Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
Oct
8
Drink to Save the Planet
All the environmentally conscious people who like to enjoy a martini or a bottle of beer from time to time, now have a reason to celebrate! Eco-friendly alcoholic beverages are on the rise, everything from wine to vodka now has an organic version. What makes regular alcohol different from an eco friendly one? “Green” alcohol is a broad term. This could me anything from the way the ingredients that the alcohol is made from are grown to how sustainable the actual brewery or distillery is. To be labeled USDA Organic, Spirits must be made from organic materials which are grown in soil that uses no pesticides and processed in an distillery that follows organic standards. Organic standards go as far as restricting the cleaning products used inside the distillery. The two brands that made eco friendly spirits a household product are Square One Vodka and Eco 360 Vodka. These two companies go beyond just growing organic ingredients, but also incorporate the “green” initiative to the way they do business. Square One recognizes people in their community for their eco friendly efforts as well as reducing the amount of energy and gas consumption within their company. 360 Vodka has an environmental benefits statement that is posted on their website where consumers can see in what other ways the business is going “Green”. Another brand of Vodka that is worth mentioning is Tru Organic Vodka, which is promising to plant a tree for every bottle that is sold. Besides this clever marketing technique, the company makes their bottles with 25% less glass, and uses recycled corks and soy ink. But with Eco-friendly drinks come eco friendly bars! These types of bars are becoming more popular and can be seen across the country. The very first organic bar/restaurant, Gustorganics, was opened in New York City in 2008. The venue itself was built from recycled materials and uses solar lighting and energy powered by only wind. A bar in Portland Oregon, called Hopworks Urban Brewery, has an unbelievably long list of ways that their building, surrounding area, brewery and food/drinks are eco friendly. They went as far as having water retention systems on the territory. There is also a bar that is not only incorporating “green” technique in their business but is also reaching out to the local community. Uncommon Ground, located in Chicago hosts monthly mixers to bring people together and expose them to their rooftop garden and their free organic appetizers, while also getting them interested in supporting other causes. Along with mixers, Uncommon Ground has educational programs and the company partners with local business to bring more awareness to the “green” way of living. So next time you are going out for a drink, or maybe two, pick organic alcohol and help preserve our environment.
Did you know that the average American office worker uses about 500 disposable cups annually? 25 billion styrofoam cups end up in landfills every year, and the material they’re made from – polystyrene – does not biodegrade. Paper cups, due to the plastic resin liner that keeps them from melting makes them un-recyclable at most recycling facilities. What could be a possible solution? Recyclable cups. Companies such as Pepsi and Starbucks are pushing forward with such cups. Pepsi has announced that it has begun offering five options of eco-friendly, recyclable and compostable cups including clear plastic cups containing 20% post-consumer recycled content, biodegradable paper cups and wax cups made with plant-based materials sourced from sustainably managed forests. These fountain cups, printed with green imagery and environmental statements like “Wow, Our Cups are Fully Recyclable”, are now available at restaurants, stadiums, and theme parks. The cups also come with printed messages encouraging visits to Earth911.com to learn about how to properly dispose of waste. Starbucks aims to make all of its disposable cups, approximately 3 billion per year, fully recyclable by 2012. The company held a ‘Cup Summit’ in 2009, discussing ways in which it can improve those statistics, including sorting recyclable cups from waste that can’t be recycled and potentially turning the cups into pizza boxes. In April 2011, Starbucks kicked off a new coffee cup recycling initiative in British Columbia, placing customized multi-receptacle recycling bins at the front of each of its stores. All parts of each cup, including the lid and sleeve, will be recycled.
Companies and people are gathering in cities all over America to promote an eco friendly life style. Green festivals allow attendees to browse different green products and hear new and innovative ideas from various companies and guest speakers. Although this event is an educational one it does not take away from the festive atmosphere. People who attend these festivals do not only enjoy tips and hands on experience with eco friendly products but are also able to taste fresh, organically grown food from the numerous restaurants and listen to live music. The Green Festivals have something for everyone, from kids to adults from fashionable women to rugged men. The Green Festival first began ten years ago and has been growing and improving ever since. Today the number of attendees reaches one million! This event incorporates many aspects of sustainable living, environmental, social and economic problems and solutions. To see more about these festivals, check out the link below. Green Festival (San Francisco)
Summer is upon us. With that comes the sun, the fun, and the food. Summertime is also a great time for everyone to take up an eco-lifestyle and live greener. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to reduce your carbon footprint and make your summer a greener experience: 1. For your summertime grill-out, if possible use natural fuel or lump charcoal instead. Avoid using lighter fluid. If you’re looking to purchase a new grill, some alternatives include:
2. For your summertime grub you may consider shopping at a local farmer’s market instead. They are sure to carry a variety of organic produce, meat, and bread. To find a market near you, check out: http://www.localharvest.org/ 3. Try using reusable utensils and plates for your outdoor dining. If not possible, biodegradable tableware are also a great alternative. 4. Compost if possible. Composting leftover food scraps and charcoal ashes is a great way to reduce waste. 5. Bike, roller-skate, or walk as much as possible. These are great ways to reduce your carbon footprint and have some fun out in the sun. These are just a few of many possible ways to help make your lifestyle more eco-friendly. Enjoy your Memorial Day and remember to use sunscreen!
