04 Sep Eco Awesomeness from the Chronicle’s Best of Austin

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 A BIG shout out to all of our partners eco friends mentioned in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of released September 3rd.  It’s so good to be green and being voted the pick of the town is the green icing on the cake!  First, a couple special shout outs, and then our summary of the best eco picks from the Chronicle. Please leave comments below for your own honorable mentions or anyone you think we might have missed.

Best All Time Winner: Save Our Springs Alliance:  We love and support water conservation and protection, and no one gets the job done for our favorite local landmark like SOS.  This award is well deserved and we are honored to have Communications Director for SOS, Colin Clark on our blogroll.  Take a look at what the Chronicle says about them here.  We love action, so drop by the springs or their website and show your support by joining as a member.  221 E. Ninth #300, 477-2320 www.sosalliance.org

Best Environmentalist: Brandi Clark: We’ve got to do a personal shout out for Brandi.  I’m new to Austin EcoNetwork and Austin, and have never felt so at home and so connected to all things environmental.  Here’s to many more years of connecting people and working for sustainability!  Austin EcoNetwork, PO Box 684641, 850-5895 www.austineconet.wpengine.com

Our Featured Partners:

  • Best Green Business: Eco-Wise: Everything you need for your eco friendly home!  Stop be and show them your eco love!  110 W. Elizabeth, 326-4474 www.ecowise.com
  • Best Gardening Store: Natural Gardener: All the supplies you need to garden your heart out plus classes to show you how.  Check them out! 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd., 288-6113
  • Best Local Food Company: Greenling: We love the selection available on the website and the joy of having a box of goodies delivered to our door.  Check out the website and come to one of their wonderful parties. 3913 Todd Ln. #618, 888/789-2352, 440-8449 www.greenling.com
  • Greenest Event Venue: Barr Mansion: Beautiful, organic, and energy efficient.  We are proud to have Melanie and Mark McAfee as partners for thier support of zero waste and for being the only third party organic events venue in the nation.  This is the place for your next eco event! 10463 Sprinkle Rd., 926-6907 http://www.barrmansion.com/
  • Best Undead Lobbying: Texas Campaign for the Environment: Zombies, brains, and old TV sets.  We love these creative folks and what they do to protect the planet and Texas.  Keep up the great work!!    611 S. Congress #200, 326-5655 www.texasenvironment.org

Reader’s Picks:

