Green Drinks
Green Drinks
Green Drinks is a get-together for people who care about the Environment. Meeting casually is the best way to get to know one another and pull together locally for our planet.
Save The Date for our Next Green Drinks at Pusser’s Dock Bar on Wednesday, September 18.
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PAST GREEN DRINKS
July 30, 5:30-7:30 in the William Paca House Garden
PHOTO GALLERY
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May 16, 5:30-7:30 at Garten!
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PHOTO GALLERY by Ken Tom
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Homestead Gardens on Wednesday, March 20, 5:30-7:30 pm
Another Green Drinks Success! Engagement was high on March 20 as our ever-growing community mingled with the 13 local restoration organizations of the GreenGive and enjoyed the treats of Bread and Butter Kitchen and the sounds of The Sandpipers. It was another zero-waste evening, thanks to our friends at Annapolis Compost and the team at Homestead Gardens. Our gratitude runs high for everyone who came out and especially our sponsors.
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PHOTO GALLERY by Ken Tom
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The Environmental Legislative Summit & Green Drinks Annapolis
Wednesday, January 31, 7:30-8:30 pm
Take advantage of this opportunity to be at the forefront of positive change for the environment. The CCE (Citizens Campaign for the Environment) is hosting its annual summit, the place to learn about and support its 2024 Environmental legislative priorities. Gain insights from distinguished speakers, including U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, other elected officials, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, and community leaders. Connect with your neighbors to address the pressing environmental issues impacting every Marylander.
We would like to join us afterward for our first Green Drinks of 2024. At 7:30, we will move into the Trophy Room for light fare and the conversation and collaboration Annapolis Green is known for. Esteemed local champion of the Chesapeake Bay and friend of Annapolis Green, Senator Sarah Elfreth, will be there. This is your chance to join larger legislative conversations shaping the trajectory of our collective future.
No Registration is required for Green Drinks, though we appreciate a $10 donation at the door!
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November 29 – St. John’s College
Gratitude for our green community was the theme of our last Green Drinks of 2023 at St. John’s. We celebrated the year’s successes and highlighted local Maryland Green Registry members. The evening’s spread, entertainment, and beverages came from partners we are so grateful for: Forward Brewing, Annapolis Market House, RASA Juice Shop, and Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits. PHOTOS COMING! Please check back soon.
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September 28 at the Annapolis Market House
Our September Green Drinks went all out on sustainable issues, such as driving electric and demonstrating that the festival is fun and Bay responsible.
We celebrated National Drive Electric Week and the arrival of the Baygrass Festival to Annapolis! Our friends at Johnson Kia of Annapolis showcased their latest EV models, and we mixed and mingled with the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce members. Our eco-conscious circle is growing! Thank you to all who came out. We hope you met one new person and learned one new thing to help the environment.
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July 11 at the William Paca House Gardens
Summer is in full bloom, and so are our plastic-free efforts! How better to celebrate Plastic-Free July than having a fun-filled zero-waste evening at the best outdoor venue space in town.
PHOTO GALLERY by Ken Tom
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Past Green Drinks
Wednesday, March 21
The Graduate Hotel, Annapolis
There is a reason we keep coming back to The Graduate. Each year they add to their environmental programming.Here are this year’s highlights:
And thank you to the City of Annapolis for bringing its Bikeways planning maps to Green Drinks!
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Tuesday, March 21
Homestead Gardens, Davidsonville
Here We Grow!
SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW
SPONSOR AND HOST
SPONSOR
Our March 2023 Green Drinks took take place among beautiful spring flowers at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville in the midst of the Gardens’ Spring Kickoff and its 50-year celebration.
Thank you to Homestead Gardens and Truist!
The spring backdrop and the mellow sounds of Solid Sender Trio last Tuesday set the scene for a perfect evening of networking and learning at Homestead Gardens — our event host and sponsor. The learning came from our fantastic partners and exhibitors: Watershed Stewards Academy, Unity Gardens, St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature, Annapolis Compost, Refill Goodness, Chesapeake Bay Trust – Bay Plates , Maryland Green Registry, Neighborhood Sun, and Chesapeake Crossroads’ Maryland Day, and from sponsor Truist.
Per usual, good things happen when we gather, including powerful connections for our exhibitors who got to know our new Secretary of Agriculture, Kevin Atticks; Chesapeake Bay Program Director Dr. Kandis Boyd, and Chesapeake Bay Commission Executive Director Anna Killius. Our event sponsor, Truist’s, Vice President and Wealth Advisor Jason Haddaway (see our sustainable sponsor highlight below) spoke, and we were also treated to so much great news coming out of Homestead Gardens from Senior Horticulturist and Director of Education Heather Wheatley, who addressed our crowd.
Thank you so much to Monica Alvarado of Bread and Butter Kitchen for absolutely delicious appetizers.
We are grateful to the many who help behind the scenes to make our Green Drinks successful.
Bay Ridge Wine and Spirits and Great Frogs Winery came through in the Maryland wine department, and our Annapolis Green supporter, Karen Czarnowski, provided our non-alcoholic options. Our Annapolis Green volunteers make all the magic happen and we are so grateful for their help and support.
