August is the cruelest month. At least in DC, where 95% humidity is the norm. Fret not. We’ve pulled together a few activities that are either indoors or close to H2O so you can avoid turning into human jerky this week.
Tuesday August 11
Green Drinks at Gazuza (1629 Connecticut Ave.), 6:30-9:30. We recommend arriving early so you can hunker down at the indoor bar. In addition to the usual eco-minded mingling, Live Green will be selling their last round of raffle tickets and Dan Morrison, Executive Director of 1Well — an organization that partners socially and environmentally conscious individuals with small but critical projects for a community in need — is the guest speaker.
No swimming pool in the back yard? Then head to one of the District’s public pools for a free dip. Since this week is expected to be extra toasty, the DPR is extending hours at 13 outdoor swimming pools from 11 am to 9 pm, Mon-Wed. Visit the DC Department of Parks and Recreation for hours and locations.
Going Green DC, Washington’s leading green blog, is looking for contributing writers. What we cover: sustainable living in DC, local green events, innovative small green businesses, sustainable local cuisine & restaurants, and green community projects.
Please send a short email to sachacohen [at] comcast.net with information about why you’d like to write for us. If possible, include links to writings samples or put a short writing sample in the body of the email (no attachments, please).
We are also looking for a PT web designer who has experience building on WordPress. Please note that these are unpaid positions at the current time.
Poste Brasserie, part of the Kimpton Hotel family, is well-known for its environmentally sound practices and for its equally eco-minded star chef Rob Weland who has been at the helm since 2004.
Chef Weland is committed to using fresh, sustainable, and organic ingredients, some of which come from Poste’s own organic vegetable and herb garden.
In addition to overseeing the kitchen, he hosts the hugely popular market-to-market dinners and helped create the new farm-to-table ‘Poste Roasts.’
These farm-to-table dinners take place outside at the Chef’s table and feature spit-roasted meat sourced from local farmers and summer-inspired sides, all served family-style.
In this inaugural issue of DC Dirt, a new Q&A column with DC’s green movers and shakers, we sat down with Chef Weland who dishes on his favorite local green business, must-have organic staples, and more.
Favorite vegetable that you grow in the Poste Brasserie garden:
Heirloom tomatoes……But that’s considered a fruit….so garlic then!
Not everyone is on the Vineyard or in the Hamptons. For us poor basterds left to sweat it out in our soupy city, here are a few things to do this week.
Tuesday, July 28
“Going Green for Jewelry” Fashion Show
Where: Poste Brasserie (555 8th St., NW), 6-10
Looking for a new bauble that says you’re all about Mother Earth? Then Evelyn Brooks Designs might be right up your alley. Brooks recycles materials, eliminates emissions from the production process, and works with natural seeds from the Amazon. The fashion show, which takes place on 123rd Independence Day for Peru, is inspired by “Tapadas Limenas,” women from the Peruvian Virreynal Era (1560-186) who covered their faces and heads with Spanish-style veils,
Wednesday, July 29
Lotions & Potions Workshop
Where: Greater Goods (1626 U St., NW), 8-9 pm, $12 (50% goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation)
Get your organic DIY on. For the Love of owner Kristina Libby will teach you how to make your own signature scent body scrub and bath salt.
Where: Garretts (3003 M St., NW), 9-close (happy hour prices from 9-10).
This non-profit funds “eye-opening” trips to the rainforests of South America. Unfortunately for us, you need to be 18-26 to participate in the trips but anyone of any age can attend the happy hour and contribute to the cause. Recommended donation at the door is $10.
Think the Amazing Race on a Lilliputian scale. This scavenger hunt is “loaded with physical and mental challenges,” starts at noon, and can last up to five hours (God help you). All clues and responses will be through SMS messaging, so Luddites will need to sit this one out. You can run, jog, walk, or take public transportation to reach your GOpoints but no bikes, taxis, or rollerblades.
The race centers around businesses and organizations that provide healthy and sustainable options, and that follow sustainable business models. The winning team will get $400 in cash plus a month’s worth of tea from Honest Tea. We’ll drink to that.
Sometimes taking out the old clunker is unavoidable, like when you need to stock up on super-sized packages of toilet paper at Costco. Most of the time, however, there are loads of other more eco-friendly ways to get around town. Here are are a few:
1. Hoof It. According to the Brookings Institute, DC is one of the most walkable cities in the country. Strap on a pair of sneakers, load up the SIGG bottle, and you can get from Columbia Heights to Dupont in 20 minutes or less (I’ve done it). Google Maps will tell you exactly how far it is from point A to point B, and everything in between. Not sure where to go? Try a walking tour with DC By Foot.
2. Hop on the Bus. My memory of riding the bus when I was a kid included cranky drivers and being crammed into a space so hot you could nearly fry an egg on the seats (why anyone would want to is another story). Well, not much has changed except the buses now take SmarTrip cards so you don’t have to fish around for change or a crumpled transfer and most are air-conditioned. The drivers, I’m happy to report, have not lost their edge.
3. Circulate. The hipper, shinier cousin of the WMATA bus, the DC Circulator is, as the website says, a cheap date at just $1 a ride. Sure, the route is limited but it covers Georgetown, Adams Morgan, the Smithsonian, Union Station, the Convention Center, SW Waterfront, and Capitol Hill. Plus, a new mobile app provides real-time info on your bus’s whereabouts.
4. Rent-a-Bike. You’re no Lance Armstrong, but occasionally you like to feel the wind in your hair and your feet on the pedals. Enter SmartBike, America’s first self-service public bike rental program. There are currently 10 rental spots around the city including in Foggy Bottom, Shaw, Dupont Circle, and Logan Circle. A $40 annual subscription entitles you to bike usage within a 24-hour period.
5. Pimp Your Ride. The recently launched CoachRider bills itself as an “earth-friendly private driving service” complete with a fleet of hybrid sedans. The company offers several subscription options from three to 10 hours per month. Enviroride also features hybrid luxury cars so you can get to the airport or a special event in eco-friendly style.
6. Hail a Greener Taxi. You’ll probably still need to interrupt your driver’s animated cell phone conversation to give him directions to your destination, but at least with enviroCAB you’ll be secure knowing that you just rode in a taxi with 60% less emissions than your standard Arlington taxicab.
One more thing….no matter where you go or how you decide to get there, this handy map will help you find places to eat, shop, and more along the way. Now, get a move on.
goinggreendc.net 
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