Most of us can agree: beer is good. We may not all like the same kind of beer (my boyfriend likes Budweiser, for example, but I tend to go for the fancy Belgian imports), but as a nation, beer-drinking is right up there with baseball as a favorite past-time. What's not so good is the amount of energy used to make beer bottles and packaging, not to mention the resources used in transporting beer to all us guzzlers. So, how can we enjoy happy hour without feeling guilty about the damage our habit is contributing to the environment? Some might say just drink more (drink enough and it even numbs the guilt), but there's a better way: if you live in New York, you can head over to the Whole Foods Bowery Beer Room and grab yourself a growler.
A growler is a "half gallon glass container used for toting a rich delicious brew to and fro." Fill your growler with any of 6 local beers of tap. Ask for assistance in pairing beers with certain foods. Go home and drink up, bring your growler back and re-fill. You don't have to give you your fancy Belgian imports for good, but by mixing it with local beers, you can do your small part in reducing energy consumption. And that's something to drink to, no?
If you know of similar set-ups in your area where you can bring in a growler or a jug and fill up with local beers, pass along the info in the comments section!