Apr
3
Taste The Difference
A few years ago it was fairly difficult to find organic food in supermarkets and even harder to find restaurants that served organic meals. Nowadays there are whole stores devoted to just green/organic produce and restaurants are offering more diverse food choices made from all natural products. But are organic labeled foods really organic? There is now emerging a new way to experience fresh grown, organic food and it’s called Biodynamic dining. Biodynamic dining is completely chemical free way to prepare all the food served at the restaurant. The vegetables and fruits are grown without using any harmful pesticides. The final product also does not contain any additives that are not found in nature. To add to this, some restaurants also have their own gardens where they grow most of the produce that they use. The meat comes from animals that are living on biodynamic farms. This whole process ensures that the people, eating at biodynamic restaurants, receive fresh, completely organic and high quality food. Biodynamic dining first starts with biodynamic farms where the chefs get most of their produce. The farmers begin this process even before the seeds are planted. To improve soil quality they use the manure from their animals as a natural fertilizer. Once the seeds are planted, each individual seed is cared for. There are two factors that separate organic farming from biodynamic farming. Biodynamic farms use horses to cultivate the land, instead of tractors, to ensure that no chemicals are absorbed by the soil and the food is harvested and grown according to the different lunar cycles. Many people say they can distinctly taste the difference between regularly grown food and food grown on biodynamic farms. This type of dedication to the land, and to every plant is what makes biodynamic farming such a unique and not widely practiced process. To experience this exceptionally grown food for yourself, try these restaurants. Bon Appétit! 1. Manresa in Los Gatos California 2. Aziza in San Francisco 3. Terre à Terre in Brighton, UK 4. D-Tox-Me in Adelaide, Australia This article appeared today in The Telegraph about a Croatian coffee shop that has replaced daily newspapers with iPads for its customers to read news on instead. This isn’t the first time iPads have been used to replace paper in eateries–there have already been reports of restaurants using iPads for wine lists and menus. From a recent article on Geek Sugar: “One steakhouse in Chicago has reported a more than 20 percent increase in wine purchases per customer after they switched their wine lists to the tablets.” Even fast service chain restaurants like Au Bon Pain are using them. What do you think of this trend? Eco-friendly or over the top? Would you prefer to read news or order food from an iPad or would you stick with your traditional newspaper and menu? The end-of-the-year holiday season is just around the corner, and for many of us that means it’s time to start planning the food. If you’re committed to, or even interested in, a sustainable lifestyle, then sustainable food is also probably pretty important to you! Here’s a list of resources that will help you find all the ingredients you need to cook up the perfect sustainable holiday feast!
Local Harvest hooks you up with a variety of local food resources in your area. You can search for online stores, farms, farmer’s markets, restaurants, specific foods and more on this website! If you’re a die-hard organic foodie, The Organic Consumers Association website has everything you need to educate yourself on buying and eating organic, from food sources to nutrition information. Sustainable Table is a great place to find recipes and other information about cooking sustainably. Eco Harvest Gourmet is another website dedicated to providing gourmet recipes that are perfect for the ethically-minded sustainable eater. It’s that time of the year to throw on your teams’ colors, make a bunch of delicious snacks and cheer on the boys to a football victory. It’s a time for family, friends and [maybe a bit too much] fun. But that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our mission to keep Planet Earth green. Here are some fun tips to ensure your football parties are a success. And environmentally friendly!
Sep
3
Konohana Family FarmCheck out this video about a sustainable community farm in Japan, the Konohana Family Farm. The “family” consists of 47 members and the farm is almost 100% self-sustained. They have farmed their land without chemicals or pesticides for over 13 years! They also exist on a completely vegetarian diet. From a Konohana Family Farm brochure: “Over 260 kinds of rice, grain, vegetables and so forth are grown on the fields of 13 hectares.
Jul
24
Green Bride GuideFor many, planning a wedding is stressful and time-consuming—so imagine trying to green the entire process! Luckily, Green Bride Guide is here to make the entire process easier.
Kate Harrison, author of the book The Green Bride Guide and founder of greenbrideguide.com, worked in environmental education and outreach after graduating from Vassar with a degree in Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development. This year, she also started the first green wedding professional certification class, an online course, in conjunction with The Wedding Planning Institute. She knows what she’s talking about! Having planned her own green wedding, Kate’s book and website are a treasure trove of information and inspiration.
Among other things, the site features a vendor directory where you can find green bridal salons, photographers, spas, transportation, venues, and more. There’s also a shop where you can look for green wedding gifts, a blog featuring topics and information on greening your wedding, a planning section, and much much more (including a wedding cost estimator!).
There’s so much information here that you may feel a bit lost, but if that happens hop over to the Real Green Weddings section for some inspiration: you’ll find photos and accounts of actual green weddings and how they were done! This site is a must for anyone invested in planning a beautiful, eco-friendly, sustainable wedding. |
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