Eco-Friendly Boozing

First green restaurants and now green bars? Fabulous! Now you can party the night away and not feel terrible about killing the planet (but maybe just feel terrible in general the next morning.) The Huffington Post put together a slideshow of green bars popping up around the nation. They all are considered eco-friendly for different reasons and not necessarily 100 percent green, but they all are proving to take steps in the right direction for business known for large amounts of waste. Check out their list here. Some of their green attributes include local, sustainable food and drinks, earth-friendly products and design, led lighting and even turning cooking oils into biodiesel. Nice! Be sure to check out number 7 on the list, Arlington's own Domaso. They practice multiple means of being green including using soy ink for menus.

Here is a small sampling of many other local bars taking steps to save our planet while getting you a little tipsy:

Hotel Monaco- Poste Brasserie
700 F St., NW
Details: recycled products, green cleaning supplies, soy inks, organic food and beverage options

Dickson Wine Bar
903 U Street
Details: offers only organic food and wines

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar
223 Pennsylvania Ave, SE
Details: Sustainable foods, wines, practices, local ingredients, renewable energy sources

Proof
775 G Street, NW
Details: local, organic and sustainable ingredients

Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Details: LEED Gold Restaurant, offset carbon emissions, sustainable food
as well as sister restaurant Farmers & Fishers  at 3000 K Street, NW

10 Easy Ways To Eat Green on Earth Day

From townofbenoit.org

Happy Earth Day! Take some time today to appreciate our planet. One way to do that is through food.  Believe it or not, your everyday food choices can make a big impact. Here are ten ways you can eat green today:

1. Don't purchase any food at the grocery store that isn't natural. Read the labels. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't eat it.
2. Don't purchase food in packaging that cannot be recycled. If it can be- recycle it.
3. Buy organic. Whether you're grocery shopping or looking for lunch, there are many places that you can buy organic. You can go to Whole Foods, Yes! Markets and now most regular supermarkets have an organic aisle. Don't forget to bring reusable bags. You are sort of canceling your good deeds out when you walk away with those plastic bags.
4. Eat at a restaurant offering an organic/sustainable menu. Click here for a list of some DC restaurants offering Earth Day specials from organic menus to green hours.
5. Drink green. Don't use water bottles. Drink from the tap. I guarantee it's good drinking water, and it's quite possibly more purified than the one Coca-Cola sells. 
6. Buy food that's in season and, if possible local. You may not think about this when you go to the grocery store, but if that organic avocado had to be shipped or flown here from California, you are contributing to the problem via global emissions. The Natural Resources Defense Council can tell you what is in season and local to you. If you're from around DC, just look to the left of this post.
7. Only buy what you will eat. No one likes throwing out leftovers that stink up your fridge. Learn to shop for what you will consume, not for what your stomach tells you.
8. Reduce your red meat intake. Cows produce methane (eew) which is a global warming gas.
9. Plant your own herbs or produce. Not only are you helping out the planet, you will appreciate it a lot more.
10. Cook for yourself. By cooking your own meal, you know exactly what you're getting. You can avoid those preservatives and ingredients you can't pronounce.

Eat Local With Help From Your iPhone

Spring in DC to a foodie means farmers markets! They are a cook's paradise. I love wandering around and getting inspiration from the colorful fruits and vegetables. There are often local bakers, cheese artisans and livestock farms there as well. I've gotten some great bison burgers and just last weekend bought an amazing smoked mozzarella. The best part is knowing that they are local. You can shop green and help the local economy.

What if you don't know where the markets are? You can look online, although that information isn't always updated and sometimes isn't there at all. What if you're on a trip or in a new area? Well, hopefully you have an iPhone. There is a fantastic App called Locavore (download here) that can help you find area markets by using your phone's GPS. For $2.99, it also tells you what's in season and gives you recipes you can try with those ingredients. I love this App! I've downloaded dozens of Apps I thought would be cool and haven't opened them since, but this is actually useful. The latest version even connects to Facebook so you can share your local eats with your friends. Speaking of Facebook, you can get an App for that here too. Maybe these can help you to eat green and give you inspiration for Earth Day next week.