Good being green

Please pardon me for cheering yet another business, but I’m going to toot Winston’s Grille’s horn for their efforts in water reuse and conservation. 

Lately, I feel like a cheerleader for businesses that have greened up their efforts a couple notches, and I apologize if you find it annoying.  I promise my roots are in skepticism and interrogation, but I find myself feeling the need to share truly interesting information shared with me.

My pal Raleigh Native (I know him as Doug) called me a couple days ago, blown away with a little something he stumbled upon while visiting Winston’s Grille in Sutton Station in Raleigh.  I like that he shares Raleigh efforts with me, as I don’t tend to stumble onto anything except neat Durham stuff.

Doug was so excited by Winston’s efforts to reuse and conserve water that he posted it on MyNC.com too.

More and more companies are “going green” (a phrase that frankly makes me ill deep in my gut) in the Triangle, and of course, not everyone is living up to their hype. 

Winston’s, on the otherhand, seems to be proceeding quietly when it comes to their cistern, which collects rainwater from their 8,000 sq. ft. rooftop.  After the cistern is complete, it will look like a giant cedar wine barrel, which is pretty neat.  I have to say, I’m genuinely thrilled about the step they’ve taken toward conserving in an area riddled with drought concerns.

While I have no intentions in making this the one-stop resource to hear or showcase how a local business is getting with the program, being grounded in the Green movement requires cheering on proactive solutions and initiatives in our community.  Cheering on those who take on more than the minimum requirements (ie, most of the local restaurants and chains) is an important step in letting businesses know that our dollars will support business practices we believe in. 

And with the way money flows in the Triangle, not to mention the muriad of competitors in the Triangle food scene, it’s more important than ever to bypass the Crapplebee’s and head for a place with a sense of spirit, vivaciousness and community. 

Locally-owned restaurants are important in supporting sustainability.  But locally-owned options are not necessarily the answer either.  We ate at one of a five-restaurant Raleigh chain, and there is *nothing* sustainable or vegetarian about it… and we won’t be going back.  Sheerly because it’s locally-owned and I’m not into bashing any small business owner, I won’t mention the name.

But next time we dine in Raleigh, I’ll be suggesting Winston’s (hoping I can cheer them for vegetarian options beyond “house salad” as well). 

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

A colleague of mine recently had me meet Pete Pagano of Green Planet Catering here in Raleigh, NC.

NBC 17 covered the company recently.  The catering company has only been catering for about half a year, but the concept has been growing much much longer.

I have to admit, the “greenie” in me is deeply suspicious anytime someone mentions to me a business claiming their “greenness”. I agreed to meet and told myself I would keep an open mind, but truthfully, I expected very little as we met at Tir Na Nog’s “The Cottage” room.

Pete quickly wowed us, however, with sharing that Green Planet Catering uses as much local and/or organic produce as possible. They use spudware and compostable materials. They create their own bio-diesel and work with a farm, headed by Ben and Charles Keefer here in Raleigh. “We work to be as sustainable as possible,” Pete says.

Green Planet Catering, a team comprised of six members with over a 100 cumulative years of restaurant experience (at least a decade under each of their belt’s), also collaborates with other area partners for composting events. Partnerships for composting and events they’ve covered include Burt’s Bees (headquartered in Durham), NCSU, UNC, Matchbox 20, the Cary Wine Experience, Southern Energy, weddings and private parties.

While the company is already taking impressive strides to show their dedication to a healthy environmental philosophy, Pete’s own education and passion is what sold me.

Referencing Native American philosophy, the Weston A. Price Foundation and movement toward traditional food and knowledge of pesticide and chemical use in mainstream American food industries, I found myself enthralled with Pete’s passion and mission. And I liked that he was not one to put down other companies and their efforts, or arrogantly praise all of their own implemented environmentalism. He is about encouraging the movement by spotlighting positive steps of each company.

Pete explained the importance of educating yourself and making your own decisions for your health and beliefs, saying that eating better and taking care of the environment can go together beautifully. “You’re not twisting your arm. It’s not a New Year Resolution. It’s a way of life.”

“Some people say ‘green’ is a fad. It’s not a fad. It’s a necessity,” Pete says. “We have to do something. We have X amount of resources, and we have a growing population.”

Pete furthers his point, explaining “Seventy-thousand new chemicals have been added to our daily lives in the last 50 years.” Put that together with dramatic increases in unexplained diseases such as autism, ADD and Alzheimer’s, and I myself am asking Read the rest of this entry »

I figure my money talks, so when I had to have a recent meeting at Starbucks, I chose to let them know I will only use my money for their fair trade and organic coffees. 

I walked up to the counter where two pleasant young women greet me and ask what I would like.

“A regular coffee please, but make it your fair trade or organic option,” I say.

One looks a little stumped and says, “We have so-and-so medium roast, so-and-so french roast and so-and-so decaf brewed today.”

I repeat, “Are any of your coffees today fair trade or organic, please?”

They both look a smidge stumped before one speaks up.  “No, the coffees we brewed today are not, but we can make you a french press of one.  Here are your options…” she rambles off.  I choose the one of the three fair trade, organic options that she says is her favorite.

I do apologize to them for seeming complicated and explain that my money needs to go to coffee I can feel good about since Starbucks carries so few.

The two ladies are very nice and gracious, agreeing that when you pay money, you should get what you want.

My $3.40 got me a carafe of two large cups of somethinanother tasty brew that I can feel OK about.  Not great.  I was still at Starbucks afterall. 

