Still feeling the sour aftertaste of 2009? Get into the holiday spirit with these three fun eco-fab events.

Monday December 7th

Kickoff to Copenhagen 2009 Holiday Mixer

Join the DC Green Connection and CarbonfreeDC for the “Kickoff to Copenhagen” holiday mixer. Learn about what’s going on at the Copenhagen Climate Change discussions from climate policy expert Will Gartshore, enjoy Restaurant 1905’s  cocktails and food samples, and network with other greenminded Washingtonians.

There will also be a small silent auction with proceeds going to support CarbonfreeDC’s efforts to green low-income neighborhoods as well as to promote the DCGC mission of educating consumers and growing the green economy.

When:  December 7, 2009, 6:00-9:0o pm
Where: 1905 9th St. NW, upstairs (*Near U St. Cardoza Metro stop on 9th & U)
Tickets: $15 General, $12 DCGC Members. Includes one free drink, appetizers, and drink specials all evening. (Cash/check at the door)
RSVP: dcgreenconnection@gmail.com

Tuesday December 8th

Green Drinks

The monthly gathering is back–this time at Farmers & Fishers. Adrienne Spahr, Founder of Green Living Consulting will offering green holiday tips.

When: Tuesday, December 8th, 6:30-9:30 pm
Where: Farmers & Fishers (formerly Agraria) on the Georgetown Waterfront (Fountain Level), 3000 K St. NW
RSVP: Green Drinks on Facebook

Tuesday December 15th

DC EcoWomen Holiday Party

Join the DC EcoWomen (and men, this time) for a happy hour and networking event. Enjoy light appetizers and a cash bar at one of DC’s leading sustainable restaurants, Farmers & Fishers.

When: Tuesday, December 15th, 6:00-8:00 pm
Where: Farmers & Fishers (formerly Agraria) on the Georgetown Waterfront, 3000 K St. NW (in the Sunflower Room)
RSVP: Strongly encouraged through the group’s Facebook Event Page. If you’re not a Facebook member, RSVP to rsvp@ecowomen.org.

Is your business or non-profit kicking some green you-know-what? Then perhaps you should consider applying for the 2010 Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Awards.

Now in it’s second year, the award recognizes winners in the following categories:

-Construction/Development
-Partner (Association or Nonprofit)
-Restaurant/Food Service
-Innovation in Green Products or Services
-Hotel
-Small Business (100 or fewer employees)
-Large Business (More than 100 employees)

The awards recognize environmental stewardship, innovative best practices, pollution prevention, and resource conservation.

Applications and instructions can be found online along with case studies about last year’s award winners including Poste and  The Fairmont Hotel.

The application deadline is January 29, 2010, and awards will be distributed in the spring. For more information, contact Mary Lynn Wilhere at the DDOE, (202) 535-1939, marylynn.wilhere@dc.gov.

The Willard Intercontinental isn’tWillard Hotel just an iconic Washington landmark, it’s also one of the most eco-friendly hotels in the city. Now, in addition to leading the way in green meetings, being the first hotel in the city to be 100% windpowered, and engaging in a variety of award-winning sustainability practices, the Willard Complex is going green for the holidays.

The Willard Complex, which includes the Willard InterContinental Hotel, the Occidental Restaurant, Cafe du Parc, the Willard Office building, and an elegant courtyard, has decked its outdoor trees within the complex and on Pennsylvania Avenue with 20,000 LED  lights. The decorative LEDs used to outfit the trees will twinkle along Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th to 15th Streets and on the courtyard trees and wreaths.

The Willard’s use of the LED lights instead of conventional lighting has given the complex management a special opportunity to conserve energy and reduce waste during the holiday season.  Using LEDs reduces energy consumption by 80%, the bulbs have a long life span and emit a cooler light than traditional holiday lights, and they are generally more safe and cost effective.

I can’t imagine anything I’d rather do less than fight the crowds at the mall to get a deal on something I don’t need anyway. If you feel the same, here are some ideas for giving back locally today and for the rest of the year.

DC Central Kitchen: Prepare and distribute meals for the homeless.

Food & Friends: Prepare and deliver meals to people living with HIV/AIDS and cancer.

Greater DC Cares: Help restore a park, work at a homeless shelter, help out at an animal adoption center, and more.

So Others Might Eat: Cook and serve food, tutor children, provide a holiday basket for a low-income senior.

If you prefer to spend your time outdoors, consider volunteering at a community garden. DC Urban Gardeners is a great resource for finding community gardens, school gardens, and other outdoor projects in the DC area.