  • Best Farmer’s Market: Austin Farmer’s Market Downtown One of the first supporters of Austin EcoNetwork, where you can meet your local farmer, and a great place to connect with other Austinites.  Our friends at the Sustainable Food Center put on quite a show, so we will see you this Saturday or next Wednesday!  The Triangle, 4600 Guadalupe, 236-0074; Republic Square Park, Fourth & Guadalupe, 236-0074 www.austinfarmersmarket.org
  • Best Local Food Company: Greenling  All organic, so convenient, and fabulous parties every month!  We love being a partner with Greenling and love their boxes of goodies.  Join us at their next event and order some for yourself in the meantime.  3913 Todd Ln. #618, 888/789-2352, 440-8449 www.greenling.com
  • Best Cheap Date: P. Terry’s: This local establishment has its own recipe for tasty veggie burgers and serves hormone-free and antibiotic-free beef.  Worth the trip if you are hankering for fast food, but want it in a more eco friendly way.  404 S. Lamar, 473-2217; 3303 N. Lamar, 371-9975 www.pterrys.com
  • Best Neighborhood Grocery: Wheatsville Food Co-op: Local and organic options, a nice remodel, and grocery items displayed with how far they had to come to get to the store.  Wheatsville is an Austin institution that shouldn’t be missed.  3101 Guadalupe, 478-2667 www.wheatsville.com
  • Best Dry Cleaner: EcoClean: Nontoxic laundry facilities for getting your clothes fresh and clean with the planet in mind.  2915 Guadalupe, 236-8645 www.ecocleanaustin.com
  • Best Antiques/Collectibles: Uncommon Objects: Unique and reused items make this spot eco friendly with an Austin flair.  1512 S. Congress, 442-4000 www.uncommonobjects.com
  • Best Clothing: Buffalo Exchange: Reused and fashionable after 39 years.  Bring in something to exchange for a nice barter.  2904 Guadalupe, 480-9925 www.buffaloexchange.com
  • Best Thrift Store: Goodwill: Lots of locations to drop off and pick up your own reused items.  What’s better than buying new?  Saving the planet and a few bucks!  Main Office: 1015 Norwood Park Blvd., 637-7100; 2800 S. Lamar, 442-8802; 836 Airport, 389-3277; 1015 Norwood Park Blvd., 637-7501; 13096 Hwy. 183, 258-5898; 8965 Research Blvd., 832-0004; 5555 N. Lamar, 451-2306; 5734 Manchaca, 448-4849; 9801 Brodie, 280-8037; 701 Newman, 478-6711 www.austingoodwill.org
  • Best vintage: Room Service Vintage: Thrift store concept, tons of great reused stuff, and a vintage flair.  107 E. North Loop, 451-1057 www.roomservicevintage.com
  • Best Convenience Store: TIE: Whip In; Monarch:  We love the Whip-In because of their unexpected mix of organic groceries and South Austin weirdness.  Whip In, 1950 S. I-35, 442-5337; www.whipin.com
  • Best Drugstore/Pharmacy: Peoples Rx: Organic breakfast tacos, natural health remedies, and a deli dedicated to eating right. 4018 N. Lamar, 459-9090; 3801 S. Lamar, 444-8866; 13860 Hwy. 183 N. Ste. C, 219-9499; 4201 Westbank, 327-8877 www.peoplesrx.com
  • Best Gardening Store: TIE: Natural Gardener; the Great Outdoors:  Food, Not Lawns & Eat Your Lawn, two of our favorite bumper stickers and this is the place to go to get the supplies and do it yourself.
    Natural Gardener, 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd., 288-6113; Great Outdoors, 2730 S. Congress, 448-2992 www.naturalgardeneraustin.com; www.gonursery.com 

Critic’s Picks:

