In vitro fertilization has never stirred the same controversy as abortion or embryonic stem-cell research, in part because evangelical Christians have a wide (and fine-grained) diversity of views on the procedure. But there are rumblings of a consensus, including a row in Naperville over a proposed clinic.
TALENT SCOUT: What does the co-founder and curator of Volume Gallery look for in craftmanship when it comes to his own life and home?
The latest person to express solidarity with Trayvon Martin by wearing a hoodie is veteran Representative Bobby Rush, who was unrecognized by the acting speaker… under the prohibition that you can’t wear a hat on the House floor.
Every summer, gas prices go up. It’s not just demand. Gas, like clothing, has to get lighter as temperatures rise, to prevent not just pollution but vapor lock. It’s even pricier here in Chicago, one of America’s “gas islands.”
« CASSIE GREEN ELISE ZELECHOWSKI » AGE: 44 COFOUNDER AND CEO: AllCell Technologies (website) BUSINESS: Renewable energy This former Illinois Institute of Technology prof always believed rechargeable lithium-ion batteries had potential—if only they stopped catching fire. So he set out to design a safer and lighter alternative. Now versions of his model are being used … Read more
You can help save the planet and make money. These five Chicagoans are showing the city how it’s done
« ELISE ZELECHOWSKI DEBORAH SAWYER » AGE: 29 FOUNDING PARTNER: Carbon Day Automotive (website) BUSINESS: Transportation Four years ago, Levin was just another commercial real-estate broker taking a hit in the economic downturn. That’s when he embarked on a new venture: electric vehicle charging stations. With the increased production of electric vehicles on the horizon, Levin … Read more
SAID AL-HALLAJ » AGE: 34 FOUNDER AND OWNER: Green Grocer (website) BUSINESS: Neighborhood grocery When the aptly named Green moved to West Town in 2006, she was struck by the absence of a quality neighborhood grocery. One year later, she was drafting a business plan for a store that would stock regional produce and … Read more
« SAID AL-HALLAJ BRIAN LEVIN » AGE: 33 FOUNDER: ReBuilding Exchange (website) BUSINESS: Building materials Even before the economy slowed, Zelechowski noticed two problems plaguing her native Chicago: the abundance of construction and demolition waste (from buildings that had fallen into foreclosure and disrepair) and a lack of jobs (for the hard to employ). Her … Read more
« BRIAN LEVIN AGE: 55 PRESIDENT AND CEO: Environmental Design International (website) BUSINESS: Green engineering In 1991, this environmental scientist set out to help developers transform contaminated city lots into usable land. In 2009, Sawyer landed a career-making project when Exelon enlisted her firm, Environmental Design International, to engineer the nation’s largest urban solar … Read more
