Serge the Concierge

Grappa Green or Olive Green, Organic Offerings from Cavalierino, Wine Too

It is common to make a green statement with Organic Olive Oil (unless the oil in question is organic in name only).

More unusual I suppose is green (organic) Grappa.

I tasted both the Organic Olive Oil and the Grappa Riserva from Cavalierino, an Italian producer present at Italian Wine Masters 2012 tasting today in New York.

They also make wines, one of which is Vin Santo pictured above alongside olive oil and grappa.

Since property, located on the hills of Poggiano includes farm they also sell cured meats like Lardo and Rigatino di Cinta Senese.

Sipping and dipping into Italy's offerings for Green Day # 212

Previously:  Beginners Guide to Building a Green Roof Garden via Scandinavian Green Roof Association

Beginners Guide to Building a Green Roof Garden via Scandinavian Green Roof Association

Green roof gardens on top of buildings serve multiple purposes from insulation to improving air quality plus a chance to grow some of your own food.

Having a quiet place to go to right above your head is a plus.

Of course a project of this type needs a building that can structurally support it.

The Scandinavian Green Roof Association shares a wealth of information on Urban Green Roof Gardens including a Beginners Guide to Building a Green Roof.

Some of the information offered is gathered from a course in 2004 at Malmo University called Green Roofs and the Urban Environment so it will need updating.

Training sessions and seminars are offered in the U.S and Canada by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities as well as practical information like the green roof elements graphic above.

Up on the roof for Green Day # 211

Previously: Clear Kitchen Counter and Office Desk Clutter with Ekobo Bamboo Organizers

(* Green Roof Elements graphic from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities site)

Clear Kitchen Counter and Office Desk Clutter with Ekobo Bamboo Organizers

Who wants plastic when bamboo will do?

Clear your kitchen counter and office desk clutter with Ekobo bamboo organizers.

 

No need for new year's grand resolutions to put them to work.

 

 

 

Ekobo will be showing its latest creations as Salon Maison & Objet in Paris (January 20-24, 2012)

Clear clutter the green way for Green Day # 210

Previously: Filling Stomachs not Garbage Dumps, Pop Up 'Food Waste' Restaurants in London

(* Images from Ekobo website)

Filling Stomachs not Garbage Dumps, Pop Up 'Food Waste' Restaurants in London

From vegetable stands to bakeries, cafes to supermarkets and various eateries, food waste is an endemic problem.

Self-described 'London magazine for ethical eating', The Jellied Eel, in Cleaning up London's leftovers looks at efforts to fill stomachs not garbage dumps

Amongst them are temporary 'food waste' restaurants, a new iteration of the pop-up concept.

One example quoted in the piece is following:

"The charity Wastewatch, in conjunction with government-funded project Love Food Hate Waste and the West London Waste Authority, is holding four ‘Feed the 1000’ events with local universities, feeding 1000 people for free using the same amount of food as the average family wastes each year."

The group FoodCycle operates community cafes year-round and also shares their Surplus Apple Cake recipe.

Having firsthand experience of how much food is left on plates at restaurants at the end of a meal I was intrigued by another idea quoted in the piece:

"East London Nigerian restaurant, Obalende Suya Express, which famously introduced a £2.50 fee (donated to Oxfam) if diners didn’t clear their plate."

Sounds like the equivalent of carbon offset as applied to travel.

Filling stomachs not garbage dumps for Green Day # 209

Previously: Gringos Welcome at Green Conference of the Americas, MiaGreen 2012, Miami, Jan 26-27

Gringos Welcome at Green Conference of the Americas, MiaGreen 2012, Miami, Jan 26-27

I enjoyed Greener Gadgets conference while it exhisted.

It was a great space for exchanging ideas.

In the sunny climes of Miami, the MiaGreen 2012 Expo and Conference (January 26-27) is more detail oriented and down to earth with topics like Urban Core Rooftop- Permaculture in Hurricane Prone Areas or Organic Waste is Too Valuable to Dispose in Landfills amongst the numerous subjects discussed.

One thing that prompted me to mention this 4th Edition of MiaGreen is the accent they put on describing it as Green Conference of the Americas, plural.

