Sketchbook keeps finding little ways to make strides in sustainability while solidifying its role as a valued community partner to the greater Chicagoland area.
It’s always been a philosophy where the goalposts are always being moved a bit on purpose by co-founder Cesar Maron who launched Sketchbook a decade ago in the northern suburb of Evanston before adding a second location with a larger production space about 15 miles west in Skokie.
You can always find a way to get better, he feels. The brewery was awarded a grant from Cook County’s Department of Sustainability, which helped catalyze additional green initiatives.
“We got a grant from Cook County called BRITE (Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment), and that kind of snowballed a bunch of other things that were wonderful to be part of,” Maron said.
This investment put Sketchbook at the forefront of sustainability efforts among small businesses, as they collaborated with organizations such as the Cook County Department of Sustainability and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC).
Maron is also looking toward the future with ambitious sustainability goals. The brewery just received the Illinois Green Business Certification, becoming the first brewery to do so in the state.
“This certification gets us closer to my goal for this year — becoming a B Corp,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot, but we already have a lot of the necessary pillars in place.”
The certification cements Sketchbook’s commitment to environmental responsibility, aligning with its mission to operate as a sustainable and community-driven business.
The brewery was also recently honored with the city’s Business of the Year award, a recognition that came as a surprise.
“We didn’t apply for it,” Maron said. “We’re nominated by a board, a civilian board that picks businesses, and then it goes up to public voting.”
Maron and his wife, Amy, accepted the award at Village Hall, an event that underscored the brewery’s deep connection to the local community.
“There’s a criteria,” Maron said. “I learned during the process of receiving the award that part of the criteria is being a business that engages with the community and one that cares about the environment.”
For Maron, Sketchbook’s recognition as Skokie’s Business of the Year is a testament to the brewery’s dedication to both its customers and the environment.
“It’s nice to be part of something that people feel proud to call their own,” he said. “That sense of community, combined with our sustainability efforts, is what makes this award meaningful.”
One of the brewery’s earliest sustainability efforts focused on spent grain disposal, which is always at the forefront of most breweries when they open.
“Our first piece of it was getting our spent grain out of the landfill from day one,” Maron said. Initially, Sketchbook donated its grain to an urban farm in Skokie before partnering with a local chicken farm.
“That worked for a while, but as we started brewing more, we couldn’t count on the farmer coming often enough.”
The brewery faced regulatory hurdles as well.
“The city of Evanston fined us for not having our spent grain in a trash container, but I fought it,” Maron said. “You want businesses to do right for the environment, but now here you are fining me for trying to do that.”
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Despite these challenges, Sketchbook remained committed to sustainable waste management.
“It’s still a struggle because, for a small business, getting a company to haul our grains for composting or animal feed costs way more than dumping it in the trash,” Maron said. “We invest a lot of our own time in it. I personally take the grains to two different farms once or twice a week.”
Another major sustainability step for Sketchbook was reducing fossil fuel dependency.
“One of the first things we did through the BRITE program was replace our gas-powered truck with an electric truck,” Maron said.
The program covered the cost, making it a feasible investment for the brewery. Additionally, Sketchbook switched to community solar energy to power its operations.
“I didn’t know it was that easy. It was just signing some contracts, and a few months later, we were using community solar,” he said.
As Sketchbook continues to grow within its urban footprint, its commitment to sustainability remains unwavering. The brewery’s recognition as Skokie’s Business of the Year and its Illinois Green Business Certification are testaments to the impact it has had on the community and the environment. By prioritizing eco-friendly initiatives and sharing knowledge with others in the industry, Maron wants to set a high standard for positive sustainability in the industry.
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