Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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The Green Café Network From the Editors of Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: I heard about something called the Green Café Network. What is it and what are they trying to accomplish for the environment? — Jane Stevenson, Los Angeles, CA The Green Café Network (GCN), a project of the nonprofit Earth Island Institute, seeks to reduce Americans’ environmental impacts by greening the coffeehouse industry and harnessing café culture for community environmental awareness. By educating and working with cafe owners and staff, GCN helps network mem- bers reduce waste, save energy, conserve water and increase community stewardship. GCN’s 30- plus cafes scattered across Northern California (as well as one in New York City and another in Keshena, Wisconsin) are committed to reducing their carbon footprints, promoting environmental responsibility and generally operating in as sustainable a manner as possible. The approach of the GCN is to build on the influence of key institu- tions — neighborhood cafes and Americans’ infatuation with coffee — to try to raise environmental awareness and spur individual action. The idea is that when people see their local café as a positive example of green business practices and community building, there is a ripple effect, and the community is strengthened accordingly. For cafés interested in getting involved, GCN provides personalized Photo Credit: Steve Rhodes The Green Café Network (GCN), a project of Earth Island Institute, seeks to green the coffeehouse industry and har- ness café culture for community environmental awareness. Pictured: San Francisco’s Border Lands Café, a GCN member. CONNECTION Concert CHARLIE MIKE’S PUB 195 Star Point Road • 826-6453 Tuesday Open Jam — Bring your own instrument Saturday Open mic consulting services to help owners reduce their ecological footprints, enhance and streamline their operations and set a visible good example of environmental responsibility for the community at large. Services can address specific areas in need of attention, such as energy and water conservation, waste reduction, toxics minimization and eco-friendly purchasing, and also overall efforts to green the business from top to bottom. GCN can also consult on green building issues in the design, construction and remodel phases of a cafés lifecycle. With a project tagline of “Love Our Planet a Latte,” how could one not love what GCN is doing? Cafés and coffee shops can take steps to align environmental consider- ations with business operations even without membership in GCN. The Barista Exchange website, for one, offers a treasure trove of information and tips on greening up cafés and coffee shops through energy and waste reduction, eco-friendly procurement and the sourcing of organic fair trade coffee. U.S. cof- fee shops serve up about 25 million cups every day, so coffee shops can make a huge difference by being green. For its part, the nation’s leading coffee retailer, Starbucks, has been a pioneer in greening the coffee industry, and the company considers environ- mental stewardship a priority. With dedicated programs for increasing recycling, conserving energy and water, sourcing greener beans, using sustainable build- ing techniques and materials in new stores and offsetting carbon emissions, Starbucks has worked hard to set a green example. Of course, café owners and staff aren’t the only ones responsible for green- ing your coffee habit. You can play a role, too. One obvious place to start is to bring in your own reusable mug to fill up on your favorite blend to cut down on paper cup waste. And requesting fair trade coffee will help ensure living wages for coffee workers out in the fields and send a message to café owners that you value doing the right thing. CONTACTS: Green Cafe Network, www.earthisland.org/index.php/ projects/grn; Barista Exchange, www.baristaexchange.com; Starbucks Environmental Stewardship, www.starbucks.com/responsibility/environment. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine. com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. 18 UCW AUGUST 10-16, 2011 Hours: 12p-2a 910-339-7648 3116 Bragg Blvd. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM THE DOGHOUSE 3049 Owen Dr. • 910-826-9761 www.thedoghousegroup.com Monday Open Mic Night Tuesday $2 You Call It Wednesday Bike Night Thursday DJ Sting Friday and Saturday Live music Aug. 10 Mike Odonell Aug. 11 Third Degree Aug. 13 Big Daddy Drive Aug. 14 Johnson Kinlaw Aug. 17 Mike Odonell HUSKE HARDWARE HOUSE 405 Hay Street • 437-9905 www.huskehardware.com Monday Karaoke Tuesday Bryan Shaw Wednesday Huske Unplugged Thursday ‘80s Night Fri. & Sat. Live DJ and Dancing Sunday Sports Sunday IT’Z ENTERTAINMENT CITY 4118 Legend Ave. • 910-826-4635 www.itzentertainmentcity.com Aug. 10 Pauly Shore Aug. 10 DL Token Aug. 11 DJ Shawn on the Patio Aug. 13 DJ Shawn on the Patio Aug. 14 DL Token Aug. 17 DL Token LIDOS - THE EUROSPOT 102 Person St. • 222-8237 Thursday Euro Trance Party Friday TGIF Dance Party Saturday Ladies Night Sunday Euro Element Dance Part POINDEXTER’S SALOON 115 Dunn Rd. • 433-2089 Wed. Bike Night with live music Pool Tournaments Every Friday Night!