For more than 20 years, Joel Makower has been a well-respected voice on business, the environment, and the bottom line.
He is executive editor of GreenBiz.com and other websites, events and business information services produced by GreenBiz Group Inc., of which he is co-founder and chairman. He also hosts GreenBiz.com’s annual State of Green Business Forums, the annual GreenBiz Innovation Forum, and other events. Joel is author of more than a dozen books, including his latest, Strategies for the Green Economy (2008), along with GreenBiz.com’s annual “State of Green Business” report. The Associated Press has called him "The guru of green business practices."
As Managing Director of InterfaceRAISE, Jim leads this important corporate consulting resource for Interface, Inc., which was created to educate others seeking to implement the necessary steps for becoming sustainable. For over a decade, Jim has been pursuing the objective of equipping others through education and knowledge to make sustainability understandable and accessible in the marketplace.
Now leading the newly formed venture InterfaceRAISE, Jim is formalizing the knowledge he has gleaned to bring the tools for technical and cultural transformation to other companies who seek to follow Interface's lead to become more sustainable.
On September 7th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign, the first Annual Illinois Green Business Summit featured 40 speakers on nine panels. They discussed practical sustainability practices for businesses -- the challenges of going green and demonstrated examples of successes and benefits from industry professionals that can be replicated in your business. Speakers discussed topics such as reducing consumption, green certifications and technology, local purchasing, transformations in the food industry, financial incentive programs for sustainable projects, creating a sustainable company culture, and more.
Three Tracks were featured: 1) Where's the Green? Financing and Managing Sustainable Projects, 2) Why Green Makes Cents: Green Business Certification, and 3) Growing a Green Economy: How to Bring it Home.
We heard keynote Joel Makower from GreenBiz.com talk about the national green business scene and why telling your green story is important. Over lunch, speaker Jim Hartzfeld of Interface Inc. talked about the transformation of a company widely regarded as one of the most sustainable manufacturers in the country and how it affected their bottom line. Cassie Carroll from the Illinois Green Business Association (IGBA) presented the EVP of Busey Corporation and IGBA Board President Donald Schlorff with the 2012 Green Champion Award for his hard work with Busey and dedication to IGBA.
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A land grant institution, the University of Illinois has a long record of commitment to public engagement and to the discovery and application of knowledge. Its faculty, staff and students collaborate with external audiences and partners to address the needs and opportunities of society. Through these partnerships, critical societal issues are embedded in the research and educational missions of the University. The Office of Public Engagement initiates and supports a broad and diverse set of public engagement activities that link the campus to society.
With over 140 years of strength and service, Busey knows the importance of a lasting promise. From outstanding product offerings to committed, service-driven associates, Busey provides an array of solutions, tailored to your specific needs. Busey promises you a premier financial services experience. At Busey, we're committed to improving the quality of life in the communities we serve. Supporting our neighbors leads to vibrant, thriving communities—the places we're proud to call home. Busey backs our neighbors with a solid promise to reinvest in our communities, one project at a time. Whether we're supporting local charitable organizations, providing energetic volunteers for area events or establishing small business startup initiatives, Busey is your source to bridge community needs. Busey promises to partner with you for purpose and progress.
Illinois Launch, a new venture accelerator program in the College of Business at the University of Illinois, helps entrepreneurs develop their ideas into high-growth, sustainable businesses. The program provides startups with access to curriculum, mentors, community, and an enormous network of alumni, investors, and successful entrepreneurs. Through a partnership with EnterpriseWorks Illinois Launch startups also gain access to one of the top incubators in the nation.
Based in Champaign, One Main Development works closely with community leaders, city officials, retailers and other visionaries to create environments that serve as a magnet for the creative class. To work. To live. To play.
The Economic Development Council leads initiatives to help businesses and communities in the McLean County area prosper. Bloomington Normal EDC is a leadership organization, investing in its community's assets to grow and improve prosperity and quality of life.
Illinois American Water is your local water and wastewater company. Illinois American Water serves approximately 1.2 million people, in 126 communities, supplying high quality water and wastewater service. Because water is such an integral part of life, Illinois American Water takes pride in taking care of it.
USAgain (pronounced "use-again") is a for-profit company that collects unwanted textiles and resells them in the U.S. and abroad, effectively diverting millions of pounds of clothing from landfills, generating new revenue streams for U.S. businesses and non-profits, and fueling local economies in emerging countries.