Another local blog, 14th & You has put together a list of DC-area volunteer opportunities as well. Definitely worth checking out.

Lastly, you can search for volunteer opportunities by location and the type of volunteering you’d like to do over at Volunteer Match.

It’s not even Thanksgiving yet but we know that some of you already have shopping on the brain. To find local and eco-friendly gifts for the holidays, consider stopping by the Downtown Holiday Market, which opens on December 4, 2009.

The market runs from noon to 8:00pm through December 23, 2009 and is produced by the Downtown DC Business Improvement District and Diverse Markets Management.

Here are some of the fair trade and eco-friendly items that will be on sale:

  • Harun’s African Art (MD) – Handcrafted tableware and jewelry made of copper and brass alloys from South Africa; sales support upwards of 70 families of the Ndebele culture in the Lowveld of South Africa near Kruger National Park
  • Figs & Ginger (NC) – Eco-friendly sterling jewelry
  • Jenafusion (VA) – Handcrafted fashion accessories made from recycled, reclaimed, vintage, and new material. Products include hats, purses, scarves and wallets.
  • The Devil Made Me Do It (MD) – One-of-a-kind clothing from 99% “upcycled” materials.
  • The Red Persimmon (MD) – Fair trade and handmade gifts from India, Bali, Uganda, Mexico.  Items include clothing, linens, silk and cotton purses, ornaments, and accessories.
  • Three Stone Steps (MD) – Eco-friendly and fair trade accessories imported from Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Haiti. Products include bags, wallets, silk scarves, and jewelry.

Some local food vendors of note will include:

  • Guata-Java (MD) – Specialty fair trade, organic Guatemalan coffee.
  • J. Chocolatier (DC) – Handmade luxury truffles and buttery caramels.
  • Tea Co (VA) – Organic loose leaf teas and tea wares.
  • Terre de Provence (MD) – Specialty olive oil.

This Thanksgiving, why not make a simple side dish using some fresh organic ginger and sweet potatoes from a local farmer’s market? Treat your guests to this gingery mashed potato recipe, courtesy of Restaurant Nora.

Gingery Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I like to use the orange variety of sweet potato or Jewell yams.

There are two ways of making this dish. Use one small potato per person.

Option 1:

Rub whole sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and baked at 400 degrees for about one hour or until soft. Halve the potato lengthwise and scoop out the inside and place in a bowl. Mash with a ½ tablespoon of butter per potato and season with grated fresh ginger (about ½ teaspoon per potato), salt and pepper. Garnish with crystallized ginger (optional).

Option 2:

Peel and thinly sliced raw potatoes. Toss with ½ tablespoon of butter per potato, 1 tablespoon of whole milk or half and half, salt and a pinch of sugar. Place in a saucepan, cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes or until soft, stirring from time to time. Mash with a potato masher or fork and flavor with freshly grated ginger. Season with salt and pepper and brown sugar (optional). Garnish with crystallized ginger (optional).

Follow Restaurant Nora on Twitter: Twitter.com/norasorganics

As reported by DCist yesterday, the city has finally launched an awareness campaign about the impending disposable bag fee.

Beginning January 1, 2010, District businesses that sell food or alcohol will be required by law to charge you 5 cents for each disposable paper or plastic carryout bag. The Skip the Bag, Save the River campaign from DDOE will give 3 or 4 cents to the new Anacostia River Protection Fund.

According to Alan Heymann, Director of Public Information at DDOE, The Office of Tax and Revenue estimates that the bag fee will generate $3.6 million for the new Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Fund in the first year.

DDOE will use the money to physically remove trash from the Anacostia and conduct stream restoration activities.

“We will also start a public awareness campaign about litter prevention, beginning in the schools,” says Heymann. “Finally, we will use the funds to continue handing out reusable shopping bags to residents – especially seniors and in low-income communities.”

DDOE is partnering with CVS and Safeway to hand out 122,000 reusable bags in the next few months. “These will be available at public events and distribution points throughout the District, so please watch our public calendar at for more information when it becomes available,” he adds.

The bag fee is the first of its kind in the nation, and will not apply to bags used for newspapers, produce, hardware, frozen foods, plants, bakery items or prescription drugs. Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward Six) introduced the bag legislation, which the DC Council passed unanimously in June.

DDOE has generously offered 10 free reusable bags to readers of GoingGreenDC.net. Simply send an email to sachacohen@comcast.net with your name, phone number, and address. Winners will be chosen at random and notified by December 1, 2009.

