: (608) 583-7100 Email: swc@mhtc.net Web site: http://www.sustainablewoods.com |
| The Sustainable Woods Cooperative (SWC) is a forest management and value-added wood processing and marketing cooperative. The SWC consists of 130 private landowners in eleven southwestern Wisconsin counties who have joined forced to build a sawmill and hardwood manufacturing facility to market certified wood products from their ’ woods. All cooperative members will have forest management plans certified by SmartWood® to meet Forest Stewardship Council sustainable forest management standards. |
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| CONSULTANTS | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Applied Ecological Services Contact person: Jack Broughton, Manager of Marketing Services |
17921 Smith Road, Brodhead, WI 53520 Phone: (608) 897-8641 Fax: (608) 897-8486 Email: info@appliedeco.com Web site: http://www.appliedeco.com |
| Applied Ecological Services provides ecological consulting, contracting and native seed/plant materials for ecological restoration of wetland, prairie, savanna and woodland communities, and conducts design/build services for native landscaping and for alternative stormwater management. Currently they are working on sustainable development projects that use natural systems for flood reduction, stormwater infiltration and water quality improvement. |
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| Cooperative Development Services | 131 West Wilson Street, Suite 400, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 258-4396 Fax: (608) 258-4394 Web site: http://www.cdsus.coop/ |
| Our mission is to promote the development of cooperative businesses, communitites, and other organizations, which operate in a cooperative manner. CDS provides business consulting, planning and educational services to build and strengthen these organizations. |
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| Engineering Services Co. Contact person: Chris and Kenneth Hulet |
PO Box 4, Blanchardville, WI 53516 Phone: (608) 523-3726 Fax: (608) 523-3727 Email: energyhelp@revolutionearth.comWeb site: http://www.revolutionearth.com |
| Energy conservation and renewable energy systems – services and products to minimize dependence on fossil fuels. |
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| Informing Ecological Design Contact person: Kevin Little |
2213 West Lawn Avenue, Madison, WI 53711 Phone: (608) 251-4355 Email: klittle@iecodesign.comWeb site: http://www.iecodesign.com |
| Informing Ecological Design helps designers–architects, engineers, planners and managers – to gather, display, understand and use information that will improve their products and processes. We seek to collaborate with designers whose projects demonstrate ecological integrity and we also tackle projects that will reduce the environmental impact of existing products and processes. |
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| Kestrel Management Services, LLC Contact person: Lyman Wible |
5900 Monona Drive, Suite 400, Madison, WI 53716 Phone: (608) 663-7343 Fax: (608) 226-0536 Email: lwible@kestrelmanagement.comWeb site: http://www.kestrelmanagement.com |
| Provides management consulting and systems support to industrial organizations for more sustainable business performance – - through better environmental, health and safety, energy and quality management. |
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| Madison Environmental Group Contact person: Sonya Newenhouse |
22 North Carroll Street, Suite 310, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 280-0800 Fax: (608) 280-8108 Email: info@madisonenvironmental.comWeb site: http://www.madisonenvironmental.com |
| Madison Environmental Group, Inc. (MEG) is a consortium of business professionals, researchers and educators who provide customized environmental consulting and education services for businesses, communities and organizations. |
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| MSB Energy Associates | 7507 Hubbard Avenue, Suite 200, Middleton, WI, 53562-3135 Phone: (608) 831-1127 Fax: (608) 836-1290 Email: seely@msbnrg.com Web site: http://www.msbnrg.com/ |
| MSB Energy Associates delivers comprehensive energy consulting services. We provide professional, timely, and cost-effective services to businesses, government agencies, consumer and environmental organizations, and utilities. |
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| Partners in Place Contact person: Anne M. Forbes |
516 Wingra St., Madison, WI 53715 Phone: (608) 257-3485 Fax: (608) 257-4980 Email: aforbes@mailbag.com |