With the continued support of alumni, business leaders, and friends, we are leveraging the impact of the college on the business world and on the personal and professional lives of our students. Take a close look at all the dimensions of our business programs. You will find that Illinois State is indeed a very special place for motivated and talented students!
Radius Custom Solutions Group specializes in developing software like mobile apps, intranets, desktop or laptop softare, cloud solutions, or virtually any other software need you require. Your needs will always be our focus. Your objectives define our strategy. Internet services–software applications exist on the desktop and struggle with the openness of the Internet. We work online in a connected world and deliver truly connected services that are part of the Internet.
Whatever your business challenge, we will find your solution. Sometimes a standard service is sufficient for your needs, other times there are complex issues that only a custom solution will solve. In order to manage and spread knowledge inside and outside your organization, making information available is of the utmost importance. Web technologies play an important role in this.
Radius can provide highly secure, easy to use, and fully functional Intranets and deploy them anywhere (and everywhere). Whether you want your clients to be able to have a realtime view of your inventory, a photo (or video) gallery of your latest projects, or you just want to have a foothold in the internet, we can help you achieve it. We can connect to your data and display it beautifully on the web, or we can provide the tools to give you, your organization, or your staff a voice that reaches your customers professionally.
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Donate to IGBA via Network for Good to keep our programs running strong, and encourage expansion of our services!
The Lineup
10:30-12 pm
Are there green technologies that would work in your business? Join this discussion to learn more about current green and renewable energy technology on the market that will help reduce your environmental impact and save money. Also, hear from experts about research in the green technology field –learn more about what is up-and-coming in the green technology world.
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Speakers:
Panel recap:
Gary Letterly, Energy and Environmental Stewardship for University of Illinois Extension, stated that we need to look at our needs and the benefits of the new green tech -- if it is not one of our end goals, why do we need it? It also takes an understanding of the technology and a certain comfort level to implement it. Demand, however, continues to increase to meet our needs and interdependencies. Gary also discussed biomass conversion technologies (densified biomass and feedstocks) for heat and power. Ben Harroun from Angel Wind Energy discussed his small family wind energy installation firm (started in 2008) and the current environment of electricity costs. Ben foresees the cost of electricity going up 5X in 20 years while our power supply makes a shift (coal plants shutting down, costlier nat. gas/nuclear plants increasing in number). Ben touched on the benefits of solar – there is no annual maintenance, usually a 25 year warranty on panels and inverters, new efficiency and higher performance, less space producing more power, unmatched reliability, premium materials, and a 40+ year system design life. Ben has a good knowledge on various renewable options, and gave an overview on financial investments for commercial applications including Federal Tax Credits. Contact him (ben@angelwindenergy.com) for more details on these applications and to find something that best suits your needs. Jason Vogelbaugh from Alpha Controls and Services discussed energy efficiency as a growth market because of rising costs of energy and advancing technologies. He talked about myths of green technology -- such as, is LEED is necessarily more energy efficient (not necessarily; LEED is much more than just energy), value engineering (takes feature sets and principles out of the mix), old buildings not being able to be energy efficient (they can be if you reinvest in them, or use them better), waiting for new & better technologies to come out before investing (you will pay for the inefficiency between now and then), and participating energy efficiency programs being enough (what were the results, benchmarks, and what’s the ongoing process to continue to maintain efficiency). Jason discussed some of the challenges of working with commercial facilities and ROI vs. Lifecycle Investments. Rajesh Karmani, founder of Zero Percent, talked about how he’s helped reduce the local food surplus via a mobile application platform. It is estimated the 30-40% (or $10 billion) of food produced across the world is wasted, and it’s becoming more profitable for companies to donate their food (Panera is donating its excess and reaping $10 million in tax savings). Zero Percent helps connect restaurants with customers to post information about the food donation, automatically finding a “best fit” for taking the product in a timely manner. The free app also offers real-time discounts on food for local customers and they conducted a pilot with 6 agencies and many Champaign-Urbana restaurants for six months. In the general discussion, it was suggested that Zero Perfect get dining halls to be part of the program or work with UI Extension. ISU’s Center for Renewable Energy received a grant to conduct calculations and have students evaluate a potential projects’ data and viability. Similarly, there is also a Wind for Schools program with curricula and testing of wind turbines for schools, which is a great teaching tool if not a major energy source. Lastly, IRR was deemed not the best method for assessing an energy project because it does not account for a change from negative to positive cash flow. It takes several years to generate ROI, so IRR comes out incorrectly if this is not taken into account. It was also mentioned that every ROI for a solar investment is customized and needs to be assessed for any given installation.
