Go Green - Beer

Okay, so you've said that you already turn off your lights, unplug your chargers, take short showers, use cold water in your washer, etc. You're ready for something more. Here's something else to think about.

Whenever someone says "buy local", it seems that most people tend to think of produce. And yes, we should all absolutely be trying to support our local farms and buying in-season produce as often as we can. But try expanding the "buy local" concept to other things you buy. For example...beer.

Drinking local micro-brews is not only more eco-friendly, but they also quite frankly taste better than most of the national brands. Yes, there are some good international beers, but try to save those for when you're on vacation. There are tons of very good choices close to home. I am lucky enough to live in New England, which has an abundance of good-quality beers. Some of my favorites include: Long Trail (VT), Gritty's (ME), Geary's (NH), Wachusett (MA), Otter Creek (VT) - and OC actually also has a very nice organic beer! Several of these companies are also very "green" themselves. Check out Long Trail's site as an example. Yes, I'm lucky. But most regions of the country have decent micro-brews. Check some out, find some favorites, and leave the Coors Light on the shelf next time.

Last beer tip for this week: Order draft when you're in a bar and save the bottle. Here is the tip from Ideal Bite: It also has links to sites where you can search for your own local beers.