One lucky Scavenger Hunt winner, Lisa Jones, Senior Manager of Communications & Outreach at the Maryland Department of the Environment, took home Great Frogs’ Silopanna White. Fabulous photos were taken by our friend, Ken Tom!
We encouraged our attendees to complete the evening with a great meal at Killarney House.
Event Sponsor Highlight: Truist
- In 2021, Truist supported $15.3 billion of investment-grade ESG-themed bond issuance and facilitated renewable energy development with direct capital commitments exceeding $856 million.
- Truist enhanced its climate disclosure by publishing its first Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Report. The company also joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF).
- Truist set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
- The company added new teammates to enhance ESG and Corporate Social Responsibility expertise and to help clients make informed decisions on the risks and opportunities related to climate change.
photos by Ken Tom
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Wednesday, February 1
Blackwall Hitch
SPONSORED BY
You joined us to “Continue the Conversation” on the day after the virtual Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit where the environmental community’s priority state legislation were presented. Our special guest and speaker, Marisa Olszewski, Environmental Policy Manager at the Maryland League of Conservation Voters gave a terrific presentation about what delegates and senators will be considering and how that will affect our environment. She joined MDLCV in 2022 to serve as an organizational expert on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation, as well as community education and outreach programs. Read more about Marisa.
Special guest and speaker Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo (District 15, Montgomery County) addressed legislation related to electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. He’s an EV driver himself and a tireless advocate for the climate benefits of emission-free driving. Annapolis Green is the only local nonprofit consistently advocating for driving electric to reduce emissions for over ten years and we were delighted to welcome Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo.
Martha Ainsworth, Chair of the Zero Waste Team at the Maryland Sierra Club filled us in on litter and waste initiatives — think plastic bag legislation and deposits on beverage containers. Elvia spoke for a bit about dangerous forever chemicals in pesticides and legislation to regulate it. It will be an enlightening evening!
Back when the Environmental Legislative Summit was in person, we would schedule the Continue the Conversation Green Drinks immediately following it to give people who were so energized by the great bills under consideration that they just wanted to keep talking! We provided that venue for close to 10 years. We’re glad we can continue doing just that thanks to the sponsorship of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and the many environmental organizations that make up the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment (CCE)! Annapolis Green is a CCE member.
For many months before the General Assembly opens each January, CCE members come together to discuss potential legislation of importance to the environment. A vote is taken in early fall to determine what the “priority” bills will be, that is, which will receive the most support. Organizations with the wherewithal to do so take the lead on obtaining sponsors for the bills, advocating for passage by presenting testimony and speaking with legislators. There are many, many other important bills having to do with the environment in addition to the priority bills and those are followed closely and helped along with testimony presentation and in-person advocacy with legislators.
The Maryland League of Conservation Voters provides us all with a terrific range of information on State-level legislation. Weekly, the Friday Digest presents a half-hour chock full of information about legislation and other important topics. Soon the HOTLIST of pending legislation will go live on the LCV website. The weekly HOTLIST is open to everyone and is a great way to keep up with the status of bills. Maryland LCV also produces a scorecard at the end of every legislative session. Bills that are scored are included in the HOTLIST and scores are drawn from all public record votes (Committee, Floor, Amendment).
Blackwall Hitch, owned by Titan Hospitality Group, is where Green Drinks Annapolis began in 2006, when the restaurant was called the Rockfish. Then-Chef Charlie Bauer, who was legendary at the time for his local sourcing of ingredients and early sustainable initiatives, was at the helm. There was some reminiscing… and a few “original” Green Drinkers in attendance.
Quite a few years ago, the Spa Creek Conservancy obtained a grant to install best practices to handle stormwater in the parking lot at Blackwall Hitch (then Rockfish). The pavement is permeable and the perimeter plantings were installed as rain gardens.
Blackwall Hitch treated us to Half-Pasta Night featuring hand-crafted, made in-house pastas and to two special green drinks — a green drink at Green Drinks and also a Green Drinks Mocktail!
Neighborhood Sun representatives weree on hand to discuss how you can benefit from clean solar energy without panels on your rooftop. This applies to residential AND commercial applications.
Annapolis Compost collected compostables and food waste from our event.
Admission to Green Drinks is free. Please make a $10 donation at the door to help Annapolis Green’s programs continue.
Put our next Green Drinks on your calendar now: March 21 at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A festive celebration of Arts and Environment… with an international flair!
Thursday, December 8
Maryland Hall|
‘twas the season!
We were in the new Community Room at Maryland Hall celebrating not only the season but also the activities and opportunities that our event sponsor, the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, is known for, as the organization celebrates its larger boundaries, new partners, and new brand!
We’ll also saluted Maryland Hall’s commitment to sustainability as events in the Community Room will be Zero-Waste.
Event partner Greenstreet Gardens created a holiday fantasy land with garlands, wreaths, a nine-foot tree, and over 1000 lights and cheerful décor.
