Green Business
of the Week

September 21, 2008

Greenmaker Supply

If you want to pick up a couple of cup hooks, go to your local hardware store. If you want to make your home a healthier place for your family and the earth, you’ll want to check out Greenmaker Supply at 2500 N. Pulaski. Just one visit will start you making a wish list–a Solatube skylight for your laundry room, a dual flush toilet, maybe a tankless water heater. Or, if you’re more design-oriented, some gorgeous recycled glass tile or a bamboo floor. Founded by Joe Silver and Ori Sivan, Greenmaker opened three years ago and has expanded considerably during that time. Their product guidelines are the “Seven Seeds of Sustainability.” To be stocked at Greenmaker, a product must do one or more of the following: be energy intelligent, be water wise, contribute to a healthy home interior, have recycled content, be made of renewable materials, contribute to regional growth, cause no harm during its lifecycle, from extraction to manufacture to use and end of use.

Greenmaker offers complimentary design services for kitchen and bath. Their cabinetry is locally made and any compressed wood is manufactured without formaldehyde. If you can’t go entirely green in your remodel, the design consultants will help you do what fits your budget.

About half of the products Greenmaker stocks are already competitive in price with the big box stores and that percentage is growing all the time, as manufacturers ramp up their green production. In addition, a great many Greenmaker products will reduce your energy consumption and save you money in the not-very-long run. In addition to building supplies, Greenmaker stocks some gardening materials and cleaning products. We found Greenmaker employees to be friendly and helpful, quietly enthusiastic about their products and their commitment to a greener world.