Happy Holidays from Talen Events!  Why not Bring in the Christmas Cheer with some Eco-Chic Holiday Spirit?

How do you throw an Eco-Christmas Party You Ask?

1. Do Up Your Old Decor! There’s lots of inticing new Christmas decorations out there for you to buy, but why not curb your spending this year and bring out all the old Christmas decorations? Sure, they might not be the most modern — but they have the potential to put a smile on your guests face! So find all those old retro christmas balls, plastic candles, and moving Santas and get jolly this Christmas!

2. Invite Everyone…Personally! — Yes there’s Facebook, and Evites, and lots of other eco-friendly ways to send an invitation — but why not surprise your guests with a friendly little phonecall.. from You! Invite your relatives, friends, and neighbors the old fashion way and let them know to Save the Date!

3. Set up a Carpool! Is Grandma on your Uncle Ned’s way? Do you have old friends who need to catch up? Why not give that extra push to start carpooling? Sometimes all it takes is for someone to ask, and you can do your part to ward away unwanted carbon juices clogging up the environment!

4. A Little Mood Lighting Perhaps? Create an atmosphere for every room with lighting. Lighten up in the kitchen, bring it down in the family room — maybe only keep your living room aglow with the Christmas tree and some candles and give your guests some mood lighting the celebrity way  — all the while saving som electricity!

5. Let Your Dinner Do the Talking! You could go to the grocery store and buy all your groceries there and just have any old meal — or you can make your dinner an adventure. Take a peek at your local farmer’s markets, check out local foodies, or even visit a local farm for your fancy feast! Let your guests know where you got your food, and don’t forget to keep all the locations on a sheet of paper to give to the guests who ask!

Do something a little different this year and host your first annual Eco-Christmas Party! Who knows? Maybe your guests will love it so much they’ll make it a tradition!

For more information about Eco Christmas check out Talen Events Interview on Hello Eco Living: http://helloecoliving.com/2009/12/throwing-an-eco-holiday-party/

Happy Holidays & Happy Planning!

From Tiffany & Amalia, Your Friends at Talen Events

If you recently read our post on Organic Wines or have been hearing all the buzz about organic foods and beverages and want to know more, welcome! Organic beverages are a great addition to your sustainable lifestyle and actually taste incredible too. So the next time you put on your party shoes and need to head out to the liquor store for a house warming gift — why not give the gift of organic?

What is Organic?

As I mentioned in the other post, Organic Farming is a more natural way of farming that eliminates the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulations and additives. Instead of these foreign substances and chemicals being added to your food, farmers let nature run its course and produce food naturally.  More so, farmers really have to take a lot of old farmers techniques into consideration.. things like crop rotation, and residues to mechanical cultivation will really help them grow the best crops possible. Organic beers are no different, there are primarily made from barley, hops and wheat so producing these crops usually include lots of pesticides and fertilizers which we’ve seen pose a threat to our health and the environment. Beyond that the transportation of this beer consumes fossil fuels by the truckloads.. literally, with statistics showing that a beer travels as much as 1400 km. before it hits your belly.

How do I know what I’m looking at?

When you walk into a store, shopping organic might not be the easiest thing in the world. It might take a little research before you know what you’re buying. There aren’t many organic beers on the market, but they are easy identifiable. Keep your eyes open for the “Certified Organic” label on the beer which means, like organic wines follow all the standards set by the USDA, which include standards for chemicals used to clean breweries. You can also find beers “made with organic ingredients” which are made from organic grains, but not processed in certified organic breweries.

Buying Local

Another great way to enjoy a beverage without the carbon addage is to take a trip to your local microbreweries. While it’s not organic (although some microbrewers do carry organic brands) buying local beer reduces the amount of fossil fuels used in shipping, and supports smaller, local businesses.

For more information about Organic Beers don’t hesitate to check out the following links:

Green Guide to Organic Beer
The Fermenting Barrel: Is Organic Beer Bad?
Organic or Bust: All about Organic Beer

Enjoy your night out and BYOB, it can be a great conversation starter

Amalia & Tiffany

Heard all the buzz about organic foods and beverages and don’t know what it all means? Well. the next time you put on your party shoes and need to head out to the liquor store for a house warming gift — why not give the gift of organic?

What is Organic?

Organic Farming is a more natural way of farming that eliminates the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulations and additives. Instead of these foreign substances and chemicals being added to your food, farmers let nature run its course and produce food naturally.  Also, they have to take everything they know about crop rotation, and residues to mechanical cultivation to really invest it into their farms to make sure they they get the best crops possible. Organic wines are no different, like other organic products they have been produced from organically grown grapes, and may not necessarily be sulfite -free but they have no added sulfites.

How do I know what I’m looking at?

When you walk into a store, shopping organic might not be the easiest thing in the world. It might take a little research before you know what you’re buying. The Wines of Canada is a site to start out with. On their site they offer a list of Canadian organic wines as well the differences between one organic wine to the other.

For Example, According to the Wines of Canada site:

“100% Organic” means that the wines are produced with grapes that are certified 100 per cent organically grown and do not have any sulfur dioxide added.

“Organic” means that the wines are produced with a minimum of 95 per cent organic ingredients. These wines may have a very low level of sulfur dioxide added to them.

“Made with Organic grapes” refers to wines that have a minimum of 70 per cent organic grapes. These wines may have sulfur dioxide added.

They also add a bit about Biodynamic farming which is a number of techniques used to organic farmers to utilize the vineyard’s natural resources in order to cultivate the highest-quality grapes possible without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or growth stimulants. A vineyard that is certified biodynamic meets and typically exceeds the standards and regulations for organic certified farming.

For more information about Organic Wines don’t hesitate to check out the following links:

Wines of Canada: Organic Wines in Canada
The Dirt on Organic Wines
Style at Home: Top Organic Wines

Enjoy your night out and BYOB, it can be a great conversation starter

Amalia & Tiffany