Greenstreet Gardens is a family-owned business with several locations. Closest to us is 391 West Bay Front Road, Lothian. They have thousands of poinsettias in beautiful colors and fresh cut trees – most notably Noble fir from the west coast and Frasier fir from the Carolinas. The company also carries exotic western red cedar roping, fresh cut yellow incense cedar, juniper berries, curly willow, white birch, winter berries grown on its farm, white pine roping and giant Sugar pinecones and more. “Noble fir wreath from 12” – 48” are the longest lasting variety,” they advise. And the company can decorate your home too. Learn more.
And now to the international part!
Caliente Grill provided Latin American appetizers that were absolutely delicious! The menu included mini tacos, pupusas, chips and salsa and more. Delicioso!
Tradition from the other side of the world lifted our spirits and energized the event with African drumming by Dr. David Fakunle, a renown artist and storyteller. Learn more about Dr. Fakunle here.
We’ll enjoyed classic holiday carols and Elvia and our friend Karin Hannah did their best to lead you in a sing along.
We were delighted to welcome Leadership Anne Arundel whose 2023 Flagship class was at Maryland Hall for its Arts & Culture Day.
Especially at this time of year we want to thank our wonderful photographer, Ken Tom, who volunteers countless hours to document our events in such a beautiful way. We are working on creating a gallery of his work on this page. Stay tuned for an announcement soon.
After Green Drinks
Many of us headed out to Midnight Madness II in downtown Annapolis and all areas of our town to support our small businesses.
The Power of Together begins here:
Green Drinks Annapolis – connecting and celebrating Annapolis’ environmental community
over conversation, collaboration, and cocktails!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Celebrating Fall at True Food Kitchen
October 26, 2022
We told you about:
The return of the Great Pumpkin Drop Off and all the compost that will result
Our No Butts in the Bay campaign
And more!
We were close enough to Halloween so some Green Drinkers wore costumes!
And some stayed for a delicious, discounted dinner!
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A Summer Gathering with a View
August 24, 2022
Our August Green Drinks environmental happy hour was held at the beautiful new The Choptank Annapolis restaurant on Ego Alley in Annapolis. We were thrilled to be at this gorgeous new location!
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Plastic Free July Green Drinks!
July 26, 2022
Pirates Cove Restaurant and Dock Bar
4817 Riverside Drive, Galesville
We celebrated Plastic Free July and showcased all of the wonderful alternatives to single-use plastic that Pirates Cove and its sister restaurants are known for. And what a better place to be thankful for less plastic than on the beautiful dock of the bay at Pirates Cove.
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Raise your glass to GreenGive at this month’s Green Drinks!
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Annapolis Green is hosting GreenGive’s Green Drinks in May as our second intro for GreenGive. Join us at Annapolis Market House to meet the Green Give partners, hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. Green Give is just around the corner on June 7-8.
This month we will feature five of our 11 GreenGive partners — and us! — with information and fun:
- Annapolis Green
- Arundel Rivers Federation
- Friends of Jug Bay
- Spa Creek Conservancy
- Unity Gardens
- Watershed Stewards Academy
Meet the GreenGive partners. Hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. GreenGive is just around the corner on June 7-8. Take advantage of this early bird opportunity to get to know these GreenGive partners and the five you met at the April Green Drinks.
A Beautiful Night at Annapolis Market House!
Highlights
Music on arrival by a duet from the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra promoting the upcoming Celebrating Annapolis Green concert at Maryland Hall on June 11! The concert will feature beloved classical pieces and our own beloved Eastport Oyster Boys! What a fabulous blend! Learn more about the concert.- A “real” Green Drink! Cheers to the Annapolis Market House for its new spirits license to augment the wide selection of beer and wine.
- Great Food! Enjoy a selection of flatbreads, cheeses and charcuterie! It is also “Locals Thursday” which means happy hour pricing. And did you hear? Dangerously Delicious Pies will be setting up a second location at the Market House tomorrow too! And don’t forget a Cuppa Joe to-go from Rise Up Coffee Roasters. They have been offering up to-go compostables from the very start!
- More music! Inside you’ll hear performer Ryan Kozel – an environmentalist by trade and by heart! We’re welcoming him into the Green Drinks fam. Follow Ryan here!
- Lomi Kitchen Composter raffle! Read more below.
- Get to know our GreenGive partners!
Special Raffle!
Want to do some home composting from the convenience of your kitchen counter? We’ve got just the product for you, the highly sought-after Lomi Home Composter! A $500 value, the machine turns your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost right on your counter. How it works. Raffle tickets will be available at Green Drinks. Thank you to Phyllis Emmett for this donation.
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Green Drinks meets GreenGive!
April 28, 2022
Check out our Facebook event page.
Meet the GreenGive partners at this and the May Green Drinks. Hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. GreenGive is just around the corner on June 7-8. Take advantage of this early bird opportunity to get to know the GreenGive partners at both the the April and May Green Drinks.
