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.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to watch some of the best and latest food-related documentaries, which will be screened locally as part of the Earth Month film series Let’s Re-take our Plates, organized by Whole Foods.

I’m particularly excited about No Impact Man, the documentary based on the Brooklyn family that decided to reduce their waste to the minimum for a whole year (I couldn’t drop the book). Other films include Fast Food Nation, Food. Inc, What’s on Your Plate? and The Garden, all very politically-charged films making strong arguments against the state of the food industry.

Here is the schedule:

Fast Food Nation
4:45 p.m, April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

King Corn/ Big River
2:30 p.m. April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
2 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

The Garden
12 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
5 p.m., April 19
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

No Impact Man
7 p.m., April 19
Coral Gables Congregational Church
3010 De Soto Blvd., Coral Gables
$5

What’s on Your Plate?
5 p.m. April 20
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Fast Food Nation
5 p.m., April 21
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

The Garden
8 p.m., April 21
Miami Beach Cinematheque
512 Espanola Way, Miami Beach
$10

End of the Line
5 p.m. April 22,
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Food Inc.
7:30 p.m., April 23
Temple Bet Shira
7500 SW 120th Street, Miami
$5

Visit the Let’s Re-take our Plates site for more information

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

You pour some Sauvignon Blanc for your date only to realize there were a few drops left. You keep it cool, there is another bottle chilling in the fridge. You know what to do: the bottle goes in the recycling bin and the cork…

If you’ve been there, you know what the dilemma is: can you compost a cork? In that case, should you be getting wines with a natural cork as opposed to a synthetic one? What about the tress chopped down to make natural corks?

Don’t worry. ABC Fine Wine & Spirits is here to help by setting up 1,500 cork collection boxes across its Florida stores.

Two recycling companies will turn the collected wood and synthetic corks into floor and wall tiles, car engine gaskets, fishing rod handles and other things that will later be sold at stores like Target.

In addition, ABC will donate 2 pennies per cork to several charities it works with (mention this to your date for extra points).

Sure, there might be some marketing and sales incentive here, but you have to give them credit for doing something about the corks. If all the other wine sellers follow, even better! Find an ABC location close to you here.

Photo by stewart

If you are taking global warming seriously, chances are you changed your light bulbs for the more energy efficient fluorescent ones, which can last up to 10 years and produce less carbon emissions.

But do you know what’s the environmentally-friendly thing to do when these bulbs stop working?

It’s easy: Drop them off at a local chemical collection center.

Why you can’t just put them in the recyclables bin? Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, which can be an environmental hazard if not properly dispossed.

Below is a list of locations throughout South Florida that take and recycle your unbroken coiled compact fluorescent lights -known as CFLs- and the long-tube type fluorescent bulbs. Plus, the centers also take chemicals such as pesticides and pool chemicals, so you can save the trip until you accumulate a few things to drop off.

>>Note: If you can’t get to any drop-off site below, check here a list of local Home Depot stores that accept used CFLs too.

Have you been properly disposing your fluorescent bulbs? Let us know your story!

Drop-off locations in Miami:
West Miami-Dade:
8831 NW 58th St.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed. through Sun.

South Miami-Dade:
23707 SW 97th Ave., Gate-B.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed. through Sun.

Drop-off locations in in Broward:
Pompano Beach
2780 N. Powerline Rd. (north of Copans Rd.)
Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fri. and Sat.

West Park
5601 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. (east of US 441)
Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fri. and Sat.

Drop-off locations in West Palm Beach:
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
6161 North Jog Road, West Palm Beach
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
(Saturday is self-serve drop-off containers only)

Delray Beach
South County Transfer Station (unattended)
1901 SW 4th Avenue
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Jupiter
North County Transfer Station (unattended)
14185 Military Trail (SWA Road)
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Royal Palm Beach
West Central Transfer Station (unattended)
9743 Process Drive (previously Fairgrounds Road)
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Belle Glade
Glades Regional Transfer Station (unattended)
1701 State Road 15
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.

Lantana
Central County Transfer Station (unattended)
1810 Lantana Rd., Lantana,
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri; 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.

Photo by Dano

Feeling guilty about throwing away burned music CDs with hits you now have in your mp3 player?

Of maybe getting rid of that CD with and old presentation you don’t want to ever think about?

Every year, millions of CDs and CD cases end up in landfills, and this is why the CD Recycling Center of America was founded in 2006. They try to recycle as many CDs as they can, and the best thing is they do it at no cost (ok, just a suggested donation but there is no obligation).

They work with individuals, but also encourage people to create CD recycling centers (boxes) at their jobs or schools. Their site has a lot of tips on how to get your coworkers thinking about CD recycling.

All they ask is for you to separate CDs, cases and booklets inside a box and ship it to them.

Visit their site for more information

We all have a drawer where the broken alarm clock, cell phone, chargers and extensions go. Sounds familiar?

Yes, we hope that one day we’ll find a use for them, or that someone will fix them. Unfortunately, most of these things end up in landfills, along with the thousands of computers, TVs, microwaves and other electronics we throw away every year.

While regular recycling programs don’t provide a way to dispose of e-waste, there are a few things you can do in South Florida:

>>The site Earth911 helps you find recycling centers in your area by item: paint, batteries, computers, etc.

??The site My Green Electronics allows you to find e-waste recycling facilities within your area by doing a zip code search (there are more than a dozen in or around Central Miami).

>>Call2Recycle helps you dispose of cell phones and batteries by providing you with envelopes and free shipping.

>>Some AT&T stores have broke or old cell phone drop-off boxes (no matter the phone’s brand). Check which one near you does here.

>>Best Buy has electronics drop off boxes in all of its stores, and hosts recycling events annually.

>>Earlier, I blogged on the Recycling Center for America, which disposes of CDs and DVDS.

>>You can also find a list of resources at the Environmental Protection Agency e-waste site.

Here are answers to the usual things we wonder before recycling electronics:

Privacy
Many people worry about their privacy and personal information that might remain in computer. Even if you delete all your information before donating a computer (which is highly recommended) technicians at the recycling facility must also follow a hard drive cleaning policy, so there’s nothing to worry about. If you still want to be sure, you can get a hardware cleaning software.

Cost
Many drop-off recycling centers will take your electronics for free, but some will charge you, especially if you are disposing of commercial waste. Call ahead to check of this and other policies. I know at least of one center that requires proof of residency.

Reusable electronics vs junk
Many recycling facilities are non-profits that repair electronics and donate them to schools and organizations. This means they won’t be able to do much with physically-damaged equipment. Check with them before dropping off anything.

What do you do with your e-waste? What has your experience been like with local recycling facilities? We’d love to read your comments.

Photo by greenbk