Heritage TurkeyThanksgiving is right around the corner. Do you know where your turkey is? If you haven’t already ordered a bird, there may still be time to get one that’s organic and/or locally-raised.

The advantages of ordering a non-commercial bird are plentiful: If it’s certified organic, you can rest assured that it wasn’t injected with antibiotics and has been fed organic feed.

Other types of birds–including free-range and pasturized–weren’t confined to cages or subjected to inhumane living conditions.

There are also Heritage turkeys, which are the ancestors of the common broad-breasted white industrial breed of turkey that account for almost all of the supermarket turkeys sold today. They dine on fresh grass and insects and lead relatively long, happy lives.

By buying a free-range, organic, or Heritage turkey, you’re not only getting a better bird, you’re supporting small local farmers.

Ready to order? Here are some local farms and shops where you can find a splendid turkey to be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving celebration:

Ayshire Farm: Organic

Cibola Farms: Pasture-raised and heritage

Eastern Market: Locally raised

Let’s Meat on the Avenue: Free-range

Maple Lawn Farm: Free-range

MOMs Organic: Local free-range and organic free-range

Whole Foods: Organic and heritage, depending on location

YES! Organic: Organic and free-range, depending on location

Does the idea of a tough bird fill you with dread? To make sure your turkey turns out moist and tasty, consider brining it. Here’s an apple-brined turkey with herbs recipe from the Washington Post. Your friends and family will, um, gobble, gobble it up.

green drinkWhether you’re in the mood for a trunk show, book signing, or a big blowout party, November has it all.

First Thursday Happy Hour with Bethesda Green

When: November 5th, 5-7
Where: Redwood Restaurant

Join Bethesda Green for casual conversation and social networking at one of the new restaurants within Bethesda Lane.

Book Talk: Greening Your Small Business

When: November 14th, 1:00 pm
Where: Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave.

Jennifer Kaplan will discuss her new book, Greening Your Small Business. Her comprehensive guide is for companies too small to hire a consultant to help them go green. The book covers basics such as recycling, reducing waste and reducing the IT footprint, as well as considering wider concerns such as green marketing and communications, green business travel, and green employee benefits.

Goodwill Travelin’ Trunk Show

When: November 14th, 11am-2pm
Where: Greater Goods, 1626 U St. NW

Calling all fashionistas, designers, and eco-friendly shoppers! Goodwill of Greater Washington’s Travelin’ Trunk Show will be returning to Greater Goods with racks and racks of contemporary and vintage fashions along with donated fabrics and buttons. The charity will also be accepting donations of items that have outgrown your home (or closet). All proceeds from this event will support Goodwill’s mission to educate, train, employ, and place people with disabilities and disadvantages throughout the greater DC area.

Live Green’s Big Green Bash

When: November 19th, 6-8:30
Where: The Reef, 2446 18th St. NW

Join Live Green for delicious food, drink specials, and prizes at the Big Green Bash. Everyone who recruits at least three new Live Green members automatically receives a $20 gift certificate to Java Green or Sticky Fingers and is entered into a raffle to win other fab prizes like a flight anywhere in the continental US from Green Earth Travel. Get your tickets today.

This post was written by GoingGreenDC.net contributing writer Alison Drucker.

wineIf you like wine, go straight to the source and attend a tasting at a Virginia or Maryland winery. Satisfy your green conscience at the same time by paying a visit to one that’s environmentally friendly.

The local wineries here all follow organic practices to the greatest extent possible, using minimal chemical pesticides and herbicides and eradicating pests using biological controls.

Certified organic wine – wine that uses organic grapes – is impossible to produce in this area; local vintners report that due to the humidity and rainfall, vines in the region are prone to fungus and pests that are immune to non-chemical treatments.

These wineries have also constructed energy- and water-efficient facilities that incorporate salvaged materials and innovative design strategies.

Maryland

At Black Ankle Vineyards, the tasting room features straw-bale insulation and wood harvested from the site, plus a bar made from crushed grape vines. The growers use sprays and fertilizers made from herbs, compost, and minerals, rather than chemicals, and follow the principles of biodynamic farming – a step up from organic on the sustainable ladder. Plus, their tractors are powered using biodiesel. Deep Creek Cellars also uses mostly organic and biodynamic farming methods.

Virginia

Pearmund Cellarsfacilities are heated and cooled using a geothermal system that draws from the Earth’s natural thermal energy. Barrel Oak Winery’s dog-friendly facility also uses geothermal energy and a highly efficient natural ventilation system; plus, all of its wood flooring was salvaged from an 18th century farmhouse.