This month we will feature five of our 11 GreenGive partners with information and fun:
- Crownsville Conservancy
- Scenic Rivers Land Trust
- Severn River Association
- Severn Riverkeeper
- St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature
Drinks: The Graduate Hotel and its Trophy Room will welcome us with a Special Green Drink: Gimlets for Green. The local distillery, McClintock, out of Frederick Maryland, is one of the Graduate’s partners. For the month of April every gimlet sold helps plant one tree! The hotel participates in this promotion for the month of April as four popular drinks come from McClintock’s product… keeping it local!
Food: Chef Michael will put out a spread of some of the Trophy Room’s most requested finger foods and appetizers!
Music: Annapolis Green is happy to welcome back our friend and amazing young musician Jack Shenk.
Special Raffle!
Want to do some home composting from the convenience of your kitchen counter? We’ve got just the product for you, the highly sought-after Lomi Home Composter! A $500 value, the machine turns your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost right on your counter. How it works. Raffle tickets will be available at Green Drinks.
What Green-ness the Graduate Hotel is carrying out, in the staff’s own words:
- We utilize a baler to keep cardboard out of compactor thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions by fewer hauls. It also reduces our cost per haul.
- We use low flow shower heads in all guest rooms and at all common area water outlets.
- We use five-gallon water dispenser stations to refill aluminum bottles vs. giving water bottles to our team members.
- We also use the “clean the planet” program which recycles bars of soap after only being used once.
- All of our storage closets lights are on motion sensors thus reducing electricity consumption
Join us! Meet one new person, learn one new thing! There’s nothing like person-to-person connections to build our Green community! See you there!
When Green Drinks ends, stay for a delicious dinner at the Trophy Room!
The Graduate will validate parking for Green Drinks guests in the hotel’s self-park lot.
Return to Homestead Gardens!
March 24, 2022
After two long years, let’s get together to renew old friendships and make new ones all in the beautiful setting of flowers and greenery at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville.
Join Annapolis Green for a true celebration of our local environmental community. This will be the 11th time this environmental networking event has been held Homestead Gardens, where Annapolis Green’s last Green Drinks would have been held in March of 2020 had the pandemic not stopped everything.
Meet one new person and learn one new thing! That’s what our mantra has been for Green Drinks and what we ask you to do at our event. Engage with the people and organizations that make Greater Annapolis and Anne Arundel County vibrant and sustainable. Celebrate with old and new friends, and learn how you can do your part for our environment.
What to Expect
Look for our “Green Carpet,” not red carpet entrance! The carpeting is provided by Interface.
Interface’s Story: “In 1994, inspired by our customers, we set out to eliminate our negative impact on the environment. Today, we’re proud to have delivered on our Mission Zero® commitment, in part by becoming the first global flooring manufacturer to sell all products as carbon neutral across their full life cycle.” Interface has set a goal to be a carbon negative company by 2040.
We’ve invited several organizations that we know you’ll want to learn more about including:
- Maryland Green Registry
- Maryland League of Conservation Voters
- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay & its Project Clean Stream
- GreenGive
With a nod to the sailboat in our Annapolis Green logo, we welcome our Presenting Sponsor Marinalife!
Founded by lifelong boaters, Marinalife delivers tools and resources to allow the boating community to fully embrace life on the water. Marinalife joined with Snag-A-Slip in 2017 and together, create tech-enabled solutions, allowing boaters and marinas to easily connect and transact. Headquartered in Baltimore, Marinalife’s crew is passionate about two things: boating and delivering exceptional service to customers.
Since March is Maryland Wine Month, we’ll be joined by the Maryland Wineries Association and will have several wines to both taste and serve. Supporting Maryland wine since 1984, the Maryland Wineries Association is the nonprofit trade association that represents the 80+ wineries in Maryland. The MWA is made up of a board of winery owners and over 80 members representing wineries and associate members from across the state. MWA’s mission is to develop and expand the grape and wine industry in Maryland through education and promotion.
Also joining us is Grow & Fortify, an organization built to support value-added agricultural organizations and the businesses they represent. G&F has gathered a team of professionals to support agricultural startups and ensure financial viability of our land, and ultimately, our community. Its mission is to cultivate an environment where value-added agricultural producers, startups, operators and growers innovate and thrive. G&F grows the organizations & businesses that fortify Maryland’s agricultural heritage.
Beer drinker? We’ve got your back so you can enjoy a glass from the newest brewery coming to Annapolis – RAR Brewing! Headquartered in Cambridge, RAR is set to open its second location this summer in West Annapolis. Read more. RAR produces well-balanced American brews 10 barrels at a time. Proudly brewing since the summer of 2013 with no intentions of slowing down, RAR strives to continuously produce products that our community can take pride in. Drink Fresh!
And, get ready for a treat with catering by our great friends at Bread and Butter Kitchen! Founded in 2016 by Monica Alvarado, Bread and Butter Kitchen is her vision of sharing her passion for making amazing food that celebrates local ingredients. Monica works closely with local farmers and vendors to source the best ingredients available. She and her amazing team serve up great food seven days a week at the waterfront café in Eastport. Monica was named Annapolis Person of the Year in 2020 for leading Feed Anne Arundel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Thank you to Founding One Hundred supporter Homestead Gardens for hosting Green Drinks Annapolis!
