Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Lori Hill Honored by SmartCEO Magazine
Lori was honored by Baltimore’s SmartCEO Magazine as an ECO-CEO in their December 2009 issue. Read more about Lori and her fellow ECO-CEO’s.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Greening Your Wintery Wedding
On a very snowy December 5th, lori hill event productions served as the event producer for the wedding of Diana and Arthur at the James Rouse Visionary Center at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore. Here are some of the easy green initiatives that we incorporated into their special day:
Centerpieces - because Diana and Arthur hated the idea of having centerpieces that would be used for just a few hours and then tossed (in the compost bin of course!), they had Crimson and Clover design 10” wreaths made from vertical crystallized white branches. These were given away to guests at the conclusion of the reception. The head table was adorned with the bridesmaids’ bouquets placed in vases filled with gems and wrapped in satin ribbon
Because we were in one large room, we utilized 7’ fresh cut Frasier Firs decorated in lights from Plants Alive! Afterwards, the trees were used for other events and then recycled into mulch
The couple’s travel-themed wedding inspired them to replace traditional escort cards with customized luggage tags that contained guests’ table assignment which was the name of one of the many cities the couple have traveled to during their courtship
Instead of handing guests a paper program before the ceremony, the couple opted to not offer one and nobody seemed to notice or mind
Both the ceremony and the reception were held in the same event space, saving on having guests drive to two different locations (all that gas and all those carbon emissions add up quickly!)
Since most guests were from out of town, we transported them via mini coach bus instead of having them take separate taxis
Because weddings generate so much waste, we contracted with Waste Neutral Group to take away not only food waste that could be composted, but also recycling. The cost was only a $1/person.
Centerpieces - because Diana and Arthur hated the idea of having centerpieces that would be used for just a few hours and then tossed (in the compost bin of course!), they had Crimson and Clover design 10” wreaths made from vertical crystallized white branches. These were given away to guests at the conclusion of the reception. The head table was adorned with the bridesmaids’ bouquets placed in vases filled with gems and wrapped in satin ribbon
Because we were in one large room, we utilized 7’ fresh cut Frasier Firs decorated in lights from Plants Alive! Afterwards, the trees were used for other events and then recycled into mulch
The couple’s travel-themed wedding inspired them to replace traditional escort cards with customized luggage tags that contained guests’ table assignment which was the name of one of the many cities the couple have traveled to during their courtship
Instead of handing guests a paper program before the ceremony, the couple opted to not offer one and nobody seemed to notice or mind
Both the ceremony and the reception were held in the same event space, saving on having guests drive to two different locations (all that gas and all those carbon emissions add up quickly!)
Since most guests were from out of town, we transported them via mini coach bus instead of having them take separate taxis
Because weddings generate so much waste, we contracted with Waste Neutral Group to take away not only food waste that could be composted, but also recycling. The cost was only a $1/person.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Eco Holiday Shopping and Eating
If you are still looking for some original, fair trade, earth-friendly gifts by local companies – and I’m sure you are – check out the following retailers that participated in the December holiday party for the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance held at Clementine Restaurant in the Hamilton neighborhood of Baltimore.
earth alley is located in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood and was voted by Baltimore Magazine as having the Best Eco Gifts in 2008, earth alley has one of the largest selections of eco-friendly handicrafts in the Baltimore region. Items include jewelry, purses, massage oil candles and fair trade cards from Rwanda, children’s toys, home décor items and personal accessories. I just purchased a fabulous, fair-trade purse made in Cambodia.
Local artist Heather Shreve is now offering limited edition eco friendly holiday cards. All the 5 x 7 cards come in bundles of 25 and are printed on New Lead eco-friendly paper and come with 100% red recycled envelopes. Of course, the designs are original and quite frankly, instilled a sense of calm in me when I received my supply. That is something we can all use during this crazy season.
Part of the Conscious Corner community in Clarksville, Maryland, that also includes organic vegetarian restaurant Great Sage, independent natural and organic Roots Market and Bark, a natural pet products store, nest (Natural Elements Selected Thoughtfully) offers products that support independent artists, fair-trade importing, organic farming, and recycling, as well as items that promote a healthy and conscious lifestyle. Quite frankly, I can never get out of there empty handed! Since it is a mere 15 minutes away from me, I often make a quick jaunt there to purchase casual as well as business casual work clothes, Sigg water bottles, music, jewelry and books to give as gifts.