The famous owner of Blenheim Vineyards – Dave Matthews – hand-sketched the design for the winery building, which was constructed from reclaimed wood and is strictly naturally lit during the day due to its daylight-efficient design. Cave Ridge Vineyard reuses their barrels and uses biodegradable products whenever they can, and the tasting room was constructed using sustainable wood. Rappahannock Cellars also reuses barrels and uses environmentally sensitive cleaners instead of noxious chemicals.

By drinking at these wineries (or at any of the other roughly 175 wineries in Virginia and Maryland) you can rest assured your wine hasn’t been shipped from overseas or trucked in from California. So go get tipsy locally, and with a lower ecological footprint.

This post was written by GoingGreenDC contributing writer Alison Drucker.

photo_gallery_austinFor a couple weeks in October, your regular jog around the Mall will look a little different. That’s when the Solar Decathlon comes to town, and 20 cutting-edge solar-powered homes descend on the Mall.

An educational project from the Department of Energy and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Solar Decathlon is a competition among university teams from around the world to create the most efficient, attractive, and entirely solar-powered home. The teams spend almost two years designing and building their homes elsewhere, and transport them to the Mall to be rebuilt; the public is then invited to come tour, observe, and learn.

The challenge for participants is to create an efficient solar home that could actually serve the needs of a typical family, with all the modern conveniences, while being aesthetically striking. There are certain restrictions in place, such as a specified temperature range the homes have to maintain and types of equipment they have to power. Experts from DOE and NREL judge entrants in 10 categories, from architecture to market viability to home entertainment.

The homes generate energy with building-integrated (incorporated during construction) photovoltaic systems to produce electricity, and with solar thermal systems for space heating/cooling and water heating. The goal is a net-zero energy home that produces as much energy from renewable sources as it consumes. Teams come from as far as Germany and Spain, and as near as Virginia Tech and Penn State, to compete.

photo_gallery_montrealThe competition equips the student participants – future engineers, architects, builders, business owners, policy-makers – with the skills to make renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green building technologies part of their careers. It also teaches the rest of us about one of the world’s greatest challenges – our constantly increasing demand for energy and the need for sustainable solutions.

It’s well worth fighting the crowds to take a peek at the houses, with participating teams on hand to give insightful tours and explanations. The homes are open to visitors October 9-13 and October 15-18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. You can also attend presentations in the temporary educational village (whose technology is powered by solar electric systems, naturally).

solar decathlonOctober may be the month known for pumpkins, costumes, and trick or treaters, but it’s also brimming with green events that you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday October 7th

Green Building Policy and Design: Best Practices from Switzerland

A panel of experts will discuss the practical aspects of constructing green buildings in the U.S. and Switzerland.

Cost: Free, but RSVPs are essential (email: was.scienceevents@eda.admin.ch)
Location: The Embassy of Switzerland, 2900 Cathedral Ave.
Time: 6 pm

Friday October 9th

Extreme Green Gala

The event, which benefits CarbonFree DC, will feature high-profile environmentalists, organic food, a $5 cash bar (beer, wine, whiskey), two live bands, and an environmental art show benefiting WVSA youth art program.

Cost: $25
Location: Mott House, 122 Maryland Ave NE
Time: 6:30-11:30 pm

October 9-13 and October 15-18

The Solar Decathlon

University teams from around the world compete to design and build homes that run entirely on solar energy. The teams ship their partially constructed homes to the National Mall, assemble them, and then compete in 10 contests.

Location: The National Mall

Saturday October 10th and Sunday October 11

The Green Festival

The granddaddy of green events returns to DC with more than 125 speakers and 350 green businesses, as well as how-to workshops, green films, a Fair Trade pavilion, yoga classes, organic beer, organic cuisine, and live music.

Cost: $15
Location: Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Time: Saturday 10-7, Sunday 11-6

Thursday October 15th

Planting Empowerment Fundraiser

A happy hour to spread the word about Planting Empowerment, an organization that works with rainforest peoples in Panama to make conservation profitable.

Cost: $5 donation (includes free drink) or $10 (free drink plus an chance to win a $50 forest savings bond)
Location: Chi-Cha Lounge, 1624 U Street
Time: 5 to 8 pm

Saturday October 17th

Urban Composting

Put those worms to work and learn how to recycle your yard and kitchen waste, even if you don’t have a yard.

Location: Greater Goods, 1626 U Street NW
Time: 11 am

Friday October 23rd to Sunday October 25th

Introduction to Urban and Community Food Gardens

Spend a weekend learning the basics of urban gardening, garden design, and starting a community garden.