Green Drinks Annapolis: Connecting and celebrating Annapolis’ environmental community over conversation, collaboration, and cocktails!
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The Flowers & The Trees
ok, mainly the trees
Our last Green Drinks was our
Virtual Happy Hour Watch Party!
Thursday, April 2, 2020
7pm on Facebook Watch
We cooked up a great way for us to get together — a virtual Green Drinks on Facebook!
Going online, we focused on “The Flowers and the Trees” to follow our February Green Drinks theme which was “The Birds and the Bees.” And although the flowers are beautiful and they were in bloom, we turned our attention to the trees, highlighting all the benefits trees give us.
We tried something new in our emerging virtual world and had some fun while learning great things! What we went over is still live on our Facebook page.
About The Party
This virtual hour was filled with short videos from several of our local partners and very respected sources that provided ideas and education. There will be lots of opportunities to interact and our audience sure did!
There were questions asked and answered; people added their own experiences and connected with old and new friends.
We learned about the terrific benefits trees provide to the planet, how to select trees, how to plant them and how to take care of them. Read more here.
Our Facebook Watch Party sponsor was the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. The Alliance is one of the oldest and well-respected non-profits working throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It works in all six states and the District of Columbia to bring together communities, companies, and conservationists to improve our lands and waters. In addition to its well known Project Clean Stream, the Alliance has several programs dedicated to conserving Chesapeake forests and we’ll talk about them with Alliance folks including executive director Kate Fritz.
Also featured was Homestead Gardens, would-be hosts of our in-person Green Drinks. Homestead tree experts provided info on trees and an exciting announcement about our online seminars they are planning with Annapolis Green.
Also Starring
- The City of Annapolis’ Memorial Tree & Bench Program, Trees of Distinction Program, and GreenScape
- Special Guest former Mayor Ellen Moyer, who was instrumental in setting up tree protection and beautification programs in the City
- DNR’s Marylanders Plant Trees and Tree-Mendous Maryland
- Watershed Stewards’ Replant Anne Arundel Program
- County Forester Bud Reeves
How did the Watch Party Work?
- We asked you to make a date with yourself and put the event on your calendar.
- Everyone had a snack and a beverage ready for our toast to the future! We encouraged all to make sure they were stocked with some local beers or wine (organic, preferred) and supported local restaurants offering take-out or delivery. (For take-out within City limits click here.)
WE said: “No registration (but we’ll miss Rita, Sandy, Daphne and Susan checking us in) and name tags are optional. Hey if you want to wear a tree hat, go for it! And of course we will have a drinking game so we can all toast together! You’ll never guess what the ‘drink word’ is!”
We’d like to thank Maggie Hughes who dreamed up our Facebook Watch Party, is putting our videos together, and running with it!
Past Green Drinks
Wednesday, February 1
Blackwall Hitch
SPONSORED BY
You joined us to “Continue the Conversation” on the day after the virtual Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit where the environmental community’s priority state legislation were presented. Our special guest and speaker, Marisa Olszewski, Environmental Policy Manager at the Maryland League of Conservation Voters gave a terrific presentation about what delegates and senators will be considering and how that will affect our environment. She joined MDLCV in 2022 to serve as an organizational expert on policies, regulations, and proposed legislation, as well as community education and outreach programs. Read more about Marisa.
Special guest and speaker Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo (District 15, Montgomery County) addressed legislation related to electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. He’s an EV driver himself and a tireless advocate for the climate benefits of emission-free driving. Annapolis Green is the only local nonprofit consistently advocating for driving electric to reduce emissions for over ten years and we were delighted to welcome Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo.
Martha Ainsworth, Chair of the Zero Waste Team at the Maryland Sierra Club filled us in on litter and waste initiatives — think plastic bag legislation and deposits on beverage containers. Elvia spoke for a bit about dangerous forever chemicals in pesticides and legislation to regulate it. It will be an enlightening evening!
Back when the Environmental Legislative Summit was in person, we would schedule the Continue the Conversation Green Drinks immediately following it to give people who were so energized by the great bills under consideration that they just wanted to keep talking! We provided that venue for close to 10 years. We’re glad we can continue doing just that thanks to the sponsorship of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and the many environmental organizations that make up the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment (CCE)! Annapolis Green is a CCE member.
For many months before the General Assembly opens each January, CCE members come together to discuss potential legislation of importance to the environment. A vote is taken in early fall to determine what the “priority” bills will be, that is, which will receive the most support. Organizations with the wherewithal to do so take the lead on obtaining sponsors for the bills, advocating for passage by presenting testimony and speaking with legislators. There are many, many other important bills having to do with the environment in addition to the priority bills and those are followed closely and helped along with testimony presentation and in-person advocacy with legislators.
