The Twin Cities gets green

by R.J. Wilson
Anyone in the Twin Cities who has had trouble finding a contractor who recycles or a raw vegan meal made with organic produce can attest to the need for a comprehensive listing of ecological goods and services in the community. A group of people got together in late 1999 with that goal in mind and now “The Twin Cities Green Guide” is finally available as a “Green Yellow Pages” for eco-conscious Twin Citians. Formed into a nonprofit in August 2000, and written with the help of over 200 contributors and volunteers, the guide offers hundreds of ways to lighten our impact on the planet through everyday changes in our lifestyles. With an intense screening process and a focus on the local economy, the “Green Guide” contains hundreds of listings under topics like Transportation, Health, Arts, Food, and Community. Along with listing local choices, it offers resource listings of books, Web sites, and local organizations to get more information. Also included in each section are essays on over 200 topics written by Minnesotans for Minnesotans.
Ami Voeltz was one of those frustrated by a lack of access to information. “When I was younger, I remember wishing there was a 24-hour hotline that could answer any question I had about living greener. To help you in your pursuit of living lighter on the planet, this book will make it easier to find out about recycling, eco-building, gardening and activism.” With a small grant that became a $60,000 budget, Voeltz, a small staff, and over 70 volunteers spent close to two years working out of a cramped Loring Park basement office sending out questionnaires and compiling information on the businesses involved. The group asked questions about work environment, community service, environmental practices, and the goods or services each provided. The standards were created by the “Green Guide” board of directors and then asked in ten-minute phone interviews. The businesses in the “Green Pages” listings were then given one to three hearts based on the “green-ness” of the company. Says Voeltz, “We are calling for a new kind of activism: lifestyle activism. This type of activism involves being conscious, for example, of the kinds of products we buy, what businesses our money is supporting, or how we dispose of our waste. As lifestyle activists, we must pay attention to the all-important votes we are casting with the things we buy.”
The guide is now available at Arise! Bookstore, Seward Co-op, North Country Co-op, Amazon Books, Ruminator, Present Moment, the Wedge Co-op, Linden Hills Co-op, Mayday Bookstore, the Resource Center of the Americas, Mississippi Market and the Commuter Connection. The guide also has a companion Web site www.thegreenguide.org, which has all the listings of the guide and Web links. It also has a “Green Pages” phone book. A quick click on the food listing on the “Green Guide” Web site brings up an article about food and how our choices affect the planet and ourselves. It then offers a plethora of subtopics, like food co-ops, genetic engineering and dietary options. A click on the same listing in the “Green Pages” gives addresses and descriptions of local restaurants, co-ops and bakeries.
It’s clear that the group is more concerned with dissemination of information than with making money. Of the 5,500 copies printed, “We want to make about 2,000 available for free to libraries and community centers. Sisters Camelot will be carrying some to give out when they give out food.” The goal, says Voeltz, is to get the guide into the hands of people that can’t pay $10 for a copy or don’t normally have access to this kind of information. Voeltz also said the money that comes in would be used for the next printing, which they hope to do every four years. They also plan to keep the Web site updated constantly, adding new links and listings as they become available.
With the state of the world as it is now, the idea of thinking globally and acting locally is as relevant as ever. “The Green Guide” could be that local cure. Change is never easy, and quick fixes won’t solve the entire world’s ills, but lifestyle changes are important if we want to change directions. As Voeltz puts it, “The health of the environment is something we choose to degrade or preserve many times a day through each decision we make.” “The Green Guide” will help you walk lighter on the planet, revitalize your neighborhood, grow a garden, and eat organic. All you need to do is take that first step.
View the “Green Guide” online at:
www.thegreenguide.org