Can you name things you couldn’t find on Google? Your closest community garden is not one of them.

Thank Scott Lewis, who has taken the job to organize local gardens in an interactive Google map, which now boasts almost 50 gardens.

They are neatly organized by ownership: community gardens in blue, school gardens in green, and Miami-Dade College gardens in yellow. And note that school gardens are leading the count, which is great news.
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Remember when I planted my edible garden a few months ago? My first home-grown tomatoes are now ready to eat, so I decided to also pick some fresh basil from the garden and make a delicious Caprese salad.

Many people wonder what’s the difference between a regular and organic or homegrown tomato, and they are surprised to hear that regular tomatoes are picked green and ripen artificially with a gas called ethylene when they are closer to their point of sale location. Not only is that gas unnecessary in your food, but when tomatoes ripe naturally, they get to develop much more flavors thanks continue

(Thanks to Betsy Martinez for contributing with this story and to Chris Cutro for the picture)

When Grisel Couto asked for a bundle of fresh cilantro, she got just what she asked for. The booth attendant hand picked them right in front of her and bagged the herbs – dirt clumps still clinging to the roots. That’s what makes this crop fields-meets-city veggie mart so unique: some of the produce is grown right before your eyes.

Roots in the City’s Urban Market, the first-of-its-kind farmer’s market, ran every Wednesday through April in Overtown, offering the freshest veggies and herbs in Miami.

And besides the freshness of the produce, or the fact that it’s grown on premises, or that it’s the first of its kind in South Florida, the market was special to the city because it offered those on food stamps twice continue

I always keep an eye open for local green trends or eco-chic products, so I decided to start sharing what I find in the form of a regular post. Feel free to e-mail me your spottings to editor@theecozine.com.

Here are some of my weekend green spottings:

>Organic bamboo underwear at Touche Muah on Meridian Avenue:
The store was closed when I spotted this so I couldn’t get in for a better shot, but -as I later found out- Touche Muah is a line of organic bamboo fabric underwear created by Miami Beach resident Ivelin Giro. Check out their store on 1671 Meridian Ave, just off Lincoln Road.




>Organic sake at Sushi Siam: One of Miami’s favorite spots for sushi and Thai food, the restaurant is now selling Sho Chiku Bai Organic Nama (sorry for the terrible picture quality, long story).

>Recycling bins on Lincoln Road: They have been there for a few months now, but I’m so happy that we finally have them there that I wanted to share this pic with those who haven’t been to the beach in a while. While the City of Miami Beach could to a little more to encourage recycling, like putting the those bins all over the beach (including on the beach/ sand) and not only on Lincoln Road, this is a small step towards an eco-friendly SoBe.



Have you had any green spotting lately? E-mail you pics along with a description to editor@theecozine.com.

The number of Earth Day events in South Florida grows every year, but that’s no excuse to miss any of them. Here’s a list of South Florida Earth Day 2010 events.

If you don’t see an event, please e-mail me at editor@theecozine.com

LET’S RE-TAKE OUR PLATES FILM SERIES
WHEN: April 10-23
WHERE: Locations across South Florida
WHY: This is your best chance to watch some of the best and newest documentaries showcasing what really goes into your food and how much damage we’re doing to our planet. Documentaries include No Impact Man, The Garden, Food Inc,
ADMISSION: $5-$7
MORE INFO: Click here to read more on the film series

EARTH DAY EVERYDAY
WHEN: Saturday April 17
TIME: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale.
WHY: Speakers all day and booths with great, local environmentalists and conservationists.
ADMISSION: regular park admission, $6/ car, $2/ pedestrian
MORE INFO: click here

EARTH MIAMI ON JUNGLE ISLAND
WHEN: April 17-18
WHERE:1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami.
WHY: Two-day festival commemorates Earth Day with eco-tours a local horticulturist, recycle animal sculpture display by South Florida schools, interactive eco-conscious activities and stations
ADMISSION: $20 when you bring a can or bottle to recycle
MORE INFO: Call (305) 400-7000‎ or visit www.JungleIsland.com

THE FALLS’ “GO GREEN” EXPO
WHEN: Saturday, April 17
TIME: 1-5 p.m. The Little Planet Helper’s Club from 2-4 p.m.
WHERE: The Falls’ Center Court, U.S. 1 and SW 136th Street.
WHY: Expo will showcase various businesses that will educate families about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO:Call 305-255-4571

EARTHFEST 2010
WHEN: Sunday, April 18th,
TIME: 12 to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Crandon Park Visitors & Biscayne Nature Center, 6767 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne.
WHY: Celebrates 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Includes performances by Expand the Love and hands-on nature workshops on organic gardening, every child outdoors, raw food preparation, yoga and deep ecology. Must bring concert blanket or portable chair.
ADMISSION: regular park entrance, $6/ person
MORE INFO: Call 305-323-8858 or click here

GREEN DRINKS SOUTH FLORIDA
WHEN: Thursday, April 22
TIME: 6:30 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Boca Raton Resort and Country Club
WHY: This is a black-tie event with a green-tie flair. Network with green business owners, enjoy an ECO fashion show, watch the ECO lifestyle awards, and have a delicious organic buffet dinner.
ADMISSION: $125
MORE INFO: www.southfloridagreendrinks.org

MIAMI GOING GREEN
WHEN: Saturday, April 24
TIME: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
WHY: The team onboard the Bahamas to U.S. Solar-Powered Crossing expedition will arrive to Bayfront Park. Also, dozens of local vendors and green organizations will be there.
ADMISSION: free
MORE INFO: Click here

Image courtesy of flyingsinger

The Fertile Earth Foundation has been doing a lot lately, including starting a composting program with the City of Miami and getting some South Beach hotels to participate in it and compost their food waste.

The non-profits’ latest endeavor: a beer making class in collaboration with the Earth N’ Us Farm, which will take place this weekend at the farm.

“From Seeds to Suds, an Introduction to Homebrewing” is the best way for beer lovers who were always curious about brewing to get down and dirty. The class is also great for Miami’s locavores who sometimes wonder how to live the lifestyle without sacrificing the taste.

The class will cover many things, including:

• What equipment do I need in order to brew my own beer from home?
• What ingredients do I use to make beer?
o What other flavors can I add to my beer?
• How long does fermentation really take?
• Why and how is beer carbonated?

If you go:

WHAT: Beer making class
WHERE: Earth N’ US, 7630 NE 1st Ave
WHEN: Sunday, March 21, 2010 from 1to 5 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $45 now through March 20, $55 thereafter.
MORE INFO: Fertile Earth Foundation events

Photo courtesy of Trico741