The Maryland League of Conservation Voters provides us all with a terrific range of information on State-level legislation. Weekly, the Friday Digest presents a half-hour chock full of information about legislation and other important topics. Soon the HOTLIST of pending legislation will go live on the LCV website. The weekly HOTLIST is open to everyone and is a great way to keep up with the status of bills. Maryland LCV also produces a scorecard at the end of every legislative session. Bills that are scored are included in the HOTLIST and scores are drawn from all public record votes (Committee, Floor, Amendment).
Blackwall Hitch, owned by Titan Hospitality Group, is where Green Drinks Annapolis began in 2006, when the restaurant was called the Rockfish. Then-Chef Charlie Bauer, who was legendary at the time for his local sourcing of ingredients and early sustainable initiatives, was at the helm. There was some reminiscing… and a few “original” Green Drinkers in attendance.
Quite a few years ago, the Spa Creek Conservancy obtained a grant to install best practices to handle stormwater in the parking lot at Blackwall Hitch (then Rockfish). The pavement is permeable and the perimeter plantings were installed as rain gardens.
Blackwall Hitch treated us to Half-Pasta Night featuring hand-crafted, made in-house pastas and to two special green drinks — a green drink at Green Drinks and also a Green Drinks Mocktail!
Neighborhood Sun representatives weree on hand to discuss how you can benefit from clean solar energy without panels on your rooftop. This applies to residential AND commercial applications.
Annapolis Compost collected compostables and food waste from our event.
Admission to Green Drinks is free. Please make a $10 donation at the door to help Annapolis Green’s programs continue.
Put our next Green Drinks on your calendar now: March 21 at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A festive celebration of Arts and Environment… with an international flair!
Thursday, December 8
Maryland Hall|
‘twas the season!
We were in the new Community Room at Maryland Hall celebrating not only the season but also the activities and opportunities that our event sponsor, the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, is known for, as the organization celebrates its larger boundaries, new partners, and new brand!
We’ll also saluted Maryland Hall’s commitment to sustainability as events in the Community Room will be Zero-Waste.
Event partner Greenstreet Gardens created a holiday fantasy land with garlands, wreaths, a nine-foot tree, and over 1000 lights and cheerful décor.
Greenstreet Gardens is a family-owned business with several locations. Closest to us is 391 West Bay Front Road, Lothian. They have thousands of poinsettias in beautiful colors and fresh cut trees – most notably Noble fir from the west coast and Frasier fir from the Carolinas. The company also carries exotic western red cedar roping, fresh cut yellow incense cedar, juniper berries, curly willow, white birch, winter berries grown on its farm, white pine roping and giant Sugar pinecones and more. “Noble fir wreath from 12” – 48” are the longest lasting variety,” they advise. And the company can decorate your home too. Learn more.
And now to the international part!
Caliente Grill provided Latin American appetizers that were absolutely delicious! The menu included mini tacos, pupusas, chips and salsa and more. Delicioso!
Tradition from the other side of the world lifted our spirits and energized the event with African drumming by Dr. David Fakunle, a renown artist and storyteller. Learn more about Dr. Fakunle here.
We’ll enjoyed classic holiday carols and Elvia and our friend Karin Hannah did their best to lead you in a sing along.
We were delighted to welcome Leadership Anne Arundel whose 2023 Flagship class was at Maryland Hall for its Arts & Culture Day.
Especially at this time of year we want to thank our wonderful photographer, Ken Tom, who volunteers countless hours to document our events in such a beautiful way. We are working on creating a gallery of his work on this page. Stay tuned for an announcement soon.
After Green Drinks
Many of us headed out to Midnight Madness II in downtown Annapolis and all areas of our town to support our small businesses.
The Power of Together begins here:
Green Drinks Annapolis – connecting and celebrating Annapolis’ environmental community
over conversation, collaboration, and cocktails!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Celebrating Fall at True Food Kitchen
October 26, 2022
We told you about:
The return of the Great Pumpkin Drop Off and all the compost that will result
Our No Butts in the Bay campaign
And more!
We were close enough to Halloween so some Green Drinkers wore costumes!
And some stayed for a delicious, discounted dinner!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Summer Gathering with a View
August 24, 2022
Our August Green Drinks environmental happy hour was held at the beautiful new The Choptank Annapolis restaurant on Ego Alley in Annapolis. We were thrilled to be at this gorgeous new location!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plastic Free July Green Drinks!
July 26, 2022
Pirates Cove Restaurant and Dock Bar
4817 Riverside Drive, Galesville
We celebrated Plastic Free July and showcased all of the wonderful alternatives to single-use plastic that Pirates Cove and its sister restaurants are known for. And what a better place to be thankful for less plastic than on the beautiful dock of the bay at Pirates Cove.
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Raise your glass to GreenGive at this month’s Green Drinks!
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Annapolis Green is hosting GreenGive’s Green Drinks in May as our second intro for GreenGive. Join us at Annapolis Market House to meet the Green Give partners, hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. Green Give is just around the corner on June 7-8.
