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Green Chicago By Kathleen Ellis Green Fest
Part bazaar and part lyceum, Green Fest offers access to leaders of the environmental and social justice movements, demonstrations, panel discussions, film screenings, yoga and movement workshops, and tutorials on optimizing your lifestyle for maximum sustainability. Be sure to stop by The Monthly Aspectarian booth in the Exhibition Hall to say hi to your favorite contributors. Saturday, May 17. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. 12:00 p.m. Progressive journalism hero Amy Goodman will present “Standing up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times” 2:00 p.m. Economic hit man John Perkins, “Geopolitics, the Future, and You: A Call to Action” 2:00 p.m. Mycologist Paul Stamets, “Mushrooms Can Save The World” 4:00 p.m. Investigative journalist Greg Palast, “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” Sunday, May 18. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Local Yoga Luminary Amy Beth Treciokas, “Running a Spiritually-based Business” 3:00 p.m. Visionary writer Daniel Pinchbeck, “The Opening of Time” 5:00 p.m. Chicago’s own New Millennium Orchestra featuring Rena Jones Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago. For full schedule, transit and parking information see www.greenfestivals.org. $15 for full weekend admission. Helpful Hint: Ride your bike to Green Fest, use the complimentary Bike Valet service, and receive $5 off your admission pass. Hit the Saddle this Spring Chicago is prime territory for urban cycling and a sunny May day is the perfect time to get into the swing of things. For those eager to show the spirit of fuel independence and sustainable commuting while recapturing the thrill and freedom of open skies and wind in your hair. May 25: The biggest cycling event in Chicago is the annual Bike the Drive. Cars are banished from Lake Shore Drive for four hours. A festive, family atmosphere pervades this event that is a perennial favorite for all ages. $40, pre-registration recommended. www.bikethedrive.org. June 7–13: Firm up your resolve to shrink your carbon footprint with the help of The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation during Bike to Work Week. Snacks and coffee will be available at various bike commuter stations throughout the week, and a day-long rally at Daley Plaza will take place on June 13. See www.biketraffic.org for more information. The Bike To Work Guide is a free download from www.biketraffic.org/BTWG and has tips that will help you along every step of the way, from arriving safely at your destination to looking and smelling tidy and well-groomed for that power meeting. All events are free. June 14: Chicago streets will turn into a playground of creative protest and good clean fun for the fifth annual World Naked Bike Ride. See www.worldnakedbikeride.org for details. Through May and June: If your beloved bike hasn’t seen any action in a while, you can get it back to working like new with the help of experts from the West Town Bikes workshop collective, www.westtownbikes.org. Workshops in May include women only shop nights, three hour “Bike Basics” classes, and eight week build-a-bike seminars where you build your own project bike from the basic frame to the handlebar tape. Your donations and class fees support the collective’s youth programs. Farmers Markets Return Farm markets in the 21st century are no longer relegated to roadside shacks on dusty rural routes. Thanks to local public initiatives, Chicagoland residents now benefit from a rebirth of the traditional open air urban produce market with dozens of weekly and semiweekly markets available from mid-May through October. Not since the rise of the supermarket chain has eating local, organic, non-GMO foods been more convenient or more enjoyable. Our Three Favorites The Green City Market is distinguished by its organic, unique, and high-quality producers. Not all are certified organic, but all vendors at Green City have signed agreements that their practices meet high standards for sustainability and care for the earth. This inspiring market is a must-see for aspiring foodies and veteran home chefs alike. Wednesdays and Saturdays, May 14–October 29. Clark and LaSalle in Lincoln Park, Chicago, three blocks east of Sedgewick Brown Line. www.chicagogreencitymarket.org. The Near North Farmers Market at Division and Dearborn is big enough that you can do almost all your weekly grocery shopping there; it’s not limited to produce. More than one beekeeper keeps a stall at the market. Artisanal cheeses, spices, prepared foods, coffee, breads and pastries are available and are a fantastic value for the quality. Saturdays, May 31–October 25, 7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Division and Dearborn, Chicago, one block to Division and Clark Red Line. The Federal Plaza Market is another weekly market that caters to urban grocery shoppers, but also to downtown office workers on their lunch breaks. Saturdays, May 13–October 28, 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Adams and Dearborn, Chicago. Early Season Harvests Guide May: Asparagus, cucumbers, greens, herbs, peas, fingerling and sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and strawberries may begin to appear. June: Pole beans, small summer squash, rapini, cherries, peaches may appear late in the month. Source: www.pickyourown.org/ILharvestcalendar.htm. Tips for First-Time Farm Market Forays Bring your own bags—plastic produce bags to contain your greens and berries, sturdy canvas totes to consolidate your purchases. This reduces overhead costs for your friendly farmer and saves you a lot of room under your kitchen sink. Buy green produce bags. They will help preserve delicate greens and other vegetables by releasing the gases that promote spoilage. The heavy-duty bags withstand washings and dozens of uses. Bring friends or family and make a morning social out of it. Buy ingredients to take home for a fresh, inexpensive, healthy brunch, or to a nearby park for a picnic. Since the markets are in the streets or on parking lots, the popular markets get crowded in the later morning hours and parking can be tricky. Double the positive karma impact of your visit by using transportation alternatives. There are dozens of local markets. Find one in your neighborhood using these resources online: City of Chicago: www.chicagofarmersmarkets.us Illinois: www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Illinois.htm Indiana: www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Indiana.htm New Things We Hope to See This Year More local grains on offer—oats, barley, rye preferably in bulk. Organic flowers—so much more inviting to stick your nose in. Legumes—local, organic black eyed peas, lentils and edamame would be delightful. Organic gourmet popcorn—it’s Illinois’s official state snack.
Have a green event that The Monthly Aspectarian readers would like to know about? Send notices to Kathleen Ellis at k@thleen.org.
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