| Partners in Place offers a range of services including strategic planning, citizen involvement, facilitation, ecosystem management, teaching, and the design of conferences or special events. Partners in Place works with groups to increase understanding of the role humans play as inhabitants of ecosystems and landscapes and to find common ground among diverse resource interests. Clients include non-profit organizations, businesses, governmental agencies, and private landowners. |
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| Rapid Improvement Associates Contact person: Warren Gaskill |
10405 Bell Road, Black Earth, WI 53515 Phone: (608) 347-8400 Fax: (608) 767-3642 Email: wgaskill@rapid-improvement.comWeb site: http://www.rapid-improvement.com |
| Organizing and deploying rapid improvement collaboratives among 15 or more organizations at a time in areas targeted at reducing impact on the environment and improving bottom-line performance. |
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| Re-Envision Consulting Contact person: John Surdyk |
506 N. Franklin Ave., Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 441-9076 Email: contact@re-envisionconsulting.comWeb site: www.re-envisionconsulting.com |
| Re-Envision Consulting helps small- and medium-sized nonprofits interested in serving their missions and reducing their reliance on granted income by applying models and methods used in the private sector to identify business opportunities. Services include assistance with business planning, financial sensitivity analysis, marketing research and strategy development. Although located in Madison, Wisconsin, our partners welcome the opportunity to assist clients in other areas of the United States and Canada. |
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| FOOD | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Bleu Mont Dairy Contact person: Willi Lehner |
Bleu Mont Dairy Co., Blue Mounds, WI Phone: (608) 767-2875 Email: bleumont@tds.net Web site: http://www.cheeseforager.com/bleumont/ |
| Organic cheese made by swiss-trained cheesemaker Willi Lehner. | |
| Cedar Grove Cheese Contact person: Bob Wills |
E5904 Mill Road, Plain, WI 53577 Phone: (800) 200-6020 Fax: (608) 546-2805 Email: cheese@cedargrovecheese.com Web site: http://www.cedargrovecheese.com/ |
| Maker of traditional and specialty cheese – without artificial growth hormones (rBGH) or animal enzymes. Our cheese makers craft 3.5 million pounds a year of this great cheese. We buy milk from over 40 Wisconsin farmers, all of whom have pledged not to treat their cows with synthetic growth hormones (rBGH) and some of whom are certified organic. Call for a tour of the cheese factory and its biological waste-water treatment system. |
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| Creag-Is-Daru Contact persons: Peter, Mary and Michael Rathbun |
1792 Sandy Rock Road, Hollandale, WI 53544 Phone: (608) 967-2144 Fax: (608) 967-2491 Email: rathbun@mhtc.net |
| Natural Highland beef. Chemical free, naturally fed, and humanely raised. | |
| Dream Farm Contact person: Diana and Jim Murphy and family |
Black Earth, WisconsinPhone: (608) 767-3442 |
| Sells homemade Chevre – organic goats milk – cheese. | |
| The General Store Co-Op | 517 Springdale, Mount Horeb, WI Phone: (608) 437-5288 |
| A member owned food co-op with an emphasis on organic and locally produced foods. |
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| Magic Mill Natural Foods Market | 2862 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53705-3644 Phone: (608) 238-2630 Fax: (608) 238-2799 |
| A complete natural foods store offering organic, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly products. “We are committed to a sustainable existence.” |
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| Mifflin Street Community Cooperative | 32 North Basset Street, Madison Phone: (608) 251-5899 Web site: http://www.mifflincoop.com |
| A member owned and operated food co-op with an emphasis on organic and locally produced foods. |
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| Nature’s Bakery Cooperative | 1019 Williamson, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 257-3649 |
| A worker’s collective producing organic whole grain baked goods. | |
| North Farm Cooperative | 204 Regas Rd., Madison, WI 53714 Phone: 1-800-236-5880 Email: nfcoop@northfarm.com Web site: http://www.northfarm-coop.com |
| North Farm distributes natural and organic products at wholesale prices. Visit their outlet store, join an existing buying club, or form one with neighbors, friends or family. |
