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Drink locally brewed beer

All Practically Green: 507 or so people have DONE this action so far.

All Practically Green: 112 or so people have ADDED this to their action plan so far.

Why is "Drink locally brewed beer" green?

Drinking locally brewed beer not only supports your local breweries, but also helps reduce the pollution caused by the transportation of beers brewed far from where you live—domestic or international.

Most food items, including beer, travel over 1,000 miles before they reach our frosty mugs. Diesel exhaust from trucks transporting these goods across the country contains at least forty chemicals believed to be toxic to humans and the environment. And carbon monoxide from vehicles accounts for 56 percent of total emissions nationwide. Buying local (and organic if possible) means reducing emissions and overall carbon footprint. Keep in mind that just because something is brewed locally doesn’t mean all of its ingredients are local.

Another sizeable eco-impact of beer brewing is the manufacturing and disposal of bottles, cans, and containers. Transporting (heavy) glass produces more emissions than (lighter) aluminum cans. One way to minimize emissions when drinking an imported beer is to choose cans. This is a tricky decision; can linings often contain BPA, a controversial chemical that has been linked to multiple health issues and is banned from use in children’s products in some states. To avoid cans and bottles altogether, reduce solid waste and the energy involved with all of those empties, drink the beer on tap at your local spot.

How to: Drink locally brewed beer

Buy local beer.

Frequent local breweries and pubs. And talk to your bartender. If local beers are on tap, it’s highly likely she or he will be excited to have you taste them all.

  • Realbeer.com
    • (0 Ratings)

    Type in your zip code for a list of all the local breweries, brewpubs, and microbreweries in your area.

  • Sixpoint Craft Ales
    • (0 Ratings)

    This Brooklyn, New York based brewery has a very popular line of craft ales found in almost every bar in the neighborhood.

  • Goose Island
    • (0 Ratings)

    Brewed in Chicago, Illinois, Goose Island crafts 21 varieties from their 'Urban Ales' to their 'Extreme Ales.'

  • Seven Bridges Cooperative: Easy-Brew Organic Beer Kits
    • (0 Ratings)

    Seven Bridges Cooperative is the only USDA certified organic homebrew retailer in the United States. DIY beer -- what's more local than that?

  • Wachusett Brewing Company
    • (2 Ratings)

    Made in Westminster, Massachusetts, Wachusett Brewing Company offers over sixteen different varietals, including their Green Monsta IPA now served at Fenway Park.

  • Harpoon Brewery
    • (2 Ratings)

    Brewed in Boston, Massachusetts since 1986, Harpoon is renowned for their UFO Hefeweizen, I.P.A and seasonal brews.

  • Anchor Steam Brewing Company
    • (1 Rating)

    The Anchor Brewing Company has been making beer in San Francisco, California since 1896 and is widely available. Their Anchor Steam is a classic.