10:30am-12pm
Increased demand for locally grown, organic food has created significant opportunities for businesses related to the food industry. This panel discussion, led by University of Illinois Professor Emeritus Wesley Jarrell—an expert in sustainable production and management of food—will explore areas of promise in various commercial areas, including restaurants, grocers, farmers markets, farmers, and more.
Panel Recap:
How do we get from where we are right now to where we want to be? How much money and energy do you want to put into your food?
Jessica Gorin, chef at Big Grove Tavern, claimed that food tastes better when it doesn’t have to travel as far, and local foods are a priority at the restaurant. She found it harder to connect local restaurants to farms, however, and had to do a lot of word-of-mouth and calls to see which farms had what and inquire about their seasonal availability. They started simple, and found one farm that’s easy to work with. Lisa Bralts discussed the Urbana Farmer’s Market and its impacts on our communities and advancing the marketplace. The Farmer’s Market has a strategic goal to move itself in a direction that will be good for the future by looking at aspects environmentally, socially, and educationally. There is much work to be done, but looking at consumer demand and social aspects of the market will put more money in growers’ pockets and get out fresher foods. Jacqueline Hannah of Common Ground Food Co-Op in Urbana says that we have to see this as a Community if we’re going to further the food movement. She says that the reason for the Co-Op’s success is mainly due to the sense of Community and storytelling via classes and education, but is also from making the Co-Op successful at all levels. This has helped the Co-Op grow (372% of supply in five years) and has helped educate and connect people to their neighbors. Elaine Sebald discussed “farm-food hubs” and Edible Economy, an org that has sponsored a food system study, and the issues surrounding our existing networks. We need to facilitate further development around these networks via grants and “the middle man” to develop local food aggregation hubs. If people bought $15 of their food from local sources, we’d bring in $639 million of income. But, as it stands, our economy loses $5 Billion from importing foods and there is a struggle to connect farmers to consumers. Marty and Kris Travis from Spence Farms, a 182 year old family farm, works at the ground level to create farmer groups. There are not enough small farmers in Illinois. Spence Farms has a different idea of sustainability that encompasses more than farmland. The “family farm” is going to be passed on, and neighbors will thrive. How to grow a local economy? We can grow opportunities, but there is a need to educate consumers to support them! Spence Farms participates in two groups: a small farmers group with 25 farms called Stewards of the Land, most of which have the main growers under the age of 18 and who are not going to farm the same way their grandfathers and fathers farm; and Legacy of the Land, a cooperative marketing group for restaurants in the Chicagoland area for seasonal local foods that reaches 160 chefs.
During the group discussion, everyone agreed that demand is rising but there are several issues at hand: the need for more farmers, and the need for better infrastructure. Marty and Kris Travis are helping this along on a small scale, but who else can we rely on to build this infrastructure – to maintain and continue it? What grant funding is available -- for things like acquiring land, technical assistance, and for training committed farmers to enter the marketplace? At this point, competition is welcome; there are many opportunities in this new field!
1:15 - 2:45pm
Conservation is important for reducing your company’s environmental impact and saving money. Join this discussion on strategies and methods to reduce your business’ water, energy, and overall material consumption. The panel will cover purchasing and waste-handling strategies, employee engagement, and low hanging fruit (easy opportunities) for decreasing water and energy use.
Kristine Chalifoux informed us that the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, or SEDAC, has done over 1,000 energy assessments in 7 years, from small to million-square foot buildings. They offer energy assessments, new construction design assistance, incentive review, public retro-commissioning and housing efficient living, training and outreach, and energy incentive guidance. All services are free to the building owner – the program is paid for with a line item on your environmental utility fee. Advice from SEDAC could have a 1.5 year payback. If you are interested in getting an assessment on your building, visit www.sedac.org.
