Cosmopolitan, manhattan, martini... you'll hear these names frivolously thrown around any upscale bar or club.

Intoday's world, we aren't as frivolous with our clothes, our food or our cleaning products. The world is becoming eco-conscious, and consumers are searching for eco-friendly products to help them go green. Why stop when you order a drink at the bar? Eco-friendly cocktails are the newest trend for the environmentally conscious consumer.

Organic Beer and Wine
MSNBC recently reported on this growing trend in the United States and commented that organic beer and wine are the first eco-friendly alcoholic drinks that many consumers encounter. For a beer or wine to be classified as organic, like Peak Organic Beer and products from The Organic Wine Company, the beverages need to meet the standards set by the USDA's National Organic Program. By doing so, they can be considered organic, and consumers can be sure they are helping the environment with their beer or wine choice.

Organic Juice, Fruit and Vegetables
If you can't go without your favorite alcoholic cocktail at a party, consider adding to it with organic fruit and vegetables. Making a mimosa? Be sure to add Tropicana's organic orange juice. If you want a martini, add a Rawganique organic olive to your drink. Even if the alcohol itself isn't eco-friendly, there's no reason not to spice it up with a green mixer or garnish. Many cocktails have started adding organic tea as a mixer. What will they think of next?

Green Business Habits
Another way to go green with your cocktail choice is to select beverages whose companies have environmentally friendly practices. The açaí berries used in VeeV, for example, are not only harvested from sustainable forests, but the company donates $1 for every bottle purchased back to the Brazilian rainforest. Seek out companies like VeeV, who make the word "eco-conscious" part of their business practice.

Eco-friendly cocktails are the newest trend for the environmentally conscious consumer. From organic beer, wine, mixers and garnishes to companies that make going green part of their business plan, selecting eco-friendly drinks is a lifestyle change you won't have to suffer through. The options for green cocktails are limitless if you open up your mind when ordering at the bar.

Sources:

MSNBC; Organic Booze Becomes Cocktail Trend at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25098479/

Peak Organic Beer at http://www.peakbrewing.com/

Organic Wine Company at http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/

Rawganique at http://www.rawganique.com/Food-raw-organic-olives.htm

SmartsCo at http://www.smartsco.com/content/view/108/66/

Veev at http://www.veevlife.com/

Written by Kelly Herdrich

While coffeehouses and clubs will never go out of style, Chicago's local scene undoubtedly revolves around bars. Chicagoans take pride in neighborhood bars, and often drop names of favorite bars as a means of giving clues about their personalities. Whether you prefer a rock-and-roll bar, a hipster dive or an upscale lounge, Chicago has a bar for everyone.

One thing that bar-hopping, eco-conscious Chicagoans can agree on is VeeV. VeeV is a trendy new alcoholic drink on Chicago's local scene, catching on for both its taste and commitment to sustainable practices.

VeeV is made from the açaí fruit, a Brazilian berry that grows on palm trees and is also used in energy drinks. Açaí has gained popularity in recent years (thanks, Oprah!) as a superfood, and some people believe açaí contains healing and weight-loss properties. Mixologists use VeeV much like vodka, although it has a sweeter taste from the açaí and other fruit ingredients.

As a member of the green organization Business for Social Responsibility, VeeV is an ethical choice as well as a way to take part in what's current in Chicago's local scene. VeeV donates a dollar from every bottle sold to help sustain the Brazilian rainforest, uses sustainable packaging and is a carbon neutral company. VeeV sales representatives even drive hybrid cars.

Recently released in Chicago, VeeV is available at more than 40 local bars and restaurants. If you prefer a dark, upscale lounge setting, find VeeV at Wicker Park's new Violet Hour. The Violet Hour is known for its velvet-draped, speakeasy style, master mixology and lack of signage. Find them at 1520 N. Damen Ave. behind the decrepit wooden door.

For dinner to go with your drinks, try VeeV at De la Costa at 465 East Illinois St. on Chicago's North Side for Latin food, or Avec at 615 West Randolph St. in the West Loop for Mediterranean-inspired dishes served at communal tables.

You don't have to spend a lot of money or get dressed in your finest to partake of VeeV, though. If you prefer a night on the couch to a night on the town, a bottle retails for about $35 in Chicago.

Sources:
"VeeV, Drink Your Acai" by Deidre Woollard. http://www.luxist.com/2007/07/10/veev-drink-your-acai/
http://www.veevlife.com/
"VeeV, the World's First Acai Spirit, Announces Carbon Neutral Certification," Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS121674+11-Feb-2008+PRN20080211

Written by Esther November