Counting Down 5 Great Ideas for a Green New Year’s Eve!

With 2010 fast approaching, there is no better way to celebrate the New Year than the Green Connoisseur way! Wherever your plans may take you, here is a countdown of 5 ways to usher in a green 2010. 5) Keep it Close to Home While many cities become major destinations for New Year’s Eve, a wonderful time can still be had at home by flexing your eco-conscious muscles. Cooking ahead of time or even catering a sit-down dinner can be as classy as going out without as much hassle for your guests or gas, paper, or waste that going out can entail. Hosting people to sleep over or enlisting designated driver carpools can also ensure that a safe time is has by all. 4) Carpool or Use Public Transit If you are planning to go out, however, how you get there can make a big difference for how green your evening ends up. Taking a look at the public transit available to get you to your destination ahead of time will make things much easier for you the night of the 31st. If you are driving, carpooling is both the greenest and the safest way for both you and your loved ones. Beyond driving from point A to B, navigating the traffic as well as finding a place to park all add up to much more gas spent than on an average night out. As such, the fewer cars on the road, the better for us all. 3) Green your Food and Beverages Wherever you do eat your last meal of 2009, try to keep it green. When choosing a special restaurant, try for one that offers local or organic fare. When it comes to beverages, there are many great organic sparking wine varieties, such as those from Diamond Organics. If you don’t have time to order online, call your local liquor store and ask what organic wines they have in stock. If you are going out, it can sometimes be hard to ensure that you’re ordering a green drink. A good bet, however, is to order things produced locally, as well as those on tap. The rationale being that, while hopefully all beer bottles and cans are recycled, skipping that step all together will ensure that you’re doing your part to keep your waste down. 2) Dress up Something Old Instead of rushing out to get a festive new outfit, comb through your closet and see what you can think of with what you already have. Revitalizing a garment long since forgotten with your favorite accessories will not only save you money, but also save you carbon emissions. Reuse is one of the three R’s of sustainability (the other two being reduce and recycle), and this is a great way to reuse. If you can't find what you want in your own closet, try raiding a friend's for their old outfits and inviting them over to return the favor. You’re sure to come up with something fabulous and chic without spending a dime! 1) Make Green Resolutions for a Sustainable 2010! As the ball drops in time square, you can be setting goals for making 2010 the best year yet. Taking a quick inventory on your daily life and then setting goals for making those actions more sustainable will give you a great orientation for the new year. So, cheers to these tips sending you towards a greener New Year’s Eve and into a happy, and sustainable, 2010! Image Credit: Relax It’s Done, New Year In, The Wine Riot, University of Manchester, Sign Industry

Coffee, Tea, or Something New?

If you’re an eco-conscious consumer looking for something new, look no further then your morning routine. While coffee is a delightful treat, and tea can be soothing and delicious, there are other natural drinks to be investigated. These luxurious alternatives are exotic and exciting. Yerba Mate: the What This hot drink is a delectable alternative to coffee or tea. While traditional in South America, yerba mate is a relative newcomer to American markets. The online Yerba Mate Café has a wealth of information about yerba mate and is a very helpful resource. Mate is made in a similar way to tea, by soaking the mate herb leaves in hot water. Traditionally, the mate is served in a hollowed out gourd with a special metal straw that acts as a filter. The gourd is what gives it the name mate, and the straw is called a bombilla. Yerba mate is easily made at home with the appropriate supplies. Yerba Mate: the Why Yerba mate has a wonderful bitter flavor, but beyond that, there are many health benefits to drinking it. According to the Yerba Mate Café, yerba mate is very high in antioxidants, even higher than the famed green tea. Mate is also a source of caffeine, with levels equivalent to that of coffee. Minerals, such as potassium, zinc, and many more are abundant in yerba mate, and it has even been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory due to the saponin compounds present in the yerba mate leaf. Available in some grocery stores, especially those with a well-stocked South American section, or online at many online retailers, yerba mate is a natural treat that will shake up your routine while still providing you with the health and wellness that you seek. So, look for a mate and a bombilla (gourd and special straw) and find out for yourself what yerba mate is really all about. Kombucha: the What According to Kombucha.org, kombucha, which is also served in the form of a beverage, refers to a colony of good yeast and bacteria which is both probiotic and symbiotic. Kombucha tea mixes this colony with sugar and black or green tea and is fermented for about a week. According to Gunther Frank, a German kombucha expert, the historical roots of kombucha are in East Asia. It spread to Europe around the turn of the century, and has since made its way to the United States. Kombucha: the Why The process of creating kombucha releases many important substances such as lactic acid, amino acids, antibiotic substances, and vitamins. While the official jury is still out on whether kombucha can be considered a “remedy for everything,” thousands of testimonials suggest that the interesting substance is doing something positive for the consumer. While the technology exists to make the culture at home or to have a pre-made kombucha culture mailed to your home, I would recommend trying a bottle bought from a store first. There are several brands of kombucha drinks (think bottles of iced-tea with a kick), and my personal favorite is the Wonder Drink brand, available in some gourmet grocery stores or by order online. So when it comes to a beverage that will rejuvenate and energize, look beyond coffee and tea to the wide world of other natural options and kick start your day with something new. Image Credits: Wonder Drink, Diamond Organics, Kay's Deli Winnipeg, Pura Vida Buenos Aires

