So here we are at the weekend, and it’s time to find friends, refreshments and a party or two. For the environmentally minded, there are some places to go and some drinks to try.

First, find a crowd. You’ll probably want to start with Green Drinks, an international network of ‘green” social events, Started in London in 1989, Green Drinks is now active in over 600 cities worldwide. The largest is in NYC, with over 12,000 members, averaging 400 people per event. You can find smaller quieter venues also, or set one up in your town if there’s none nearby. Green Drinks is mostly for people working on environmental issues, but anyone can come - people from environment groups, business, government, academia or just individuals. There is no 'us and them' at Green Drinks. Many of the Green Drinks groups have their own logos; here are some of my favorites from around the world (not that I’ve drunk in all those places!!):

Since we ended with a nice green beer photo, let’s turn to the drinks themselves.

Beer is a good place to start. In fact many of us started with beer. “Green beer is not just limited to St. Patrick’s Day pubs. In Germany in 1516, the “German Beer Purity Law” was established, defining that the only ingredients that could be used in making beer were water, barley, and hops. That law itself h as gone down the drain like the remains of last night’s quarter barrel, but German brewers still abide by the rule to attract and keep those customers that don’t want additives, foam enhancers and - Gott in Himmel! - rice! - to show up in their brew. The Germans took this law as seriously as they drink their beer - anyone violating it could have their kegs of brew seized with no compensation. I can imagine the authorities “investigating” the evidence for a long time…So organic beers that follow the German Purity laws are a good bet for green brew.

Green wine sounds gross, but there are a lot of organic wines are becoming increasingly popular and available. Beware, depending on country, some organic wines still contain small amounts of sulfites, used to stabilize wines and keep it from spoiling. Purists will frown on them, and organic wines in the US cannot contain them. Some of my friends blame their next day headache on the sulfites, not their volume imbibed. I can’t cover them all, and I’m no wine connoisseur, but some of my favorites are Daily Red, Frey, and Frog’s Leap - just for the name itself and cool intro on their website. I prefer reds, but my wife enjoys the Frey whites, so spend you time sampling a variety and comment below, if you can still operate a keyboard.

There are a variety of niche organic liquors, but absinthe (pictured above) may be the original green drink. It’s an anise flavored spirit made from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the Artemisia absinthium, or Grande Wormwood. It is naturally green in color. It used to be believed that absinthe had dangerous addictive and psychoactive properties and it was banned in many countries, including the US for nearly a century. But according to Wikipedia, there is no evidence that is any more dangerous than brandy, whisky, vodka or any other spirits. It is now widely legal - including in the US - and being produced worldwide with over 200 brands available.

So there you have it - a quick survey of some green drinks. Our own Greenopolis “Greentini” recipe follows below. Keeps the staff happy. Enjoy in moderation, don’t drink and drive your hybrid electric car, and if you are in AA, there’s some great green smoothie recipes out there. Skol!

Greentini
2 oz. Rain Organics Vodka
1 1/2 oz. Midori or other Melon Liqueur
Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass.
Garnish with an organic lime wedge.