B.A.F.F.L.E.D. Green Business

CITY OF CHICAGO GREEN BUSINESS ORDINANCE

For all you small business owners and people that are into buying "green", the City of Chicago is in the process of creating a new ordinance known as the “City of Chicago Green Business Ordinance”.  There have been 3 community meetings about the ordinance, the latest occurring on the 19^th of November at the Industrial Council of the Near West Side (ICNC). The function and purpose of the ordinance is for businesses to become certified by the City of Chicago through third-party certifications, and to officially identify businesses that actively make environmental sustainability a part of its business model.

Some of the possible benefits to these businesses besides saving money from being more energy efficient could consist of a reduction of “greenwashing”, or superficial green practices, it would establish a standard of requirements that would allow the city and state to help businesses find suitable subsidies for energy efficiency, along with the obvious marketing benefits.

The ordinance has not fully passed, and the city is still looking for comment on the ordinance, a draft of which is here. To comment on the ordinance, the best route would be to email Alderman Laurino at ward39@cityofchicago.org