Elizabeth Doellman from Illinois American Water talked about the importance of water conservation and how it’s in everyone’s interest. Even though here in Illinois we’re not in a water crisis, in 2016 over half the U.S. states will have a water shortage. She discussed best practices for watering your lawn such as watering as needed, directing them to vegetated areas, not watering during the middle of the day, using native plants, and checking for leaks in your irrigation system. Uncaught water leaks and improper irrigation are also major issues. A lot of the same things in homes apply to businesses: Get your employees involved in water efforts and they can also spot ways to improve conservation. Using less water means less energy to treat the water, pump it, and heat it in your home, and it reduces your monthly utility bill cost. Visit www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org for water efficiency tips.
Morgan Johnson from the University of Illinois Facilities and Services talked about conservation strategies at UI and the commitments to reduce its environmental impact. The University of Illinois has a commitment to sustainability with the ACUPCC (Presidents Climate Commitment) and the Campus Sustainability Compact (signed in August 2010). There is a Climate Action Plan (iCAP) as well. Morgan then discussed the many retro-commissioning projects in action -- such as adaptive lighting and window shades. There is a net zero energy building project and an energy dashboard with UI building meters displaying real-time data on the web. There is an on-campus rain garden and a “true cost of water” project, and major goals for University-wide waste diversion (a 75% goal by 2020 and ultimately a zero-waste goal).
1:15-2:45pm
Certifications are launching locally, state-wide, and nationally. Traction in Illinois has been made with certification, but there is a long way to go to develop green business in the state. Transformation in the workplace brings change in employees and their organizations. The panel of state luminaries and leaders will discuss green business and standards, and how it certification can help develop the Illinois green economy.
Marya Ryan discussed certification as a driver of change towards higher standards. Setting a bar sets a precendent for others to meet that practice. As you work with businesses to get them certified as a green business, the once cutting-edge practice becomes more standard and commonplace; the standards get driven higher. There is also a parallel with greater public awareness and consumer demand. She believes that certification can help transform the economy and the world of business so long as the program is independent, trustworthy and valid, and is not green-washing. Don Fournier discussed how green-washing can mislead clients and can cause cynicism and doubts about real environmental progress. Certification is a solution. It has clean and public standards using a broad spectrum of analyses with ongoing surveying and continuous improvement. There is also brand recognition. Certification can reap and highlight business’ savings for water and energy – up to 25% for energy savings in a building, and water 20-30% at a low cost. Water and energy are interdependent – it takes a lot of water in a power plant and make our products, too. Sewage treatment plants and wastewater treatment take both water and power – so reducing either, we reduce both. Doug Farr is interested in the intersection between certification and the law. Is the gap between certification and the code a big or small one, and how can we bridge the gap? The City of Chicago developed a Green Permit Program due to the long permitting process. There are various things that are not allowed in certain communities due to laws; for examples, some states requite potable water to be used in toilets when sustainable buildings have ways to utilize non-potable water. You have to get things approved and pay attention to local and statewide codes. Cassie Carroll discussed IGBA and how the green business certification program assists businesses in reaching savings goals while taking a comprehensive look at the business’ overall sustainability. The green business program is a step-by-step program to help businesses look at their operational footprint and find alternative solutions to reduce it systematically, with support services and information from IGBA. Green certification can also help with a business’ marketing and publicity and tell their customers stories of their green efforts, increasing consumer demand.
1:15- 2:45 pm
Leaders across the State of Illinois have embraced sustainability in order to grow their community’s local economies. In this session, you will hear how various cities throughout Illinois have taken steps to significantly strengthen their economies through sustainability.
