Green Tip: Recyclable? Check b4 you buy!

A green tip, taught to me by my friend Krin (thanks!):

Hate to find out that the plastic cups, plates, forks, etc you bought aren't recyclable?

Check for the recycle symbol on the product in the store before you buy. Compare products to find one that's not just a good price, but also can be recycled locally.

Although this seems obvious, I'd never thought of this before until I learned it from her.

Good Things: Prius Taxis

Little things that make me smile...

On the way home from the airport, I was lucky enough to ride in a Prius taxi. After the ride, I started noticing Prius taxis everywhere - counting two yesterday in a 5 minute walk to the train. Every little bit helps, and I hope to be seeing more hybrid taxis around soon!

"Taste of Wellness" Tours

Now, here's an interesting concept - CHEW Chicago's tour of Lincoln Park's most health-minded retailers. Although I've taken a number of visitors to the farmer's market and whole foods market myself, it never crossed my mind that tours of these places might make a good business. As a local I've been to most of these places before and would be unlikely to ever take the tour, but I think this could be a great orientation for anyone new in town. What do you think of the idea? Love it or Hate it? See below for more information.

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Excerpted from Groupon.com:

CHEW Chicago—"CHEW" standing for "Complete Health Education & Wellness"—frees feasters from fast-food-blanketed prisons of bad eating habits with numerous nutrition-minded programs and workshops. On the Taste of Wellness Tour, guests will embark on a three- to four-hour walking tour of a Chicago neighborhood and its healthy hot spots. CHEW's Lincoln Park Taste of Wellness Tour, for example, hits the L. Frank Baum–haunted streets of Lincoln Park for a three-mile tour capable of burning up to 500 calories. Highlights include the smoothie-and-yogurt-packed Starfruit Café, the fresh fare of Karyn's Raw, the natural beauty products of LUSH, and a tour of Whole Foods Market (lunch is available in the store's café, but is not included with this deal). Unwind with a 20-minute introduction to yoga from Infuse Yoga Spa, stretch out at Lululemon, and pilot through Pilates with the aid of Balance Health + Wellness. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Taste of Wellness tour-takers will also tour the Green City Market, sampling local, sustainable eats while quizzing farmers about episodes from the second season of Fringe, which returns to FOX this fall.Included with the Lincoln Park tour is a reusable CHEW Chicago goodie bag of snacks and coupons, as well as a complimentary nutrition consultation from CHEW Chicago founder Jessica Marie. Tours are limited to 16 people per tour, and guests are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and asked to show up on time when taking the tour. Dig the family sneakers out from storage, affix a watch to one of your limbs, and join CHEW Chicago on a health-helping hike through the city's wealth of wellness.

Fake Meat at O'hare

I’m tired of the usual Vegetarian airport options - pizza, pre-made salads (most with chicken already on them), and the same caprese sandwich offered at every stand. So I was excited to find Cibo Express tucked away in O’hare’s Terminal 2, hidden in a hallway connecting concourses B&C to E&F. I had discovered it once on a prior visit, but couldn’t recall where in the airport it was, and after several failed attempts at finding it again was convinced it was just a foggy dream. Now I’m writing down the location so I won’t forget!

While Cibo express is far from perfect – the prices are high and several items did not have price labels– its offerings are a big improvement from the usual airport fare. The shelves are stocked with all natural products (like Late July Dark Chocolate sandwich cookies) and international chocolates (Ritter Sport - yum!). Their vegetarian sandwiches have flair - like a sandwich with homemade boursin cheese, apples, cheddar, and arugula. And most importantly to me – to my knowledge they are the only vendor in the airport that serves what I am always craving – “fake meat”!

The Chicago O’hare Cibo Express has fresh food from Soul Vegetarian Restaurant on Chicago’s southside. Tonight I dined on “Barbecue Bites”, seitan sticks in a sweet barbecue sauce, for $5.99. Also on offering from Soul Vegetarian were a Jerk Tofu Wrap and a “Buffalo” plate with buffalo “chicken” and celery sticks. For $2.50 more I added a healthy side of Cibo's own roasted root vegetables.

According to the website, Cibo Express also has a location in O’hare’s Terminal 3 by gate H1.

See their website to see the listing of other airports Cibo Express can be found at: http://www.otgmanagement.com/concepts-and-locations/. Different local caterers may be featured at their various locations. For example, I always look forward to a protein packed “chicken” salad sandwich at La Guardia’s Cibo Express.