Zocalo Cafe: Community, Earth-Minded Coffeehouse

Here’s a concept – build a planet-friendly coffee shop that strengthens community ties and serves up in-house roasted brews and specialty teas. You might say it's been done before, but does it compare to the Zocalo Coffeehouse – the only certified green café in San Leandro, California? This independent, locally owned establishment and roastery is open 365 days a year, standing by a commitment that the people and planet come before the product. Green Efforts The green efforts of Zocalo begin with choices to reduce the coffeehouse's impact on the environment. Beyond embracing recycled-content paper goods, coffeehouse employees take great strides to recycle their organic, plastic, glass, metal, and paper waste. In the bathroom, motion-detection lighting saves energy, while low-flow toilets and faucet aerators conserve water. The home-office runs on solar power and the coffeehouse gets from point A to point B using a hybrid vehicle. Additionally, the "walkable" location of the coffeehouse encourages less congestion and pollution, as it is situated in a convenient downtown setting. To reduce the use of plastic bottled water, tap water is offered to patrons for free. Order a serving of organically grown, fair trade coffee and it's served in organically recyclable corn-based "plastic" cups. You may also take advantage of a 10-cent discount offered to coffee drinkers who use their own or reuse a Zocalo cup. Exotic Edibles and Drinkables While the majority of coffeeshops offer muffins, bagels and exotic pastries to accompany their Mocha Javas and Double Shot Espressos, Zocalo Café additionally presents a selection of healthier options, such as ginger drinks, Moroccan hummus, and plantain chips from Soleil's African Kitchen. With an SFGate Drink of the Week already under the belt, you'll enjoy the Mango Ginger, Passionfruit Ginger, Hibiscus, and Ginger Lemonade offered at Zocalo. Rent the Coffeehouse When planning an evening event, Zocalo Coffeehouse offers their space for your festivities and special occasions. Providing safe and clean surroundings, plan your next surprise birthday party, formal dinner, or company fundraiser at Zocalo. Events start as early as 7pm and can run as late as 11pm with complimentary brewed coffee. For the Community Stepping inside Zocalo is like visiting a relative. The atmosphere produces a positive energy with plenty of inviting features to take advantage of. The family-friendly kids play area allows parents to unwind, while their kiddies unwind. The baby changing station in the restroom is prepared for life's natural interruptions. Check your email or conduct research surrounded by the scent of fresh coffee with the complimentary wireless Internet access. Stay competitive at the game table or simply browse the selection of magazines available for reading. Zocalo also hosts and participates in annual community events, such as the Halloween Safe Streets Safe Treat; local author book signings; the yearly Annual Arts & Crafts Fundraiser; and the San Leandro Cherry Festival. The coffeehouse also presents the San Leandro Community Action Network's Monthly Film Series. And last but not least, what coffeehouse provides their patrons with a JavaGym? This space offers classes for the community, ranging from Spinning, Pilates and Kickboxing to the Spanish Language for Kids. No wonder the café earned SFGate Best Coffee Shop in Bay Area in 2008. If you live in the region or plan on stopping by the neighborhood, don't forget to indulge in the luxury of community-centered brews at: Zocalo Coffeehouse 645 Bancroft Ave (at Dutton Ave) San Leandro CA 94577 (510) 569-0102 Hours Monday-Friday (6am to 6pm) Saturdays (7am to 6pm) Sundays (8am to 6pm) Image Credits: Zocalo