Marty Vanags from the Town of Normal, IL discussed Normal’s redevelopment. The leaders of Normal wanted to integrate sustainability principles. They integrated iDOT’s plan for livability to apply more transportation principles. There are 30 miles of bike trails in the community. The town has also has also required that all new commercial buildings with a footprint of 7500 square feet or higher be a LEED Silver rating. They also have a sustainability plan and hope to guide it through and carry it through to principles of the rest of the community. Agnes Mrzowski of the Illinois Energy office at DCEO gave a background on the various grant and incentives programs at DCEO and types of funding available for sustainability. What are the types of programs at the Energy Office? Energy efficiency (Illinois Energy Now), Renewable Energy, Biofuels, Recycling, and EVs/infrastructure and charging stations. 60% these programs goes to public sector and 25% goes to low income. Assistance goes to projects where they help determine energy savings. Some funds goes to education and training for new codes, facility and training managers, and technical assistance. In the future, DCEO is looking to build a sustainable renewable energy program, a solar revolving loan program, diversify IL generation to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and provide IL consumers with tools to use energy more effectively. There are more programs available so explore their website for more information. Julie Elzanati is from the Illinois Green Economy Network, or IGEN, a consortium of all community colleges in Illinois that have signed on to share best practices to move toward sustainability. IGEN’s main focus areas are in green curriculum careers, communities, campuses, and collaborations. IGEN is a platform to connect businesses, institutions, government, and community organizations to produce new pathways to green careers and drive green economic development. They do trainings for energy efficiency across the state and offer building code trainings, webinars, and host retreats and working groups on various subject areas (EVs, smart grid, local foods, etc.). They also hope to host a behavior change conference next year and partner with more state organizations to increase their offerings. Visit their website at www.igencc.org. Marsha Lochmann is from the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center in Alton which was founded 10 years ago. They look at the regional water system, from the headwaters to the gulf, and provide research on the watershed. NGRREC partners with other organizations around the globe in other great river basins to share information. They do water research, and offer a speaker series, community outreach, symposiums, and host international guests and researchers. They take an ecosystem approach to factors in the water system: Terrestrial, Aquatic, Human Communities, and Education.
3:00- 4:30 pm
Financing green projects can be difficult, and businesses can feel overwhelmed with trying to finance a green project. This discussion will investigate private and public sector financing programs for businesses and NGO’s. Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas, Illinois Energy Now, and Busey Bank speakers share opportunities and challenges for funding green projects, as well as loan and incentive programs. Discover creative financing solutions so that your business or organization can integrate green effectively and cost-efficiently.
Cheryl Miller from Ameren Illinois Utilities discussed the ActOnEnergy incentive programs which offers rebates for residential customers, commercial, non-profits, and private schools in both electric and/or gas. There are incentives for many things such as lighting, leak survey & repair, process steam, VAV drives, and specialty equipment. The custom incentives are for unique projects or processes; these require pre-approval. To apply, identify your savings opportunities (can get assistance for this or find a contractor/Program Ally through their website), verify eligibility and review requirements, then submit the proper paperwork. There is also a Staffing Grant to fund an energy project manager for your company. Go to ActOnEnergy.com to see all their programs as well as additional bonuses and products.
Ghassan Majdalani from Nicor Gas discussed their Energy Efficiency Programs to help customers & contractors. There are incentives for kitchen and gas equipment, steam traps, repair, and a custom program ($1/therm up for $500K for up to 50% of the project cost). There is also a Economic Redevelopment incentive for new efficiency projects in developing areas. Nicor has developed a joint Business Program with ComEd for energy efficiency in businesses. Small business, retro-commissioning, new construction, and building performance with ENERGY STAR are part of the portfolio. There are also joint residential programs for energy audits, direct install, multi-family installs, elementary energy education, and residential new construction. For more information see www.nicorgasrebates.com.
Wayne Hartel from DCEO and the Illinois Energy Office offers assistance in four program areas: Illinois Energy Now, Renewable Energy and Fuels, EV programs, and Recycling Programs. In each section there are public sector incentives. The Illinois Energy Now has public incentives, low-income residential sector incentives, and market transformation. There are electricity and natural gas equipment incentives, and custom and construction programs which are based on Kwh savings. here is also a DCEO Trade Ally Program for contractors to fill out applications for the programs and help with the processes. In its history, the Renewables program has provided $50 million in support of over 1,600 renewable energy projects with costs over $150 million. Directions and application information is on their website at http://www.illinoisenergy.org. Robin Elliott from Busey talked about financing for sustainability projects. Be prepared to talk about collateral and history when it comes to sustainability projects… there is a lot of package to finance a project (paperwork, audits, and SBA or other assistance). Third party is good to talk about cash flow savings and document the process. Financing these projects is a win-win-win for the goals of Busey – between balance sheets, strength, profitability, growth, and of course sustainability. Only recently has Busey started to realize that they can get a solid return on their assets by helping with these investments.