This month we will feature five of our 11 GreenGive partners — and us! — with information and fun:
- Annapolis Green
- Arundel Rivers Federation
- Friends of Jug Bay
- Spa Creek Conservancy
- Unity Gardens
- Watershed Stewards Academy
Meet the GreenGive partners. Hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. GreenGive is just around the corner on June 7-8. Take advantage of this early bird opportunity to get to know these GreenGive partners and the five you met at the April Green Drinks.
A Beautiful Night at Annapolis Market House!
Highlights
- Music on arrival by a duet from the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra promoting the upcoming Celebrating Annapolis Green concert at Maryland Hall on June 11! The concert will feature beloved classical pieces and our own beloved Eastport Oyster Boys! What a fabulous blend! Learn more about the concert.
- A “real” Green Drink! Cheers to the Annapolis Market House for its new spirits license to augment the wide selection of beer and wine.
- Great Food! Enjoy a selection of flatbreads, cheeses and charcuterie! It is also “Locals Thursday” which means happy hour pricing. And did you hear? Dangerously Delicious Pies will be setting up a second location at the Market House tomorrow too! And don’t forget a Cuppa Joe to-go from Rise Up Coffee Roasters. They have been offering up to-go compostables from the very start!
- More music! Inside you’ll hear performer Ryan Kozel – an environmentalist by trade and by heart! We’re welcoming him into the Green Drinks fam. Follow Ryan here!
- Lomi Kitchen Composter raffle! Read more below.
- Get to know our GreenGive partners!
Special Raffle!
Want to do some home composting from the convenience of your kitchen counter? We’ve got just the product for you, the highly sought-after Lomi Home Composter! A $500 value, the machine turns your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost right on your counter. How it works. Raffle tickets will be available at Green Drinks. Thank you to Phyllis Emmett for this donation.
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Green Drinks meets GreenGive!
April 28, 2022
Check out our Facebook event page.
Meet the GreenGive partners at this and the May Green Drinks. Hear about the important work these organizations are doing, and enjoy an evening of community. GreenGive is just around the corner on June 7-8. Take advantage of this early bird opportunity to get to know the GreenGive partners at both the the April and May Green Drinks.
This month we will feature five of our 11 GreenGive partners with information and fun:
- Crownsville Conservancy
- Scenic Rivers Land Trust
- Severn River Association
- Severn Riverkeeper
- St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature
Drinks: The Graduate Hotel and its Trophy Room will welcome us with a Special Green Drink: Gimlets for Green. The local distillery, McClintock, out of Frederick Maryland, is one of the Graduate’s partners. For the month of April every gimlet sold helps plant one tree! The hotel participates in this promotion for the month of April as four popular drinks come from McClintock’s product… keeping it local!
Food: Chef Michael will put out a spread of some of the Trophy Room’s most requested finger foods and appetizers!
Music: Annapolis Green is happy to welcome back our friend and amazing young musician Jack Shenk.
Special Raffle!
Want to do some home composting from the convenience of your kitchen counter? We’ve got just the product for you, the highly sought-after Lomi Home Composter! A $500 value, the machine turns your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost right on your counter. How it works. Raffle tickets will be available at Green Drinks.
What Green-ness the Graduate Hotel is carrying out, in the staff’s own words:
- We utilize a baler to keep cardboard out of compactor thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions by fewer hauls. It also reduces our cost per haul.
- We use low flow shower heads in all guest rooms and at all common area water outlets.
- We use five-gallon water dispenser stations to refill aluminum bottles vs. giving water bottles to our team members.
- We also use the “clean the planet” program which recycles bars of soap after only being used once.
- All of our storage closets lights are on motion sensors thus reducing electricity consumption
Join us! Meet one new person, learn one new thing! There’s nothing like person-to-person connections to build our Green community! See you there!
When Green Drinks ends, stay for a delicious dinner at the Trophy Room!
The Graduate will validate parking for Green Drinks guests in the hotel’s self-park lot.
Return to Homestead Gardens!
March 24, 2022
After two long years, let’s get together to renew old friendships and make new ones all in the beautiful setting of flowers and greenery at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville.
Join Annapolis Green for a true celebration of our local environmental community. This will be the 11th time this environmental networking event has been held Homestead Gardens, where Annapolis Green’s last Green Drinks would have been held in March of 2020 had the pandemic not stopped everything.
Meet one new person and learn one new thing! That’s what our mantra has been for Green Drinks and what we ask you to do at our event. Engage with the people and organizations that make Greater Annapolis and Anne Arundel County vibrant and sustainable. Celebrate with old and new friends, and learn how you can do your part for our environment.
What to Expect
Look for our “Green Carpet,” not red carpet entrance! The carpeting is provided by Interface.
Interface’s Story: “In 1994, inspired by our customers, we set out to eliminate our negative impact on the environment. Today, we’re proud to have delivered on our Mission Zero® commitment, in part by becoming the first global flooring manufacturer to sell all products as carbon neutral across their full life cycle.” Interface has set a goal to be a carbon negative company by 2040.
