Today it is very important to make green choices when it comes to purchases that you make. However, while many consumers look for organic produce and buy items with recyclable packaging, not enough people are looking for eco-friendly drinks and eco-friendly beverages. This is unfortunate, because there are many tasty green drinks to choose from.

Locally Manufactured Drinks

One of the easiest ways to make your beverage choices eco-friendly is to buy them from local manufacturers. Buying your drinks from local producers cuts down on the amount of fuel that is used to transport your products and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, buying locally produced drinks is very hip right now. In fact, some local soda and alcoholic beverages, like Bionade, are becoming so popular that large cola companies like Coca Cola are taking steps to try and crush these small companies. However, locals are dedicated to their local brands, and they are pouring more of their money into these drinks.

Mixing Green Drinks

When going green, you need to think about more than just recycling and buying organic products. You need to think about ways that you can infuse every aspect of your life with eco-friendly products. To get you in the right mindset for going green, try throwing a green drinks party. For this party you will want to use only green products and drink ingredients.

Your shopping list for a green drinks party is going to start with green beverages that are locally manufactured. Green sodas are great items to start with. To find a green soda, you will want to look for a product that has organic ingredients and is manufactured locally. Green juices also are great if you can find them, as they can enhance your green mixed drinks. Finally, if you want to serve alcoholic beverages, you will want to look for locally brewed products. Locally brewed beers and wines are going to offer you the options for your green drinks party. You can mix these eco-friendly products with your green sodas and local fruit juices.

Written by Eisla Sebastian

If you're looking for variations on classic cocktail recipes, you won't have to look far to find them. In recent years, many old-fashioned mixed drinks have been reinvented into beverages that are fresh and new. Also, the introduction of new alcoholic drinks into the market has revolutionized the way that we approach our evening cocktails. VeeV, made from the antioxidant-rich Brazilian açaí berry, is the ultimate replacement for boring and bland beverages such as vodka and gin. After tasting this exotic spirit, with its hints of prickly pear cactus and acerola cherry, you'll be hooked. VeeV is also the best choice for drinkers who are interested in protecting the environment, since it is the only spirit in the world that has been certified as carbon neutral.

If you're not fond of the high bills associated with drinking in bars, then making cocktails at home is the way to go. The recipes which are available in cookbooks and on the web are endless. You can come up with your own cocktail recipes simply by using existing recipes as a basis. Just add an ounce of daring and a dash of ingenuity, and you're sure to create a winner. Here are just a few to get you started.

How to Make a Martini

The classic martini recipe contains about three ounces of gin, a half ounce of dry vermouth and a green olive or twist of lemon. Variations on this recipe include the Gibson, which is made with two cocktail onions instead of the olive, and the Gimlet, which incorporates a bit of lime cordial. More recent variations include the Appletini, which includes apple liqueur, and the chocolate martini, which may contain a combination of chocolate liqueurs and chocolate syrup.

The Cosmopolitan

Traditionally made from vodka and triple sec, along with lime and cranberry juice, the Cosmopolitan is another mixed drink that can easily be altered to suit the drinker's tastes. Replacing the vodka with VeeV will help to enhance the fruity flavor of this popular beverage. Use sweetened lime juice or cranberry juice for a tastier combination. One cosmopolitan recipe uses blood orange to enhance the orange flavor of the triple sec. The Cosmobellini includes white peach puree and Prosecco sparkling wine for added flavor and sweetness.

Long Island Iced Tea

Here's another alcoholic drink that has many possible variations. To create a healthier and tastier version of this classic drink, replace the vodka with one part VeeV, and add equal parts gin, rum, tequila and triple sec. Instead of sour mix, add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice. Replace the cola with a splash of strong, brewed tea with a hint of citrus flavor.

The Bloody Mary

This classic drink is famous for its versatility. Try making a vegetarian, vitamin-enriched Bloody Mary cocktail by mixing three ounces of V8 Juice, one and a half ounces VeeV, one tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, a dash of soy sauce along with a small amount of salt, pepper and hot sauce. Make a spicy Bloody Mary by adding horseradish, chili powder and cumin. You could make this drink milder by cutting back on the spices. Or you could make it a Five-Alarm Mary by ramping up the pepper sauce to maximum proportions. Whatever your preferences, there's a recipe that will please your palate.