If you are tired of those unoriginal, metal pet ID tags, check out Pet Tag Creations which offers unique, handcrafted pet identification tags. A portion of their profits are donated to rescues and shelters. Their artists handcraft each one with care and the tag can list your pet's name and phone number or simply be worn as pet flair. My cat Grits sports one of these original creations and always gets favorable comments at the Vet’s.
Portable Rainbows Glass Art Gallery features beautiful glass sculpture, tableware, beaded and fused glass jewelry, and mobiles by these amazing and talented artists! They are 100% wind powered and Frances Aubrey, the gallery’s owner, donates 5% of Portable Rainbow’s profits to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a nonprofit that she works with regularly to pass global warming legislation. When you see Frances, ask her about CCAN’s Polar Bear Plunge.
After you are done shopping, check out Clementine restaurant. They do fancy pants comfort food with a cross cultural twist at a reasonable price. They change their menu daily, but you usually find their amazing mac and cheese. Clementine is comfy and spacious and also offers free Wi-Fi.
Finally, don't go empty handed to those holiday celebrations. Be sure to bring along a bottle -- or three -- of Black Ankle wine. Not only is it local, but it is also biodynamic and REALLY GOOD!
earth alley is located in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood and was voted by Baltimore Magazine as having the Best Eco Gifts in 2008, earth alley has one of the largest selections of eco-friendly handicrafts in the Baltimore region. Items include jewelry, purses, massage oil candles and fair trade cards from Rwanda, children’s toys, home décor items and personal accessories. I just purchased a fabulous, fair-trade purse made in Cambodia.
Local artist Heather Shreve is now offering limited edition eco friendly holiday cards. All the 5 x 7 cards come in bundles of 25 and are printed on New Lead eco-friendly paper and come with 100% red recycled envelopes. Of course, the designs are original and quite frankly, instilled a sense of calm in me when I received my supply. That is something we can all use during this crazy season.
Part of the Conscious Corner community in Clarksville, Maryland, that also includes organic vegetarian restaurant Great Sage, independent natural and organic Roots Market and Bark, a natural pet products store, nest (Natural Elements Selected Thoughtfully) offers products that support independent artists, fair-trade importing, organic farming, and recycling, as well as items that promote a healthy and conscious lifestyle. Quite frankly, I can never get out of there empty handed! Since it is a mere 15 minutes away from me, I often make a quick jaunt there to purchase casual as well as business casual work clothes, Sigg water bottles, music, jewelry and books to give as gifts.
If you are tired of those unoriginal, metal pet ID tags, check out Pet Tag Creations which offers unique, handcrafted pet identification tags. A portion of their profits are donated to rescues and shelters. Their artists handcraft each one with care and the tag can list your pet's name and phone number or simply be worn as pet flair. My cat Grits sports one of these original creations and always gets favorable comments at the Vet’s.
Portable Rainbows Glass Art Gallery features beautiful glass sculpture, tableware, beaded and fused glass jewelry, and mobiles by these amazing and talented artists! They are 100% wind powered and Frances Aubrey, the gallery’s owner, donates 5% of Portable Rainbow’s profits to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a nonprofit that she works with regularly to pass global warming legislation. When you see Frances, ask her about CCAN’s Polar Bear Plunge.
After you are done shopping, check out Clementine restaurant. They do fancy pants comfort food with a cross cultural twist at a reasonable price. They change their menu daily, but you usually find their amazing mac and cheese. Clementine is comfy and spacious and also offers free Wi-Fi.
Finally, don't go empty handed to those holiday celebrations. Be sure to bring along a bottle -- or three -- of Black Ankle wine. Not only is it local, but it is also biodynamic and REALLY GOOD!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Coffee That is Good for You AND the Environment
I went to the ISES DC (International Special Events Society, Washington, DC Chapter) meeting yesterday at Longview Gallery. I saw cool artwork in a new event space and learned a bit more about social media. I think I’ve actually started to change my mind about Twitter…
Since it was a breakfast meeting, Travelling Bean – The Espresso Catering Company, was there to give us our morning fix of java. They are a small, family-owned company and really care about preserving the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. In fact, in addition to using glassware whenever possible at events, or paper goods from recycled paper, they dispose of their espresso grounds in their flower beds!
They use local suppliers whenever possible and one of those is the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company (CBRC). I first met CBRC when I was helping the Chesapeake Climate Action Network turn their annual Polar Bear Plunge green. What a cool company. Their coffee beans are Fair Trade Certified and USDA organic. They purchase and use 100% wind power and pledge 2% of gross sales to support community organizations and groups that make a measurable impact to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We all need to support companies like this. In 2010, CBRC coffee will be hitting more stores in our area. Look out for it and buy it!