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| Sproutpeople | 311 South Main Street, Viroqua, WI 54665 Phone: (608) 637-6500 Fax: (608) 637-6520 Email: webmeister@sproutpeople.netWeb site: http://www.sproutpeople.com/ |
| Organic and Wisconsin grown sprouts as well as sprout growing devices and seeds. |
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| Whole Foods Market | 3313 University Avenue, Madison Phone: (608) 233-9566 Web site: http://www.wholefoods.com/ |
| Large selection of organic, natural and conventionally grown foods, as well as homeopathic remedies, essential oils etc. |
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| Williamson Street Grocery Cooperative | 1221 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 251-6776 Fax: (608) 251-3121 Email: willyst@willystcoop.com Web site: http://www.willystcoop.com/ |
| A member owned food co-op with a large selection of organic produce. | |
| HEALTH & BEAUTY | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Community Pharmacy | 341 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 251-3242 Fax: (608) 251-3304 |
| “Everything a community pharmacy should be.” Has a large selection of herbs, vitamins, homeopathics, essential oils, eco-safe hair and body care. A team-managed worker’s co-op. |
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| HOSPITALITY & RESTAURANTS | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Arbor House – An Environmental Inn John and Cathie Imes |
3402 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711 Phone: (608) 238-2981 Fax: (608) 238-1175 Web site: http://www.arbor-house.com |
| Arbor House blends historic features with modern amenities and an environmental emphasis. The inn showcases resource efficient architecture, interior design, energy and water use, landscaping, and inn operations, while providing opportunities for recreation and learning more about urban ecology. 8 rooms, 2 floors |
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| Harvest Restaurant Contact person: Tami Lax |
21 North Pinckney Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 255-6075 Email: tami@harvest-restaurant.comWeb site: http://www.harvest-restaurant.com |
| Local and organic produce. | |
| Himal Chuli | 318 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 251-9225 |
| Nepalese food. Uses some organic ingredients, composts, and more. | |
| L’Etoile Restaurant Contact person: Odessa Piper |
25 N. Pinckney Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 251-0500 |
| Gourmet food made with organic, and when possible locally grown, produce. A member of Chef’s Collaborative 2000. |
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| Mother Fool’s Coffehouse Contact person: Jon Hain |
1101 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 259-1301 Web site: http://www.motherfools.com/ |
| Serves organic coffe and vegan pastries, and are committed to sustainable business practices. Accepts Madison Hours. Organic coffee grounds are available to the public to be used as fertilizer. |
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| RECYCLERS | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| AC Computer Exchange | 4325 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53711 Phone: (608) 274-4008 |
| All Metals Recycling LLC | 1802 South Park Street, Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 255-0960 |
| Budget Lamp Reclaimers Inc | 3224 Kingsley Way, Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 275-6766 |
| Cascade Asset Management LLC | 2601 Seiferth Road, Madison, WI 53716 Phone: (608) 222-4800 Web site: http://www.cascade-assets.com |
| Madison Recycling Center Div of the Peltz Group Inc |
2200 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 251-2115 |
| SPECIALTY RETAIL | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Compost Basics Contact person: Joan Laurion |
1511 Chandler Street Phone: (866) 255-0476 Email: overeasy@chorus.net |
| Two versions of an easy and simple to use composting system. | |
| Driftless Seed Exchange Contact person: Hopper Block |
Email: hopperblock@yahoo.com |
| Providing vegetable seeds for gardeners and farmers of the driftless region in Southwest Wisconsin. High quality open-pollinated & heirloom vegetable seeds grown using organic methods without herbicides or chemical fertilizers. All seeds produced locally in Vermont Township. The Driftless Seed Exchange is a new enterprise based in the fertile valleys of Southwestern Wisconsin. Projects include the development of a living seed bank of vegetables, flowers & herbs and a breeding project to produce high-quality locally adapted open-pollinated vegetable varieties. Education is an important mission, to teach gardeners the skills needed for seed production and seed saving, and we are beginning to develop a network of local area seed savers. |