An escape to Miami (with proper carbon offset, travel by train maybe) from cold and possibly snowy Northeast is another reason to attend.

Making green biz wheel turn for Green Day # 208

Previously: Snail, Bottle and Coin Help You Navigate 'Slow Wine Guide' 2012

Snail, Bottle and Coin Help You Navigate 'Slow Wine Guide' 2012

Slow and steady, snail, bottle and coin help you navigate Slow Wine Guide 2012 for its first U.S edition.

• The Snail, the Slow Food symbol, signals a cellar that has distinguished itself through its interpretation of sensorial, territorial, environmental and personal values in harmony with the Slow Food philosophy
• The Bottle, allocated to cellars that show a consistently high quality throughout their range of wines
• The Coin, an indicator of great value

You can celebrate publication by attending one of the General Public session offered after Media-Trade Session during Slow Wine 2012 USA Tour with 3 stops in New York (January 30, 2012), Chicago (February 2) and San Francisco (February 4).

100 to 140 wines from the guide will be featured.

Tickets will range from $30 to $40 depending on the event and include a copy of the book plus a commemorative wine glass.

Wine at snail pace for Green Day # 207

Previously: Opposite of Waste is Saved, T Shirts Re Invented, DIY Holiday Gift Ideas

Opposite of Waste is Saved, T Shirts Re Invented, DIY Holiday Gift Ideas

Humor and practical common sense rule at Do the Green Thing as always.

Amongst their greenest advice for 2011 and beyond, The Opposite of Waste is Saved which echoes ethos of Junk for Joy as mentioned in Turn Old Vinyl Records into Bookends...

 

 

T Shirts re-purposed as DIY holiday gift ideas

Saved not wasted for Green Day # 206

Previously:

Dumpster Diving Gift Idea, Dive! Living Off America's Waste, The DVD and Eat Trash Campaign

Dumpster Diving Gift Idea, Dive! Living Off America's Waste, The DVD and Eat Trash Campaign

Time's been scarce to jot down ideas for today's Green Day.

Thankfully a fully formed topic landed in my Inbox.

As our buying frenzy gets into high gear with each holiday, what could be a better antidote than the subject of Dumpster Diving, rescuing food leftovers.

Let's be honest, many people do it out of necessity rather than choice.

A man on a mission, Jeremy Seifert documents the trend in Dive! The Film- Living Off America's Waste.

The film site also promotes the Eat Trash Campaign to End Food Waste.

Will it be part of the conversation at the dinner table on Christmas or New Year's Eve 2011?

Dumpster Diving for Green Day # 205

Previously: Are DIY Gifts the Best Way to Give Green This Holiday 2011?

Are DIY Gifts the Best Way to Give Green This Holiday 2011?

There is an inherent tension between desire to be green and shopping for holiday gifts.

Are DIY (Do It Yourself) Gifts the best way to give green this holiday 2011?

You might not be the next great painter or best cook in town.

For those with time and patience, embroidery can combine both and after being framed ends up as a nice personalized kitchen gift.

It all starts with a pattern like those Food Math themes 'Sad to Happy' themes sold by Wild Olive on Etsy.

DIY gifts on the table for Green Day # 204

Previously: Chauffeured New York Car Service with a Low Emission Mission, OZO car

(* Image for Food Math from Wild Olive's Etsy Shop)

Chauffeured New York Car Service with a Low Emission Mission, OZO car

In New York area, green minded business types, airport bound travelers and revellers who don't want to drive while tipsy have an option available beyond plain vanilla limousine service.

A company called OZO car serves the tri-state area offers chauffeured service with an all hybrid fleet described below.

"Our Prius, Toyota Camry and Lexus clean machines use 70% less fuel than conventional Lincoln Towncars and emit 90% fewer carbon forming emissions. Chic, curvy and cool, they whisper eco, not ego, status."

The weak point in their car line up is the Lexus RX 400h which averages only 23 miles per gallon (city driving).

Animal lovers will be happy to learn that OZO car takes pets for a ride as long as they are 25 pounds and under.

Greener wheels for Green Day # 203

Previously: Eat A Free Range Turkey, Adopt an Industrial Farm Turkey this Thanksgiving

( * Illustration from OZO car web pages)