3:00 - 4:30pm
The value of creating a sustainable culture in the workplace goes well beyond energy savings and environmental impact. Learn how going green can help support your company’s marketing and human resources goals by attracting new customers and recruiting and retaining the most qualified and talented staff. Experts from the University of Illinois and leading corporations will discuss ways to further your company’s goals.
Amy Snyder from the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) talks about how the MTD has been demonstrating their sustainability commitment since the beginning because they feel that going green is simply the right thing to do! The MTD is a provider of eco-friendly travel alternatives that also encourages reduced expenses and positive public interactions. They are pursuing ISO certification to have continual improvement on pollution prevention efforts. They have implemented an environmental policy which all employees have read and they do training that is personalized to the employee. The MTD encourages shared responsibilities and pride in the organization, and provide incentives for employee learning such as clipboards and nicer uniforms after trainings. They do a lot of branding and public relations/advertising to get the word out to the community as well as writing publications. You can read more on their website at www.cumtd.com.
Eric Benson co-founded Re-Nourish Greener Standards to help encourage a more sustainable-minded culture in the workforce. It’s an online tool geared toward the graphic design industry to prevent waste and produce responsible & creative design work. They help the studios learn the tools to implement and become a greener studio, and the Re-Nourish standards are free and open-sourced. Changing company culture requires leadership, authenticity, and transparency. It also require valuing people. Mentioning some of the values from Seventh Generation company, Eric also encourages businesses to stand for something unique, put purpose before profit, and make your actions match your words. Check Re-Nourish’s website at www.re-nourish.com.
Madhu Viswanathan teaches subsistence marketplace literacy at the University of Illinois and does on-site projects in India with students. He also teaches a Business 101 module on social responsibility – to create integrated experiences at the undergraduate and graduate level for students on poverty and the environment. He feels that the College is a different place than it was 5 or 6 years ago due to these courses and these experiences. He is learning WITH students since this is a new field – sustainable business. In trying out things and practicing things in our culture we can make change. He also sees the need for educators to educate themselves too!
Many businesses are willing to become more sustainable but find it challenging to locate sustainable and locally-sourced products. This session will provide you with a wealth of information for finding the products you need to be successful.
Josh Clemence from EnvirOx discussed green products that decrease the overall environmental footprint and is safe. We can continue to do better as technology evolves, but even now we don’t have to sacrifice performance; green products are up to speed with normal cleaning products and are available right on the shelves. Years ago that wasn’t the case. Concentrated green cleaning products are also not only green for their contents but they save plastic; as many cleaning products are 98% water, concentrated solutions could use over 500 times less plastic. As early adopters, we can help bring the change home and drive these new technologies and products to encourage a broad change of entire distribution systems and industries. Mary Swanson looks at life cycle AND performance of cleaning products in giving them a third party rating from GreenSeal. There are also global eco-labeling networks that define these principles – these are an open process with stakeholder involved that are open to the public, and are periodically revised. Some of these networks are GEN, ISO, ANSI, and EPA guidelines for third party standards. There is also Consumers Union and FTC Environmental Marketing guidelines. They are science-based and life-cycle based (multi-attribute). She advises for us to keep a healthy skepticism of manufacturers that want to sell you their products and examine the organizations behind the label. Look for independent test results and see if the “green” products meet the same performance standards as conventional products. Last, consider the life cycle costs. Scott Zintz from Independent Stationers (also started Sustainable Future Consulting and co-founded the Green Office Challenge) stressed that employee involvement and the social aspect of sustainability is important. 69% of US companies today have some sort of green program in place, and 78% of those reported electricity savings. Notre Dame cut down overall paper use 45% in the first year by going paperless and using duplex printing – they then moved from virgin paper to 100% recycled. It just takes commitment. Ask what your stakeholders and employees care about and how you can get them involved (such as giving out reusable mugs or refillable pens to employees). Buying from a local business keeps up to 3 times more money in the local economy, and they reduce urban sprawl and more often have a reduced environmental footprint. They also give back 250% more than big box stores. Darlene Knipe is from the National MarketMaker program, which enables farm-to-table and farm-to-school opportunities for local farmers to connect and advance communication in the food system. It is a database that serves as a sourcing platform for markets. There is also an ag certification directory and a cool feature called “Now in Season.” You can find what’s local, what’s in season, agri-tourism sites, restaurants, and food banks (and it’s smartphone accessible). Visit their website at www.national.marketmaker.uiuc.edu.