The First Ingredient in Green Drinks: A Call for 2016 Hosts
Have you heard of the free, sustainability-focused networking event sweeping the region? If not, you’re probably missing out! Green Drinks has taken off in the Sierra, and Sierra Business Council now organizes two Green Drinks operations, one in Truckee/Tahoe and the other, (six years running!) in the Central Sierra. We are so pleased to be able to highlight our co-hosts in these events, local businesses involved and committed to their communities. We’ve worked with approximately two-dozen businesses so far, and we know there are so many out there ready for the Green Drinks spotlight! We’re hoping you can help us by letting us know of your favorite places in the Truckee/Tahoe and Central Sierra region.
Green Drinks events are planned nation-wide with local organizers. It is an informal business mixer aimed at showcasing local talents and businesses with a sustainability twist, and all types of businesses are welcome to co-host. Green Drinks events are open to the public and anyone interested in learning more about local businesses, meeting new people, and discussing local sustainability issues are encouraged to attend. As an added bonus, the events are an incredible way to get the word out in the community about your favorite hidden gem.
Businesses that host a Green Drinks event are responsible for giving guests a tour or speech about their operation, highlighting their history, sustainability, and/or community presence. They also get to provide hor d’oeuvres and drinks (normally alcoholic, but not required!) and mingle with guests. Each business we’ve partnered with has played to their distinctive strengths and each one has been a delight to experience.
Last year’s Green Drinks hosts were as varied as ever, and consistently surprised us with both the level of dedication with which they honed their individual crafts, as well as their attention to the greater community. In the Central Sierra, we visited all types of businesses – from Paloma Pollinators organic farm to the Indigeny Reserve organic distillery, from Quyle Kilns pottery to the Creative Cookware kitchen store. Each had their own unique viewpoint on living in the Sierra which generated wonderful conversations from everyone who attended. The tours around each of the businesses are not something you get to experience every day, and being able to delve into how each business got its start and currently operates with the owners gives you a unique perspective on the challenges and creative solutions small businesses face in the Sierra.
We’re now looking for new hosts for the 2016 Green Drinks season starting up this March in the Central Sierra!
If you know of any businesses that might be interested in hosting this year, please contact Bowen Humphreys at the Sonora office at 209-532-7200, or by sending an email to bhumphreys@sierrabusiness.org. If you know of a business in the Truckee/Tahoe region that would interested in hosting, please contact Brittany Benesi at 530-582-4800 or bbenesi@sierrabusiness.org. If you can’t wait until March to get your Green Drinks fix, Truckee/Tahoe is celebrating their first event of 2016 at FiftyFifty Brewing Company on Tuesday, February 23rd. You definitely don’t want to miss it!