We’ve invited several organizations that we know you’ll want to learn more about including:
- Maryland Green Registry
- Maryland League of Conservation Voters
- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay & its Project Clean Stream
- GreenGive
With a nod to the sailboat in our Annapolis Green logo, we welcome our Presenting Sponsor Marinalife!
Founded by lifelong boaters, Marinalife delivers tools and resources to allow the boating community to fully embrace life on the water. Marinalife joined with Snag-A-Slip in 2017 and together, create tech-enabled solutions, allowing boaters and marinas to easily connect and transact. Headquartered in Baltimore, Marinalife’s crew is passionate about two things: boating and delivering exceptional service to customers.
Since March is Maryland Wine Month, we’ll be joined by the Maryland Wineries Association and will have several wines to both taste and serve. Supporting Maryland wine since 1984, the Maryland Wineries Association is the nonprofit trade association that represents the 80+ wineries in Maryland. The MWA is made up of a board of winery owners and over 80 members representing wineries and associate members from across the state. MWA’s mission is to develop and expand the grape and wine industry in Maryland through education and promotion.
Also joining us is Grow & Fortify, an organization built to support value-added agricultural organizations and the businesses they represent. G&F has gathered a team of professionals to support agricultural startups and ensure financial viability of our land, and ultimately, our community. Its mission is to cultivate an environment where value-added agricultural producers, startups, operators and growers innovate and thrive. G&F grows the organizations & businesses that fortify Maryland’s agricultural heritage.
Beer drinker? We’ve got your back so you can enjoy a glass from the newest brewery coming to Annapolis – RAR Brewing! Headquartered in Cambridge, RAR is set to open its second location this summer in West Annapolis. Read more. RAR produces well-balanced American brews 10 barrels at a time. Proudly brewing since the summer of 2013 with no intentions of slowing down, RAR strives to continuously produce products that our community can take pride in. Drink Fresh!
And, get ready for a treat with catering by our great friends at Bread and Butter Kitchen! Founded in 2016 by Monica Alvarado, Bread and Butter Kitchen is her vision of sharing her passion for making amazing food that celebrates local ingredients. Monica works closely with local farmers and vendors to source the best ingredients available. She and her amazing team serve up great food seven days a week at the waterfront café in Eastport. Monica was named Annapolis Person of the Year in 2020 for leading Feed Anne Arundel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Thank you to Founding One Hundred supporter Homestead Gardens for hosting Green Drinks Annapolis!
Green Drinks Annapolis: Connecting and celebrating Annapolis’ environmental community over conversation, collaboration, and cocktails!
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The Flowers & The Trees
ok, mainly the trees
Our last Green Drinks was our
Virtual Happy Hour Watch Party!
Thursday, April 2, 2020
7pm on Facebook Watch
We cooked up a great way for us to get together — a virtual Green Drinks on Facebook!
Going online, we focused on “The Flowers and the Trees” to follow our February Green Drinks theme which was “The Birds and the Bees.” And although the flowers are beautiful and they were in bloom, we turned our attention to the trees, highlighting all the benefits trees give us.
We tried something new in our emerging virtual world and had some fun while learning great things! What we went over is still live on our Facebook page.
About The Party
This virtual hour was filled with short videos from several of our local partners and very respected sources that provided ideas and education. There will be lots of opportunities to interact and our audience sure did!
There were questions asked and answered; people added their own experiences and connected with old and new friends.
We learned about the terrific benefits trees provide to the planet, how to select trees, how to plant them and how to take care of them. Read more here.
Our Facebook Watch Party sponsor was the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. The Alliance is one of the oldest and well-respected non-profits working throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It works in all six states and the District of Columbia to bring together communities, companies, and conservationists to improve our lands and waters. In addition to its well known Project Clean Stream, the Alliance has several programs dedicated to conserving Chesapeake forests and we’ll talk about them with Alliance folks including executive director Kate Fritz.
Also featured was Homestead Gardens, would-be hosts of our in-person Green Drinks. Homestead tree experts provided info on trees and an exciting announcement about our online seminars they are planning with Annapolis Green.
Also Starring
- The City of Annapolis’ Memorial Tree & Bench Program, Trees of Distinction Program, and GreenScape
- Special Guest former Mayor Ellen Moyer, who was instrumental in setting up tree protection and beautification programs in the City
- DNR’s Marylanders Plant Trees and Tree-Mendous Maryland
- Watershed Stewards’ Replant Anne Arundel Program
- County Forester Bud Reeves
How did the Watch Party Work?
- We asked you to make a date with yourself and put the event on your calendar.
- Everyone had a snack and a beverage ready for our toast to the future! We encouraged all to make sure they were stocked with some local beers or wine (organic, preferred) and supported local restaurants offering take-out or delivery. (For take-out within City limits click here.)
WE said: “No registration (but we’ll miss Rita, Sandy, Daphne and Susan checking us in) and name tags are optional. Hey if you want to wear a tree hat, go for it! And of course we will have a drinking game so we can all toast together! You’ll never guess what the ‘drink word’ is!”
We’d like to thank Maggie Hughes who dreamed up our Facebook Watch Party, is putting our videos together, and running with it!
