Author Archives: Tom Permatteo

Green Glass for Your Green Beers: Izzit’s Top 3 Recycled Glass Beer Tumblers for a Greener St. Patrick’s Day

Green Glass for Your Green Beers: Izzit's Top 3 Recycled Glass Beer Tumblers for a Greener St. Patrick's Day

A holiday that gets everybody thinking about green? Well, sign Izzit up for that. As you can imagine when Izzit heard that people all over the world don emerald clothing, march in parades, have a pint or two and celebrate everything green on March 17, it became one of his most anticipated days on his calendar.

This year, Izzit wanted to get in on the fun and help green up St. Patrick’s Day — and every other day of the year as well! — by bringing to your attention three very cool recycled glass beer mugs for everyone to enjoy their green beers in this year.

The Green Glass Company’s Copenhagen Tumblers

All right, Izzit knows that Copenhagen is not in Ireland, but these tumblers are just so cool that we had to lead off with  them. They also happen to be green in every sense of the word, from the way they are made to their actual color.

The Green Glass Company, which makes these tumblers, traces its start back to 1992 in South Africa, and from humble origins they’ve grown into the largest maker of reclaimed glassware on the planet. They have been able to achieve this spectacular growth because they remain true to their recycling heritage and their core business principals “to push beyond the average, strive to make a difference, thrive on creativity.”

While these recycled beer glasses may be green, it is quite clear that the Green Glass Company is thriving and making a big environmental difference. A set of four tumblers prices out at $32.50.

But what to put into those tumblers? The Izzit team thinks that a light ale or refreshing golden, pilsner style beer like the Kenzinger from the Philadelphia Brewing Company would make a great match for these green beauties. (Read our full post on organic beers here.)

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Peaking Our Interest in Organic Beers

Peaking Our Interest in Organic Beers

Mmmm, beer!! . . . A familiar refrain from one of Izzit’s favorite cartoon characters, Homer Simpson. But we all know that if Homer listened to his daughter Lisa and to our own Izzit, he would drop the Duff’s brand and responsibly drink beer the way it was originally intended. That way, of course, would be organic.

With Izzit and the team scheduled to hit the slopes in celebration of President’s Day vacation week — otherwise known here as Febtoberfest! — we thought it would be a good time to review some of Izzit’s favorite organic brews.

Peak Organic Brewing

Hey, as we are heading to the mountains why not start with Peak Organic Brewery? Based in Portland, Maine – not far from one of Izzit’s favorite East Coast ski slopes at Sunday River – Peak Organic was started in the 1990s as a home brewery. The founders were continually tinkering with their base recipes and the response to the brews they produced led them to bigger things. They chose the name Peak because they usually enjoyed a new brew after the Peak experience of something as natural as a spectacular day. They are committed to sourcing from local organic farmers whenever possible because they know that using ingredients from artisanal growers insures a tastier beer.

Izzit’s favorites are the Espresso Stout, which is extremely full-bodied and has a bit of a bite from coffee, and the Maple Oat Ale, which is a robust, balanced ale with a touch of sweetness supplied by the maple. Other selections include: Pale Ale, Nut Brown Ale, Amber Ale, Espresso Amber Ale, India Pale Ale, Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai (will that make me smarter?) and King Crimson Imperial Red.

Wolaver’s Organic Ales

Wolaver’s Organic Ales achieved the distinction of having their beers be the first ones in the United States to be certified organic. Based in Middlebury, Vermont near a bunch of great ski summits like Sugarbush and Killington, their mission is to produce great tasting beers that support local, sustainable agriculture. They firmly believe that the beers and ales they produce should be natural and have minimal impact on the world we live in.

The Izzit gang’s favorites include a great and hoppy India Pale Ale and a delicious, creamy Oatmeal Stout (although we need to tell Izzit that the oatmeal in the beer may not reduce his cholesterol!). They also do some cool, hand-crafted seasonal brews such as a Wildflower Wheat, a Pumpkin Ale and the Alta Gracia Coffee Porter.

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Going Wild for Cool National Wildlife Federation Tees

Because he comes standard with some snazzy green fur, Izzit rarely dons any articles of clothing beyond his collection of hip hats and boots for his snowboard. But he and everybody else has gone wild over the fab collection of tees that the National Wildlife Federation is offering on its site. So to help them celebrate their 75th anniversary, we thought we would share some insight into the cool stuff we found there.

First, a little background on the National Wildlife Federation. Although they are celebrating their 75th birthday, they actually trace their roots back to the Roosevelt administration . . . Teddy Roosevelt that is. Their mission is simple and could have been written by the big Teddy Bear himself, “to protect and restore wildlife habitat, confront global warming and connect with nature.” They are a 4-million-member-strong organization and are doing great work for us and, ultimately, our children. Now, about those Tees . . .

The Recycle Organic Tee

Hey, like Izzit and me, some people need things spelled out for them in real simple terms. Better yet, to use an old cliche, a picture is worth a thousand words. With that in mind, let us introduce the Recycle Organic Tee. And as every picture tells a story, this one tells a real clear tale: Recycle. Izzit really loves the simple, minimalist lines of the artwork, the constant wheels in motion feel of the recycled bike and the hushed earth tone colors.

As you would expect, the tees are made from 100 percent certified organic cotton. The color of each tee is produced using an ancient method of mixing natural clays. This not only makes the colors long lasting, but also makes them easy on the environment. They’re available for the great price of $19.97.

