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No barbeque would be complete without some cool drinks to wash down the carefully-considered eats enjoyed by you and your guests. And, while the temptation to fill your cooler with exotic drinks from far-reaching locales might be strong, we have a few ideas to help make your drinks as green as the rest of your party.
Choose local and organic
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this rule again holds true. Happily, drinks like organic beers are part of the organic movement's meteoric rise -- U.S. organic beer sales increased 40 percent in 2005, for example -- so it's getting ever easier to find organic versions of what you desire, be it beer, wine, or non-alcoholic beverages like juice. And, with the explosion in popularity of microbreweries, chances are there's a local option for your favorite beverages; even in the small(ish) city I live in, there are three or four excellent breweries within 100 miles or so, and more local wine than you can shake a stick at. If you don't have a favorite brewpup or winery already, hit up your local co-op or liquor store to see what options exist.
Say "No!" to excessive packaging
While variety is the spice of life, buying in bulk is the green way to go. For beer, depending on the size of your soiree (and the relative thirst of your guests), that means going for a keg, pony keg, growler, or similar bulk beer dispenser. Think of it this way: you'll be replacing dozens of bottles and cans with just one package, which you can empty into your reusable, non-disposable cups. Plus, the bulk beer option allows for the containers to be taken back and reused again, rather than recycled, as would be the case with cans or bottles.
It isn't always quite as easy with wine, though packaging options like French Rabbit's tetrapak or aluminum bottles that are shatterproof and take less time and energy to cool in the fridge.
For juices and other non-alcoholic drinks, again, avoiding single-service packages is the way to go; those handy little juice boxes, for example, might be convenient, but they can't be recycled and will add up to a heap of trash in a hurry. And, unlike the above beverages, you can easily make your own, even the day of the party, often requiring no more packaging than the skin around an orange or rind of a lemon. As an added green bonus, you get to control exactly what goes in (and exactly what doesn't go in) to your homemade punch. And no matter what you choose to serve, absolutely no bottled water allowed!
Whatever you choose to imbibe at your barbeque, following these easy rules -- go local and organic, stay away from unnecessary packaging, and even make your own -- will make your next event a smashing green success.
Difficulty level: Easy
More barbeque and drink-related reading in Planet Green and TreeHugger
Green Your Barbeque: Choosing Between Charcoal and Gas
Green Your Barbeque: Make Green Food Choices
Green Your Barbeque: Choose Green Serviceware
How To Go Green: Summer
National Post on TreeHugger, Barbeques
How Green Is Your Beer?
Anheuser-Busch Introduces Two Organic Beers
A Taste of VT with Wolaver’s Organic Beer
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