Green Business
of the Week
October 5, 2008
Healthy Green Goods
From the outside, Healthy Green Goods looks like a nice little store. Even when you step inside, you don’t understand right away that this place actually sells everything from healthful body products to organic fertilizer to mattresses made without formaldehyde. Yes, formaldehyde. As employee Adam Brockman explained, most mattresses are made using chemicals such as formaldehyde as flame retardants, and a lot of these chemicals are not things we should be breathing in every night while we’re asleep. Adam explained that the Pure-Rest mattresses at Healthy Green Goods are made with a thick layer of wool that acts as a natural flame retardant, meeting government standards for safety without polluting your lungs.
Learning about the things that can make our lives–and our planet–healthier is part of the experience at this comfortable and attractive store at 702 Main St. in Evanston. It was opened three years ago by Dr. Marny Turvill, a pediatrician who was frustrated by the number of children she was seeing who had chronic illnesses caused by environmental toxins. She now uses her medical training to choose the safest products for both children and adults and to spread the word about what people can do to lessen the danger of life in a chemical world. Her employees are knowledgeable and eager to share information if you’re intersted.
It’s not enough for a product to be green at Healthy Green Goods. Some products made from recycled materials are good for the environment, but not for the people who use them. You can recycle tired into purses, for example, but they will still outgas volatile organic compounds, so you won’t find them here.
Healthy Green Goods carries air purifiers, paints with no VOCs; organic and all-natural bedding and linens; furniture made from sustainable materials; children’s clothing; water filters; compact flourescent bulbs; cleaning products, some of them available in bulk so that you can simply refill your containers; window shades, lunch boxes, books, bags, and much more.
The address again is 702 Main Street., just west of the Main Street el and Metra stops, and the website is www.healthygreengoods.com