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| Eco-Mama Contact person: Michele Isaacson |
PO Box 5551 Madison, WI 53705 Phone: (608) 225-3328 Email: michele@eco-mama.com Web site: http://www.eco-mama.com |
| Eco-Mama offers earth-friendly products for pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding, and babies including organic cotton and hemp diapers, hemp baby slings, organic oils and lotions for moms, organic teas for labor and breastfeeding, organic cotton and hemp diaper bags and menstrual alternatives. We also have great gift packages featuring organic herbal bodycare items. Many of our products are made locally by work-at-home moms. Eco-Mama donates 10% of profits to local charities. Additional Information: Eco-Mama offers free delivery to your home or office in the city of Madison. |
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| Global Express | 646 West Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin Phone: (608) 255-5506 |
| A fair-trade, non-profit shop with fine handcraft from 60 countries, equal exchange coffee, cards and gifts. Hours are noon to 5PM Tuesday to Saturday. |
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| Goodwill Industries of Madison | Madison, WI 53703Phone: (608) 246-3140 |
| GreenEarth Organic Lawn Care Contact person: Keith Brooks |
PO Box 45200, Madison, WI 53744 Phone: (608) 833-0300 Email: kandk@jvlnet.com |
| We are an Earth, family, and pet friendly lawn care service. We provide organic fertilizations and organic weed controls in addition to aeration, de-thatching, and lawn mowing. We began in 1999 and have grown every year. Our goal is to work with nature to provide you with a lawn you can be proud of. |
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| Habitat ReStore Contact person: Habitat for Humanity of Dane County |
208 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, WI Phone: (608) 255-1549 Email: hfh@chorus.net Web site: http://www.restoredane.org/ |
| The Habitat ReStore is one of the few building materials reuse centers in Wisconsin. Habitat for Humanity accepts donations for new and saleable, used building materials such as cabinets, lighting and plumbing fixtures, doors, lumber, flooring, and windows. Some materials is used to build Habitat houses. The rest is sold to the public at 50-75% off the retail price. |
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| Healthy Solutions Contact person: Melissa Meyer |
4510 Windigo Trail, Madison, WI 53711 Phone: (608) 238-5307 Email: healthysolutions@tds.net |
| Featuring Shaklee’s complete line of biodegradeable cleaners, water and air purification systems, whole food supplements and natural skin care products. |
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| Hempen Goods | 911 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 287-0410 |
| A variety of hemp products, from clothing to furniture, body care products, handcrafted items, and paper. |
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| L. L. Olds Seed Co. | P.O. Box 7790, Madison, WI 53707 Phone: (800) 356-7333 |
| Offers Wisconsin ecotype seeds. | |
| Little Valley Farm | Route 3, Box 544, Snead Creek Road, Spring Green, WI 53588 Phone: (608) 935-3324 |
| Offers prairie and woodland seeds and plants. | |
| Main G’Raps Contact person: Jason Aldridge |
303 South Paterson, Suite B, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: 1-800-510-RAPS (7277) Fax: (608) 255-0708 Email: jasona@mani-g.com Web site: http://www.mani-g-raps.com |
| Earth friendly and creative gift wraps. | |
| Mielke’s Farm | 2550 Co. Rd. II, Rudolph, WI 54475-9409 Phone: (715) 344-4104 Email: andrea@mielkesfarm.comWeb site: http://www.mielkesfarm.com |
| Your Central Wisconsin source for weaving, spinning, knitting, crocheting, tatting, bobbin lace, felting, dyeing, and locker hooking equipment, books, and supplies. |
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| Nature’s Nursery | 6125 Mathewson Road, Mazomanie, WI 53560 Phone: (608) 795-4920 |
| Offers Southern Wisconsin ecotypes of prairie, woodland, and wetland seeds and plants. |
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| Plantscapes | 2918 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 223-3564 |
| Offers Wisconsin ecotype plants. |