Both Traveling Bean and the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company will be at the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland and serving complimentary coffee and espresso to attendees.
Since it was a breakfast meeting, Travelling Bean – The Espresso Catering Company, was there to give us our morning fix of java. They are a small, family-owned company and really care about preserving the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. In fact, in addition to using glassware whenever possible at events, or paper goods from recycled paper, they dispose of their espresso grounds in their flower beds!
They use local suppliers whenever possible and one of those is the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company (CBRC). I first met CBRC when I was helping the Chesapeake Climate Action Network turn their annual Polar Bear Plunge green. What a cool company. Their coffee beans are Fair Trade Certified and USDA organic. They purchase and use 100% wind power and pledge 2% of gross sales to support community organizations and groups that make a measurable impact to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We all need to support companies like this. In 2010, CBRC coffee will be hitting more stores in our area. Look out for it and buy it!
Both Traveling Bean and the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company will be at the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland and serving complimentary coffee and espresso to attendees.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Baltimore's First LEED Certified Green Hotel
I recently had the opportunity to view Baltimore’s first LEED Certified green hotel -- the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor. I realize your experience with a Fairfield Inn may be a brief stay in a small town off of an interstate highway. This ain’t your typical Fairfield Inn!
First of all, it is located right in heart of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor – at Harbor East – in the former home of the Baltimore Brewing Company and DeGroens Micro Brewery (I just got thirsty!) and was purchased by Brewmasters, LLC. It is a 100% smoke-free environment and has countless green features including increased use of natural light, 100% green power and use of eco friendly cleaning products. Every product they use is evaluated for sustainability, environmental impact and origin.
Guest Rooms
The contemporary rooms feature all the traditional amenities as well as FREE high speed internet access, 42” LCD HDTVs, and motion sensors for climate control when the room is vacant. There are also allergy-free studio suites with a bike and bike rack.
Rain Barrel
The site is full of reusable materials that have been incorporated into the design elements of the hotel. My favorite feature is the corrugated steel vessel used by DeGroens for holding grains to brew beer. The Fairfield Inn designers converted the vessel into a large rain barrel that traps and stores rainwater runoff from the roof to supply all irrigation needs of their landscape design.
Courtyard
An urban courtyard features outdoor seating and beautiful landscaping featuring native and adapted plants and trees. Their turf grass lawn is made from 100% recycled tires and has less environmental impact than real grass.
Green Roof
I can’t tell you how nice it was to look out a window and instead of seeing an ugly black rooftop, a saw a beautiful, lush, colorful green roof. Not only is it pretty to look at, but it provides insulation for the building while reducing the radiant heat that impacts the city from traditional rooftops. It also reduces storm water runoff, filters pollutants from storm water, reduces energy needs and minimizes heat island effects.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Construction materials included the use of recycled materials and environmentally certified rapidly renewable wood products. Furthermore, the hotel is committed to recycling 75% or more of the waste generated during daily operations.
First of all, it is located right in heart of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor – at Harbor East – in the former home of the Baltimore Brewing Company and DeGroens Micro Brewery (I just got thirsty!) and was purchased by Brewmasters, LLC. It is a 100% smoke-free environment and has countless green features including increased use of natural light, 100% green power and use of eco friendly cleaning products. Every product they use is evaluated for sustainability, environmental impact and origin.
Guest Rooms
The contemporary rooms feature all the traditional amenities as well as FREE high speed internet access, 42” LCD HDTVs, and motion sensors for climate control when the room is vacant. There are also allergy-free studio suites with a bike and bike rack.
Rain Barrel
The site is full of reusable materials that have been incorporated into the design elements of the hotel. My favorite feature is the corrugated steel vessel used by DeGroens for holding grains to brew beer. The Fairfield Inn designers converted the vessel into a large rain barrel that traps and stores rainwater runoff from the roof to supply all irrigation needs of their landscape design.
Courtyard
An urban courtyard features outdoor seating and beautiful landscaping featuring native and adapted plants and trees. Their turf grass lawn is made from 100% recycled tires and has less environmental impact than real grass.
Green Roof
I can’t tell you how nice it was to look out a window and instead of seeing an ugly black rooftop, a saw a beautiful, lush, colorful green roof. Not only is it pretty to look at, but it provides insulation for the building while reducing the radiant heat that impacts the city from traditional rooftops. It also reduces storm water runoff, filters pollutants from storm water, reduces energy needs and minimizes heat island effects.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Construction materials included the use of recycled materials and environmentally certified rapidly renewable wood products. Furthermore, the hotel is committed to recycling 75% or more of the waste generated during daily operations.
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