Nov 03 '06 - 559 W - Vote Good + 10 :: Bad - 10 They found a sustainable environment for pleasure
Published November 2, 2006 by LA Times
By Zan Dubin Scott, Special to The Times
CALL it "enter-change-ment": Get a buzz on, meet attractive new people
and combat global warming — all in a single night. Welcome to Green
Drinks, a networking event in which environmentalists of all stripes
swap business cards while knocking back Coronas. This could be the most
earnest group of imbibers in L.A.
"We're
trying to heighten awareness of our dependence on oil and the
destructive nature of an auto-dominated society," said Zack Beatty,
explaining the ethos of Santa Monica Critical Mass, the monthly bicycle
ride he leads, at a recent Green Drinks. "But it's also a party on
wheels, we do this for fun."
Similarly, fun is the manifesto of Green Drinks, which now claims to be
in 140 cities around the world. Locally, you can find them convening in
Culver City, Silver Lake and Santa Ana.
Beatty
was among those espousing biodiesel, permaculture and biomimicry as
well as the fruits of fermentation at Duke's Hideaway, the Culver
Hotel's elegant lounge.
"I'm a big believer in liquid fuel
derived from corn," said Stuart Cooley, an energy efficiency engineer
with the city of Santa Monica and a rum-and-Coke kind of guy, "and here
we get to sample ethanol."
Founded in London in 1989, Green
Drinks are casual, unstructured events coordinated by volunteers such
as Barent Roth, an industrial designer who got things going locally in
October 2005 at Duke's. Standing by a table laden with fliers promoting
wind power, nontoxic house paints and the like, Roth guiltily sipped a
gin-and-tonic. "We're trying to get organic wines and vodka," he
promised. Fran Seegull, a strategic consultant for green businesses who
has Daryl Hannah-like tresses, suggested something even more cohesive.
"I wanted to ask Barent to have green speed dating. Green is a proxy for values," Seegull said.
Silver
Lake's Green Drinkers got pretty cozy as a recent night began to cool.
A smaller but equally committed crew, they bunched together on velvet
couches in the corner of a Mediterranean-style patio at Edendale Grill
restaurant and bar.
It was clearly a love fest for
college-educated like minds, as the evening's attendees cooed "very
cool" and "awesome" upon hearing of such things as electric cars
powered with solar energy. They added their e-mails to a contact list
between bites of crispy fries with blue cheese and tarragon, washing it
down with draft beer. Alex Thompson, 26, who had ridden his bike from
Culver City, credited the group with helping him create his free
"bike-mentoring" program, Roll With It, which matches novice cyclists
with experienced "bike coaches" who help their charges become cycling
commuters.
"I'm kind of timid and afraid, but they told me to shut up and put me in touch with people to make it happen."
Fries, friends and cleaner air? They'll drink to that.
Green Drinks
Duke's Hideaway
Where: Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City
When: 7 p.m. first Thursday of the month
Price: Bottled beer, $6
Info: (310) 838-7963
Edendale Grill, Mixville Bar
Where: 2838 Rowena Ave., Silver Lake
When: 7 p.m. third Thursday of the month
Price: Draft beer, $4 to $5
Info: (323) 666-2000
Proof Bar & Grill
Where: 215 N. Broadway, Santa Ana
When: 7 p.m. third Thursday of the month
Price: Well drinks, $4 to $5
Info: (714) 953-2660
For more information: greendrinks.org
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