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.

Hooked On Responsibly-Sourced Seafood

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Local hottie Barton Seaver, executive chef at Hook, is interviewed today on TreeHugger. His Georgetown restaurant serves responsibly-sourced seafood and local products. Seaver, formerly of Cafe St. Ex, opened Hook last year.

Reviews of the new restaurant have been mixed (I personally have never eaten at Hook) but Seaver certainly has been doing his part to get the word out about sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. A peek at his menu definitely made my mouth water. Sablefish with smoky lentils, cranberry-red win sauce, and braised mushrooms. Yum.

If You Build It Green….

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

This is an article I wrote for The Washington Post back in August 2006 that looks at public green buildings around the area. The good news is that many more have been built in just the year since I wrote the article including the Sidwell Friends middle school, which was completed in September 2006. Know more? Email me at sachacohen [at] comcast dot net.

Bethesda Goes Green

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Today was the kickoff event for Bethesda Green, a “living business model that will sustain the current and future development of Bethesda by reducing the community’s environmental footprint.” Held in the newly renovated Bethesda Theatre, the event drew well over 200 people (and that’s during a workday, mind you) to talk about ways in which Bethesda can serve as a model for sustainable communities around the country.

Seth Goldman, founder and CEO of Honest Tea started off with a personable and inspiring account of his company’s humble beginning and astounding recent growth. After that, there were speakers representing the government as well as Mike Mielke from the Sustainable Business Network and David Feldman of the Livability Project.

Plans for Bethesda Green include more sustainable transportation (bike racks, paths, smart bikes), more collection bins and recycling, green business guides and certification, green buildings and roofs, and more renewable energy products like the current efforts to turn the leftover grease from Bethesda Row restaurants into biodiesel.