But I can feel at least OK because I voiced where my money would go.  And my money will go to appropriately paying farmers for the work they do… to making sure coffee farmers and families are not living in pesticide-laden lands… to making sure I help someone else live in a humane way.  At least, that is where I try to put my money.

Despite playing somre really great tunes while I was there, I will not go to Starbucks (I call them Starcruds) by choice.  And the fact that I had to make them brew a special pot for me is exactly why. 

Starbucks… you change your policies, and I’ll change mine.  And you’ll make even more money.

Get biking!! Especially Wednesday and Friday of this week!!

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue!

Planning a wedding can be difficult, but if you want to be a bit more eco-friendly and have a “green” wedding, your headache in finetuning the details may just be starting.

The Green Life has a whole slew of tips for your big day…  Some suggestions are reasonable, and some are a bit too… er… “granola” for me. 

Cheers to choosing locally grown, organic flowers for your day, and everyone can find beautiful vintage jewelry for the day, but I’m not down with lab-created diamonds (though that’s better than conflict diamonds, no doubt), and I think wooden wedding rings are a complete joke (aren’t the rings symbolizing “forever”?).

Hemp wedding dresses or borrowing a friend’s dress is lousy (sorry, just not my thing), and in all honestly, not many guests are going to understand (or bother) to Read the rest of this entry »

From Durham to Raleigh to Pittsboro to Chapel Hill to Clayton to Wake Forest, the entire Triangle is getting down and getting dirty to celebrate Mother Earth this Saturday (April 19th).  Here are some of the Rockstar events going on THIS weekend, as well as which ones you are apt to see me! Read the rest of this entry »

After having quite a debate in a recent post (see comments) about the importance of third-party testing of products, we can all conclude that companies must be accountable for their products and actions. 

Green Daily (a while back) shared The Six Sins of Greenwashing… and in my opinion, it works two ways.  The comments section is pretty alive with one poster on a more than self-righteous ground, feeling that if you don’t move into use only a bus, stop buying anything at all and make your own food, cleaner and clothing, then you can’t make a difference.  She says some relevant stuff but then follows it by saying that only a select few actually care about the environment. 

That, to me, is greenwashing ~ the type that SCARES off people from making any difference in altering things along the way in their everyday lives; the type that teaches people that no matter what they do, they are irrelevant in the big picture ~ unless they foresake everything they know, as they have known it. 

I, inspired by those that lead in this movement of social and environmental responsibility, believe that positive encouragement leads to great change.  On the flip, gloom and doom motivates very few.

Mark Twain said (and I’m not the only one who LOVES this quote): 

Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.

The sin she (the aforementioned commenter) commits is as bad as driving a 1985 Suburban and throwing your cigarette butts and Mickey D wrappers out of your window ~ she implies ‘You are not good enough and your difference Read the rest of this entry »

So last weekend was a (super much needed) three-day weekend for Marc and myself, and we visited our best friends whom live in Virginia.  Sara and Jason treated us to all sorts of coolness, including a visit to their local “eco-bistro”, Croc’s.

The food was good.  The ambiance was neat.  The company was amazing.

They served an organic, vegan beer that both Marc and Jason ordered.  I have to say Sara described it perfect with the word Read the rest of this entry »

GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES GREEN BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

$1 Million Fund Will Help Companies Develop Cutting-Edge Green Technologies

Gov. Mike Easley announced that small business owners and entrepreneurs can apply today for the new North Carolina Green Business Fund grants. These competitive grants will help small businesses develop promising green and alternative energy technologies to bring cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly products and services to the marketplace.

“The Green Business Fund helps encourage the growth of North Carolina’s clean energy economy,” Easley said. “These grants will tap our state’s entrepreneurial talent and help North Carolina’s small businesses develop innovative technologies that are critical to our future growth.”

The General Assembly approved creation of the Green Business Fund last year and directed $1 million for the first round of grants. North Carolina-based small businesses with 100 or fewer employees can apply for grants to pursue original, pioneering ideas that are both good for the environment and good for the economy. A company can receive a maximum of $100,000 per grant. Deadline for grant applications is April 30, 2008.

The N.C. Board of Science and Technology, a division of the state Department of Commerce, administers the Green Business Fund. Detailed information on applying for grants, requests for grant proposals, eligibility criteria and other guidelines are available at the Board of Science and Technology’s website: www.ncscienceandtechnology.com.

With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, don’t you want to see some super easy, reasonably priced, eco-friendly sustainable ways to be a little greener for the holiday?

Show your love in the dark and save some energy! Watch my vid and see:

Now, get romantic, and seriously, if you want a great restaurant in Raleigh, go to Irregardless Cafe, but call NOW to make a reservation!!  And btw, they offer a GREAT selection for Vegetarians, Vegans and Meat-eaters alike (not just hummus, like I ordered… the middle eastern platter is my standby for a light lunch), so TRY THEM!!

Any great spots for a Durhamite?  Let me know.

And remember, these are only a *few* tips for crooning in your Valentines Day.  You could take a walk together at your local park and enjoy how beautiful outside can be… even if it’s cold. Wintry weather is only another excuse to snuggle. A million ideas are out there. So share any tips you have for romancing greeny-style.

Like Daryl, who talks about Endangered Species Chocolates, picnics and love letters.  Like checking out this info on organic and fair trade love.  :)  Forget the paper v. plastic debate and get your lova (or yourself) “accidentally environmentalist” with the Envirosax.  Treehugger even spells out a Green Valentine’s Day schedule for you… a naughty schedule at that!

Let your heart lead the way and show some Earth love while you get your love on.