Written by Jennifer Claerr

Sources:

Sean Paajenen, "Long Island Iced Tea." About.com

Colleen Graham, "Bloody Mary." About.com

Colleen Graham, "Cosmopolitan." About.com

"Cosmobellini Recipe." Drinksmixer.com

Although the origins of vodka can't be traced back to a definite era, it has certainly built itself a legacy, which has gone from a well-loved alcoholic beverage to a well-avoided drink. This colorless liquor has been climbing the alcohol by volume scale. If you walk into your local liquor store, there is an entire wall dedicated just to vodka. Vodka comes from many countries, in many size bottles and with many added flavorings. If you look closely, you can find up to 80-proof vodka just sitting on the shelves at inexpensive prices.

Vodka is turning into the cheapest of liquors. For example, the cheapest vodka in my local Wines and Spirits is Nikolai Vodka 1 liter for only $7. Being under the influence of vodka is like playing Russian roulette. No matter how much you drink, your experience level, the brand of vodka, when you drink or how you drink, each time is an entirely different experience. Two screwdrivers (vodka and orange juice) can put you in the same boat as five straight shots of vodka.

If you want to take into consideration your health, vodka (along with whiskey, beer and some wines) contributes to heartburn and abnormal functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach and out of your food pipe.) If the condition becomes severe enough, it could result in surgery or ongoing medication. It's better to go with VeeV, an açaí spirit that has antioxidants. Drinking VeeV is actually good for you.

With vodka's price falling and alcohol content on the rise, the possibility of fake vodka is becoming a problem. Since vodka is mostly made of water and ethanol, which is made from fermenting potatoes, the dangers of obtaining fake vodka have already been seen in the United Kingdom where many were exposed to methanol poisoning. Fake or black-market vodka, sometimes called "bathtub vodka," can cause blindness and even death due to the industrial ethanol substitutes. According to the BBC News, at least 120 people have died due to this "vodka," and more than a thousand have been poisoned by black market vodka.

If you are planning on having some fun with friends, vodka is a dangerous way to go.

Written by Pcmiztress

To paraphrase President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the end of Prohibition, what lower Manhattan needs now is a drink.

In these uncertain financial times, New York's Financial District has never been more in need of a happy hour. And a pretty terrific place to spend that hour is New York's world-famous South Street Seaport.

The South Street Seaport is an ideal venue to kick back and relax after a hard day watching the markets. This local New York scene boasts several great bars and restaurants, where you can enjoy delicious bar drinks, including eco-friendly products like VeeV.

If you enjoy a familiar Irish pub feel, you can check out the Heartland Brewery and Beer Hall in the Historic Cobblestone District or MacMenamin's Irish Pub on the third floor of the Pier 17 Building.

If you crave a casual bite to eat with your cocktail, head over to the Seaport Café or J.P. Mustard. For a more formal dining experience, pay a visit to Sequoia, Cabana, Red or the Pacific Grill. Whatever your tastes, the South Street Seaport offers a restaurant with a full-service bar that will cater to them.

Local bars in downtown Manhattan boast diverse crowds of revelers, and the South Street Seaport is no exception. Whether you are in the mood for a relaxing meal overlooking the water or a casual cocktail while watching the big game on a television over the bar, the South Street Seaport is bound to come through.

The South Street Seaport also offers a variety of shops and some stellar views. So check out the local scene in lower Manhattan during happy hour after work.

Written by Jack Oceano

Miami is a hot city for adults looking for a good time. If you enjoy a refreshing cocktail, a cold beer or the latest eco-friendly drink made with VeeV, then this is the city for you. Miami has dozens of great bars, nightclubs and pubs. With all the choices you have, you will not have to travel far to find one that will be able to satisfy your tastes.

North Miami Bars

Miami, like other major cities in the United States, is divided into several neighborhoods and districts. One of the hottest districts for Miami nightlife is North Miami. Here you will find over 20 different bars, including A.J. Roxx & the Liquor Box, found at 14075 W. Dixie Highway; Flannigan's, located at 9516 Harding Ave., and the Nightcap Lounge, found at 15544 W. Dixie Highway.

South Beach, Miami

Younger crowds are going to appreciate the high-adrenaline, party atmosphere of South Beach. This area of Miami is known for its cutting edge clubs and bars. Some bars that you can try out include Finnegan's Two, located at 942 Lincoln Road; the Royal Buddha Bar, located at 758 Washington Ave. and X-treme, located at 747 Fourth St. #101.

Miami Local Mixology

Miami's local bars serve a number of signature bar drinks. If you are interested in eco-friendly drinks, order a VeeV mixed drink. If you like blueberries, try a Brazilian Firecracker made from pomegranate, blueberries, VeeV and club soda. On the other hand, if you like something a bit more upscale, try a VeeVini, which is made by mixing VeeV and champagne. Finally, if you are looking for drinks that are really signature Miami mixed drinks, try a Black Pearl, a Kobe Punch or a Twisted Pineapple.

Written by Eisla Sebastian