Green Gift Guide: Part 2

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Step away from the fruitcake and Chia pets. Instead, give a gift that shows you care about your giftee and Mother Earth, too. Here are some more eco-friendly gift giving options with a local twist.

Check out the Downtown Holiday Market for an assortment of handmade gifts from local craftspeople such as functional wall art made from recycled materials and vintage images.

On December 13th, warm up with a soup tasting from Souper Girl at Greater Goods and stock up on eco-friendly goods and wrapping paper.

Give the gift of food with Oceanaire’s “Sustainable Feast of the Seven Fishes.” Chef Klink’s holiday feast showcases sustainable, seasonal and local ingredients including U.S.-farmed Australis Barramundi and Sherry Crab Bisque.

Zoom zoom. Or should we say “zip, zip”? With a Zipcar gift certificate you can give the gift of a BMW, Volvo or a Mini Cooper (well, sorta) while cutting down on pollution and car consumption at the same time.

Happy Holidays!

–GG DC

The Week in Green: August 08, 2008

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

This blog was created as an online destination for DC locals or those traveling to our fabulous city to find out about local green businesses, projects, tips, services, products, and events. The cool thing is that since I started writing in January, I’ve noticed a substantial increase in items worth covering. So much so, that I’ve decided to launch “The Week in Green,” a round-up of all the juicy green tidbits that I don’t want you to miss each week.

Enjoy!

-SC

P.S Have a green tip, local event, product, or news? Drop me an email.

The Week in Green: 8-08-08 to 8-16-08

  • Green Drinks

When: Tuesday August 12

Where: Ulah Bistro, 1214 U Street, NW, DC

When: 6:30-9/10

Featured in a recent issue of Daily Candy, this locally owned cleaning company uses natural products such as concentrated sage, lavender essential oils, and vinegar to keep the dust bunnies at bay. They even offer custom aromatherapy made from select essential oils designed to enhance your mood naturally. Green and Clean, take me away….

The team behind Mendocino and Sonoma have opened Redwood restaurant in the new Bethesda Row pedestrian mall. The 7,500-square-foot restaurant features modern American cuisine that emphasizes local and organic produce, wild and sustainable seafood, and ingredients from local artisanal cheesemakers, growers, ranchers, and fishermen. Reservations are difficult to come by; even Post food critic Tom Siestsema couldn’t score a table in the main dining room on his first visit. Check out an “early look” and a sample menu to whet your appetite until the hordes die down.

Green Drinks Tonight & Live Green HH Next Week

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Mingle with fellow greenies from 6-9 at tonight’s monthly Green Drinks event at The Reef in Adams Morgan (2446 18th Street). Order from a menu that features organic produce, fair catch seafood, and free-range meats from local farmers.

And…don’t miss what promises to be a fabulous, fun, and informative happy hour next week brought to you by Live Green.

Here are the deets for the Live Green HH:

Why: Network with other green-minded folks and hear the latest news about Live Green. Enjoy $5 organic/biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah from Benziger wines.
When: Wednesday, Feb. 20th from 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Urbana, the lounge attached to Palomar (a Kimpton hotel), 2121 P Street NW, Washington, DC. Call Urbana at 202-956-6650 for further details on location.
RSVP: contactlivegreen@gmail.com (strongly encouraged!)

Get Smart[Kart]

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

When I first heard about SmartKarts from one of On the Fly’s founders late one night at a dive bar on U Street, I was intrigued. Here’s the deal: SmartKarts are funky looking, zero-emission electric trucks where you can buy locally sourced food (to cut back on those nasty carbon emissions). The company says they also try to stick to organically farmed, chemical-free food whenever possible.

The first SmartKart debuted in November at 8th and H, NW selling empanadas and other Mexican fare. And just a few weeks ago, another appeared at Street NW between 7th and 8th Streets selling barbecue fare from Rocklands BBQ along with healthy prepackaged sandwiches, soups, salads and more from On The Fly’s Washington D.C. based kitchen. Will Columbia Heights be next? I say bring on the Karts!

5 Tips for Going Green in DC

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

1. Renovate your home and build using eco-products, energy-saving appliances, VOC-free paint, recycled flooring. Learn more at The U.S. Green Building Council or stock up on supplies at the Amicus Green Building Center.

2. Lose weight and get healthier by limiting how much you drive. Even better, ditch that old gas guzzler and sign up for a car-sharing service like ZipCar so you’ll have wheels only when you really need them.

3. Keep your home tidy and free of toxins with a eco-friendly cleaning service and opt for environmentally safe cleaning supplies such as Seventh Generation and Method. In a pinch, good old-fashioned diluted vinegar works well on glass and countertops.

4. Get serious about recycling. Outfit your kitchen and office with bins that help you sort paper, plastic, and other materials. For really big items or stuff you’re not sure how to recycle, contact Junk in the Trunk. Their ECOVERY Box lets them recycle or donate your items safely and efficiently. Plus, you get receipts for any items they donate.

5. Eschew chain restaurants for lunch and either pack your own or check out a local, organic lunch spot such as Java Green.