  • Best Garden-Friendly Water Saver: Austin Water Utility’s Rain Barrels:  Saving water is a huge part of being sustainable, and these folks make it easy.  Get a rain barrel of your own! 972-1000 www.cityofaustin.org/water
  • Most Approachable City Department Director: Sara Hensley, PARD: We love nature, we love people, and we love people who love nature.  200 S. Lamar, 974-6700 www.cityofaustin.org/parks
  • Best Public Potty: Trail Restroom on Lady Bird Lake Trail The Chronicle says it best, "the most intriguing creation in which you’ll take a pee this year."  We love hiking, and when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go here. The Trail at Lady Bird Lake, The Trail Foundation, PO Box 5195, 733-3989; Miro Rivera Architects, 505 Powell, 477-7016 www.thetrailfoundation.org; www.mirorivera.com
  • Greenest Event Venue: The Barr Mansion & Artisan Ballroom Beautiful, organic, and energy efficient.  We are proud to have Melanie and Mark McAfee as partners, for their support of zero waste, and for being the only third party organic events venue in the nation.  10463 Sprinkle Rd., 926-6907 www.barrmansion.com
  • Most Eco-Friendly Way to Do Your Doodie: The Rhizome Collective’s Composting Toilet First in the country, featured in the media, and giving back to the earth in a very relieving way.  Montopolis Brownfield, near Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park, 400 Grove www.rhizomecollective.org
  • Best Earth-Wise Landscaping Advice: Grow Green: For the DIY’ers landscaping at home, water conservation to landscape design, this resource should not be missed. City of Austin Watershed Protection Development Review, PO Box 1088, 974-2550 www.cityofaustin.org/growgreen
  • Best Bus Route for a Pub Crawl: Capital Metro Route No. 3: Yay for public transportation and double yay for sober transportation! See you can find some organic local brews while you are out and about.  (see the article from the Chronicle "The No. 3 Bus Pub Crawl," Food, Aug. 21.)  www.capmetro.org
  • Best Cart of Vegan Luv: Cheer Up Charlie’s: A hidden vegan treasure on the East Side!  1104 E. Sixth, 431-2133 www.facebook.com/cheerupcharlies 
  • Best Farmers’ Market Maestra: Suzanne Santos of the Sustainable Food Center:  You vote with your fork three times a day, so why not vote for sustainability.  Suzanne makes it simple to go local by visiting the farmer’s market.  1106 Clayton Ste. 480-W, 236-0074 www.sustainablefoodcenter.org
  • Best Eastside Juiciness: Veracruz All Natural:  Fresh fruit, smoothies, and yummy salads on the East Side.  Check them out, I know I will.  2027 E. Cesar Chavez, 963-1428
  • Best Locavore Chef/Butcher: Chef Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due:  Cultivating "a more conscious food culture" as a mission and featuring locally sourced and sustainable foods make Jesse stand out.  769-7261 www.daidueaustin.com
  • Best Outdoor Seating: New Decks at Flipnotics:  I love to work on the patio while enjoying a cup of organic, fair trade brew.  1601 Barton Springs Rd., 480-8646 www.flipnotics.com
  • Best Recycling Role Model: Dorsey Barger, Eastside Cafe & Art City Austin  What an inspiration for us all!!  Recycling and composting are passions turned to actions with Dorsey driving us to do more!  Eastside Cafe, 2113 Manor Rd., 476-5858; Art Alliance Austin, 816 Congress #1140, 609-8587 www.eastsidecafeaustin.com; www.artallianceaustin.org
  • Best Rotisserie Chicken: Country Grill at the Farmers’ Markets: Free Range, local, juicy and delicious!  Sunset Valley Farmers Market, Toney Burger Activity Center, 3200 Jones Rd., 443-0143, 280-1976; Austin Farmers’ Market, The Triangle, 4600 Guadalupe, 236-0074; Republic Square Park, Fourth & Guadalupe, 236-0074 www.countrygrill.com; www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org;www.austinfarmersmarket.org
  • Best Seasonal Taste of the Hill Country: Fredericksburg Peach and Mint Ice Cream at Thai Fresh:  Locally sourced and so, so delicious.  I’m hungry just thinking about it!  You had better heard over there quick, because the seasons change and so do the flavors.  909 W. Mary Ste. B, 494-6436 www.thai-fresh.com
  • Tastiest Riff on Nawlins, Vegan-Style: Wheatsville’s Popcorn Tofu Po’boy:  Local and Vegan?  It’s got to be good, and I know where I’m having lunch before this weekend’s grocery shopping.  3101 Guadalupe, 478-2667 www.wheatsville.com
  • Best Undead Lobbying: Zombie TVs for HB 821: Texas Campaign for the Environment.  It can be hard to get a bill noticed in the Legislature. Heralding the end of analog TV broadcasts and the growing mounds of ancient TV sets, Texas Campaign for the Environment took a page from the national Take Back My TV campaign by summoning the living dead. Dressed as zombies, they groaned their support on the Capitol steps for the small-screen recycling terms in House Bill 821. When Gov. Perry vetoed it, they went shambling back again, calling for his braaaaaains.
    611 S. Congress #200, 326-5655 www.texasenvironment.org
     

Best Outdoors & Recreation Reader’s Poll:

We love the planet and here are a few great places to explore! 

See the full reader’s list here.  See the full critic’s list here.

Please leave your comments below for any honorable mentions you would like to see or anyone we might have missed.  Thank you!  -The Austin EcoNetwork Staff

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