So many great, green businesses! (Chicago Greenfest)

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Chicago GreenFest. The GreenFest was a trade-show at Navy Pier, featuring businesses from the city, region and around the country. What makes these businesses stand out, is their commitment to “green values”–whether it be general environmental awareness, sustainability-minded business practices, fair-trade production standards, or food made with organic/vegan/fair-trade products. You may ask yourself then, “What is a commercial/editorial photographer from Milwaukee doing at the Chicago GreenFestival?”

I read (a portion) of the book, “Making a Difference While Making a Living” quite a while ago. While I admit that I never finished the book, I did get one VERY important lesson from the book. While not everyone can match the achievements of a Yvon Chouinard, Theodore Roosevelt, or Jane Goodall, we ALL can do SOMETHING. I might not found an world-wide outdoors company, establish a national park system, or change the way we think about primates, but I can contribute. With my photography, I can work with green companies, thereby helping them to find greater success with their missions. While photography is not innately a “green” product, the way I run my business, and the clients I pursue and work with, can qualify Troy Freund Photography as a green-minded business.

So there I was, at the Chicago Greenfest, promoting myself to green businesses, using my own green-values as a reason for why they should want to work with me. The event at Navy Pier was quite nice and it was great to see how crowded the aisles were with the interested public. There were lots of guest-speakers, author-signings, and even an “eco-fashion” show. I had a lot of nice conversations and met people involved in some very innovative businesses, doing their parts to make the world a healthier, better place.

Here is a list of the many great businesses I got to learn about at the GreenFest!

Terra-Source Chocolates (who I shared a booth with!)

Spoonk Space (neat idea and I hope to get a mat soon)

All-Ett (a real nifty idea and he was constantly busy)

EcoLunchGear (great idea for reducing waste!)

Breeze Dryer (for that fresh-air feeling!)

Fluff Envy (got a bambino? get cloth diapers!)

Earth, Wind, Flowers (flower essences from Lake Geneva, WI)

SolarGoose (a really NEAT solar-powered cel-phone charger)

Chicago Bites (a fun Chicago restaurant review site from @Zesmerelda and @Wheelygrl

E-Cooler (a cool alternative to crappy styro-foam coolers)

Art and Linda’s Wildflowers (who nicely answered my questions about rain-gardens)