Green Genes: Inspiring Litte Green Babes to Grow into Eco-conscious Consumers

Highlighting Green Businesses - looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

Heather Munster and Christina Ispurduli are co-owners of Green Genes, an environmentally responsible children's boutique located in Andersonville (Chicago). Not only do they sell great eco friendly products, their store incorporates vintage and repurposed fixtures and sustainable and salvaged construction materials. They also reuse so much of their stuff, they typically throw out only one bag of garbage a month! Truly an inspiring business.

I met Heather last year at a local farmer's market. Recently I spoke with Heather about her inspiring store and their upcoming anniversary.

RM: Heather, how did you and Christina decide to open Green Genes?

HM: Christina and I were thinking about starting a business. At the same time we we started seriously recycling and were shocked by how much less waste we had. We knew retail, and we knew kids. We thought small changes can add up to a big deal. So we decided to open Green Genes and help raise awareness from the very beginning of a person's life, then being "green" would become second nature and ideally part of their genetic makeup....green genes!

RM: What do you hope to achieve at your store?

HM: We want people to realize the importance of small changes. It's great to consume less, but there are necessities and we hope to provide an eco friendly alternative. We also hope to educate our customers as well. Someone recently asked "What's the deal with all this organic stuff?" That was the perfect chance to explain about the quality of the cotton as well as the chemical impact on the environment and the workers. We want people to know that it goes deeper and has a broader impact than the item they may see in front of them.

RM: Is Green Genes doing anything special for Earth Day this year?

HM: We are happily celebrating our 2nd Anniversary in conjunction with Earth Day, over the weekend of April 10th - 11th. We will have music, storytelling, eco-craft projects, and more. You can stay up to date with us on Facebook.

RM: Heather, thank you for your time. It's always a fun experience when we stop in Green Genes.

Green Genes is an organic and eco friendly store for kids and babies with an assortment of gift and household items for adults. They stock items that meet their criteria of being eco friendly through sustainable or local production, and organic, repurposed, or recycled materials. They are located at 5111 N. Clark Street, Chicago. Heather and Christina live in Andersonville, walking distance from work, with their three felines. When they do have a moment off they often fill it with artistic endeavors, which isn't surprising since their store is so full of creativity.