Location: Common Good City Farm, 2025 Elm Street NW
Cost:$200
Time: Friday, 6-9pm, Saturday, 9am – 5pm,  Sunday, October 25th 9-4

This post was written by Going Green DC contributing writer Alison Drucker.

The rewards of yard sharing. Fresh basil!

The rewards of yard sharing. Fresh basil!

What’s a city apartment dweller with a green thumb to do? Find a neighbor willing to share some yard space.

Sharing Backyards is a national project that connects people with unused yards with others in their communities looking for a place to cultivate something. It encourages urban gardeners to make the most of limited green space, gives people a connection to the land, and expands access to fresh, local food – while uniting neighbors and beautifying urban space.

The D.C. area is full of yard-sharing success stories. One of those is the partnership between Patricia, a Rockville resident with a double lot, and Rebecca, a first-time gardener inspired by Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to reevaluate her food sources.

Patricia posted her spare space on the D.C. Sharing Backyards Web site and swiftly – within 15 minutes – received an email connecting her to Rebecca.

eHarmony couldn’t have done a better job matching the two. Rebecca found a gardening mentor in Patricia, and each found a good friend. A few patches of squash and tomatoes later, Rebecca had a new source of produce, which she happily shared with Patricia all summer. They didn’t have a formal arrangement for sharing the veggies, though some yard-sharing duos choose to lay down specific terms for who gets what and who supplies the tools, seeds, and soil.

Interested in yard-sharing? Use this online map to find a potential partner. If you’re in search of land, try to find a place close by, since tending a garden may become part of your daily routine – when it isn’t your own yard, you can’t just wander outside in your bathrobe to pull some weeds.

This post was written by Going Green DC contributing writer Alison Drucker.

Sometimes city life can leave you aching for fresh air – and fresh dirt. Not that grimy, stuck-to-the-bottom-of-your-shoe city dirt, but clean-smelling, produce-cultivating countryside dirt.

Get your hands dirty at Clagett Farm, a sustainable vegetable farm in Upper Marlboro, MD, owned and operated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Any able-bodied person can sign up to volunteer picking produce on the farm on Tuesdays through Saturdays. At least four hours of labor will get you the same full weekly share of fresh, local vegetables that a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) member receives.

The workshare is perfect for anyone who isn’t ready to commit to an entire season’s worth of harvest through a CSA membership, or who just wants to go learn about sustainable farming on a beautiful fall morning. Clagett Farm isn’t certified organic, but follows organic standards and doesn’t use genetically modified seeds.

In addition to doing good for the planet, the farm does good for the community. Almost half of Clagett Farm’s produce is distributed free or at a reduced cost to low-income DC communities in cooperation with the Capital Area Food Bank, expanding access to the fresh, healthy foods we all need in our diets.

Visit the Clagett Farm Web site to learn about participating in a workshare. Saturday workshares require calling ahead to sign up. Call 301.537.3038 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. a couple of days before the Saturday you want to work.

There’s still time to volunteer this season – September, October, and November bring broccoli, kale, cabbage, butternut squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, salad greens, carrots, turnips, collards, chard, spinach, and more.

If you’re adventurous in the kitchen and willing to explore new recipes as different fruits and vegetables are in season, purchase a 2010 CSA membership. Email clagettfarm@cbf.org to be notified when shares are available, and join the farm to get weekly batches of the season’s harvest.

IMG_0264This post was written by contributing writer Andrea Northup.

Imagine the following scenario:

Jenny is one of many schoolchildren in DC who receives free or subsidized meals at school every day.  One day, she finds a fresh, juicy slice of watermelon grown on a farm in Maryland on her cafeteria tray.  She meets the farmer who grew the fruit and learns about how the watermelon started as a seed, grew, and made it to her tray.  Jenny and her classmates participate in a cooking demonstration with a local chef using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

This scenario will be a reality during Local Flavor Week (September 21-25), when schools in DC will serve locally grown produce and offer educational opportunities for students, including produce tastings, cooking demonstrations, and farmer visits.

The event kicks off efforts to bring Farm to School programs to DC. The goal is to link schools with local farms in order to serve healthy meals in school cafeterias, improve student nutrition, provide health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and support local small farmers.

With the start of the school year, school lunch is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Farm to School programs are popping up across the country. It’s time for DC — with the White House Garden in our midst, and farms in the surrounding region looking for stable markets – to become a leader in the Farm to School movement.

IMG_0421Local Flavor Week is organized by the DC Farm to School Network in partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank, the National Farm to School Network, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Whole Foods, and other community partners.

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