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| Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative | 426 W Gilman, Madison Phone: (608) 257-6050 Web site: http://www.rainbowbookstore.org |
| A local book cooperative with a variety of books on social change, social justice, and related topics. |
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| Satara, Inc. Contact person: Kelly Doering |
5621 Odana Rd., Madison, WI 53719 Phone: (608) 251-4905 Email: info@satara-inc.com Web site: http://www.satara-inc.com/ |
| A locally owned and operated retail store offering Earth-friendly products for you and your home since 1995. Home Environment encourages low impact and responsible consumption through education and product offering. Among the products sold are organic cotton clothing, natural bedding & mattresses, household supplies, paints, books, full-spectrum lighting and unique recycled products. Accepts Madison Hours. |
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| Seed Savers Garden Store | 1919 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711 Phone: (608) 280-8149 Web site: http://www.seedsavers.org/ |
| Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization that is saving “heirloom” (handed-down) garden seeds from extinction. SSE’s 8,000 members grow and distribute heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, SSE’s main focus is on heirloom varieties that gardeners and farmers brought to North America when their families immigrated, and traditional varieties grown by Native Americans, Mennonites and Amish. Since SSE was founded in 1975, our members have distributed an estimated 750,000 samples of endangered seeds not available through catalogs and often on the verge of extinction. SSE has always been the leader of the heirloom seed movement, and the diligent efforts of our members are making rare heirloom varieties available to gardeners everywhere. |
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| SERRV International Fair Trade Gift Shop | 122 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 255-0440 Web site: http://www.serrv.org/ |
| Fair Trade items from chocolate and coffe to jewelry, musical instruments and furniture. |
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| Wisconsinmade.com Contact person: Linda Remeschatis |
PO Box 44667, Madison, WI 53744-4667 Phone: (608) 833-3462 Fax: (608) 278-6781 Email: info@wisconsinmade.comWeb site: http://wisconsinmade.com |
| An online store featuring a range of Wisconsin made products, including quality foods, art, music, books, and apparel. |
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| UTILITIES | |
| BUSINESS NAME | ADDRESS |
| Madison Gas & Electric | Phone: (608) 252-7117 Email: rstoffs@mge.com Web site: http://www.mge.com |
| Sign up for wind energy with MGE. They also have information on energy saving on their website and available in hardcopies. They have established themselves as one of the greenest utilities in the country. |
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Businesses Outside of the Madison Area:
Vermont BSR, www.vbsr.org -
Large website featuring the many resources, member services, and related links
offered by the Vermont BSR organization. The long list of business
members suggests a well-established and relevant organization.
William McDonough, www.mcdonough.com
- “William McDonough’s work is grounded in a unified philosophy that
– in demonstrable and practical ways – is changing the design of the
world.” – Time magazine. Principal and Founder of William McDonough
+ Partners architecture and community design firm, and MBDC product and
process design firm. He is co-author of the book Cradle to Cradle, and
is a major player in the worldwide effort to “remake the way we make
things”.
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, www.mbdc.com
- This firm is dedicated to the “Cradle to Cradle” and “Eco-Effective”
design paradigms advocated by its founders, William McDonough and Dr. Michael
Braungart. Its products and processes are intended to reap benefits for
business, the environment, and people.
Interface, www.interface.com
- The largest commercial carpet manufacturer in the world, Interface has
also touted itself as “a leader in industrial ecology, with the vision of
becoming the world’s first environmentally restorative company by 2020”.
Under the guidance of founder Ray Anderson, Interface is often cited as a
leader in business efforts to create more sustainable industries. Some
question the company’s accomplishments in its efforts, while others hope it
will help turn the tide of business towards sustainability.
