Here’s what I miss about New York City: the mom-and-pop convenience shops on every corner, where you could buy a sandwich or a candy bar while having a nice chat with the guy you knew behind the counter. So when Guse Green Grocer—a new family-run neighborhood grocer at 46th and Bryant—opened last month, I did a little happy dance. Like Mr. Hooper’s store on Sesame Street, the atmosphere is friendly-old-fashioned, but the food offerings, modern-day healthy and delicious (bread from Rustica, meat from Thousand Hills Cattle Company, you get the picture).
On their site, the Thomsons strike a really accessible chord: “Don’t panic. We are not purists or food bullies. We will present foods that will help you add healthy and delicious foods to your usual diet.” Sounds like Sprout’s kindred spirit.
Where will a crowd of local eco-preneurs be hanging tomorrow night? Pizza Luce in the Warehouse District for EcoTuesday. The purpose: To network and share green ideas + trends from a business perspective. Each month there is a featured speaker, and last month it was our own founder, Casey Collins. Next up? Three attendees, TBD, will share insights about their ventures. You can register in advance here.
Does it get any better than a guy in costume who calls himself “the beast” delivering pizza out of a futuristic looking car? Well, yes it does.
Galactic pizza, one of our go-tos at the office, has a vision of the future that incorporates as many socially beneficial actions into their day-to-day operations as possible. To GP, good pizza and good values go hand in hand.
A preview: The food is delivered using 100% electric vehicles. All of the power purchased to run the restaurant is renewable wind energy. All of their mozzarella cheese comes from cows not treated with rBGH. 5% of their pre-tax profits are donated to charity. For more on their do-gooder resume, click here.
There’s a really easy way to help save our country from tossing 16 billion paper cups a year: Bring your own mug. I’ve decided to join the growing revolution that coffee houses across the country are starting to honor because I’ve made it a habit—just like my morning caffeine fix—and because it keeps my drink nice and hot.
Once you have your insulated mug of choice, a few quick tips: know the size of your mug (12 oz = small at most coffee shops; 16 oz = medium; 20 oz = large), and make sure to add your own sugar or milk ahead of time so that your hot drink doesn’t overflow.
The bonus? Some coffee shops, like Dunn Bros. (where this Vlog was filmed), offer a little kickback for people who remember to BYOM. All you have to do is remember to leave your coffee cup in a spot you’ll remember (car cup holder, work desk, diaper bag) for the next time you fill up.
For more tips on BYOMing, check out these articles from Ecomii and Planet Green.
Is it the weighing machine that intimidates? Or the fact that you have to put the price tag on a grocery item yourself? Whatever it is that prevents you from buying in bulk, you’re in good company (I wasn’t so sure myself until recently). But let me make the case for pulling the lever.
According to the Bulk is Green Council, bulk foods provide a savings to the consumer of 30% to 60% (think about how much packaging and promotion costs + do the math). You can choose exactly what you need, like a smidgen of a random spice or the right amount of oats for your granola—as opposed to excess you’ll never use. And you can be sure no wasteful packaging ends up in a landfill (where millions of tons of waste is generated annually from discarded packages and containers).
Plus, I personally think pulling those levers for rice, sugar, granola, chocolate peanut butter drops (our office favorite), etc, is fun! Just watch me.
For more information on the benefits of bulk buying, CLICK on this great article from Linden Hills Co-op.
Okay, so it is more blue with pink flowers, but you get the picture. In place of those tossable brown bags we used to tote to school, a couple of little girls I know take this reusable lunchbox equipped with BPA-free containers from PBKids. I like how the boxes are insulated + can be monogrammed, but there are lots of cute versions out on the market + just about any divided containers you like will do. I’m all for less waste, less cost, + less smooshed food.
I recently met up with a friend for some Asian-fusion cuisine at Big Bowl, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn all about the company’s green practices from their menu. Some examples: BB servers wear uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles; the poultry is free-range and the heirloom pork is from small family-owned Midwestern farms; bottled water has been replaced with freshly filtered tap… I ordered this crisp glass of organic Benziger chardonnay + delicious chicken lettuce wraps. Yum. Here’s a chain I can get behind.
Turkey! I just rolled three strikes in a row! No joke. For our office holiday party, we all laced up those nerdy-looking bowling shoes and took to the lanes - a little late on the calendar, but is it ever too late to celebrate? Our alley of choice: Bryant-Lake Bowl. We rolled it old school, and enjoyed the happy hour local brew specials. It really was a ball.
I am at the airport on my way out of town, and just stopping to say that in a sea of McDonald’s and other FF chains, the French Meadow Bakery outpost is so refreshing to see. Organic Valley milk and a whole grain wrap? Sounds like lunch to me.
Sprout was here—celebrating the 20th anniversary of Trotter’s Cafe and Bakery. Congratulations to Lalo for solving the Sprout mystery! Lalo will receive a $20 gift card to Trotter’s Cafe.
Here’s what I miss about New York City: the mom-and-pop convenience shops on every corner, where you could buy a sandwich or a candy bar while having a nice chat with the guy you knew behind the counter. So when Guse Green Grocer—a new family-run neighborhood grocer at 46th and Bryant—opened last month, I did a little happy dance. Like Mr. Hooper’s store on Sesame Street, the atmosphere is friendly-old-fashioned, but the food offerings, modern-day healthy and delicious (bread from Rustica, meat from Thousand Hills Cattle Company, you get the picture).