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Brewing an Alliance with Our Rainforest: Izzit’s Top 5 Rainforest Alliance-Approved Coffees

Like many of us, Izzit needs a jolt of caffeine to start his day. Typically, he’ll start his morning with a strong cup of fair trade Joe to get him going . . . and it’s not unusual to see him sipping a nice, foamy, nonfat latte later in the afternoon either! As a recent rainforest transplant, you can imagine how excited he, and all of us at IzzitGreen, were to come across some amazing coffees that carry the Rainforest Alliance seal of approval.

We are also pretty sure that Izzit likes the frog the nonprofit Rainforest Alliance uses on its certification seal. Whenever you spot that frog on a bag of coffee — or any other product for that matter — you can rest assured that the product has been produced in a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable manner as the Rainforest Alliance sets rigorous standards which companies must meet in order to have the privilege of sporting the green frog label. The Alliance recently commenced a Seal Your Cup sustainable coffee campaign to educate the public about green coffee, considering that 400 million cups of coffee are consumed in the United States each day.

Izzit has selected five of his favorite, great tasting, Alliance-approved coffees that you can feel great about drinking:

ARCO Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend

Izzit loves Jamaica man . . . ARCO Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee that is. Jamaican Blue is rightfully regarded as one of the world’s best coffees. ARCO brings the Jamaican Blue experience to consumers affordably by blending the highest quality beans from the Blue Mountains and blending them with high quality Arabica beans. Like a winery that insists on crafting wines in oak casks instead of ones made of stainless steel, ARCO does not use computerized roasters but instead will roast their beans the old fashioned way. This attention to detail pays off when the coffee hits your palate.

The beans are purchased green and then roasted per order. Because ARCO employs this specialized process, the beans will take a day or two to ship, but it is well worth the wait to be able to enjoy this fruity, aromatic coffee.

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Back to (Eco) School, Izzit’s top choices and “e”inc.

Unlike our little green Sasquatch Izzit, who legend has it was home schooled, it’s almost time for kiddies of all ages to get back to school and further their education.  To help students do everything from staying organized to getting their lunches, books and other supplies to their temples of learning in an eco-sustainable way, IzzitGreen has found a bunch of cool, environmentally friendly school products from our partner BuyGreen.com.  And as part of IzzitGreen’s efforts to help educate all youngsters, and through them hopefully their parents, Izzit will donate a portion of our proceeds from August 18th to August 25th, 2010 to help the non profit “e”inc. continue its mission of bringing environmental learning right into the classroom.

How about those cool back to school products? Read more »

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Aid Flood Recovery w/ Stone Ground Organic Taza Chocolate

Taza Chocolate is the type of product that we at IzzitGreen strive to find and introduce to our community.  Taza was founded on the principle of combining the Mesoamerican tradition of chocolate with a modern, high-quality production, and to do so in a socially responsible way.  Their products are sold both online and at specialty shops, farmers markets and other eco-friendly establishments.  In short, Taza makes great unique chocolate. They are the type of business that if you believe in fair trade or sustainability, is worthy of consumer support. This is precisely what we are asking the IzzitGreen community to do.

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SodaStream: Green & Healthy Sparkly Drinks

Many green options cost more than their replaced product – but the SodaStream Soda Maker offers a wealth of eco and health benefits for cheaper than buying sparkling water and soft drinks the old fashioned way.  So you’ll be improving your health, keeping tons of plastic out of landfills and saving money instead of lugging heavy bottles of future trash home from the market.

Some SodaStream Background

As a fan of all things that bubble, from champagne to sparkling water to soda (does beer count?), I’ve found it increasingly difficult to enjoy these great things due the myriad of challenges the conscious consumer faces when looking at purchasing these products.  These range from the health impact on you and your family (hey, only 33 grams of fructose corn syrup in most major single serving soda cans!), to the environmental impact that millions of plastic bottles of mineral water and the impact of transporting mineral water from some remote part of the globe to your favorite posh restaurant table. Read more »

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Fishing for Ways to Protect our Ocean(a)s

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You know that Izzit loves to connect you with the coolest, most innovative and sustainably produced products on the market.  Along with these product and brand connections, we think it’s super-important for consumers to learn more about the groups that work every day to improve our environment, certify the credibility of green-marketed products, and advance public knowledge of important sustainability issue.

To that end – here’s a little multi-faceted Holiday gift from us to you…and the oceans.  More specifically, some knowledge for you, some support for our oceans, and something to put under the tree for a loved-one this season. Read more »

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Just Sit Right Back and Enjoy Your Tiki Torches

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Whether you grew up in the late sixties when it first aired, or like most of us became a fan of Gilligan’s Island through its forty year syndication run, the show remains one of the most ludicrous yet endearing series ever to hit the airwaves. I caught an episode recently and was amazed that I actually thought the show was ever really funny. Yet strangely I still know much of the dialogue verbatim.

I also found myself wondering why we didn’t fact-check the show. A desert Isle? Seemed to have an abundance of coconut trees. A three hour tour? Why did Ginger and the Howell’s pack six years worth of wardrobe changes and accessories? We just never inquired about how some of the really cool things the crew needed to survive made it to the island. Read more »

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Izzit Tested: Radar Pitching Trainer

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The Radar Pitching Trainer (RPT) is a sophisticated high-tech upgrade to the old-school throwback we all had in our backyards as kids.  After all, baseball stats and other training techniques have gone scientific so why not drag the throwback into the 21st century.

The trainer calculates pitch speed, keeps track of pitch-count, strikeouts and walks, and is made for both baseball and softball pitchers.  Ball speed is calculated by the Radar Pitching Trainer’s sonic radar, while other stats are calculated by proprietary software in an “electronic umpire” – so it’s a bit like John Hirschbeck and Hal from 2001 had a baby that sits in a removable plastic box that’s attached to the back of the trainer’s steel frame.  Thankfully, there’s no creepy voice or attitude with the RPT. Read more »

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