The opportunity to drive a Chevy Volt doesn’t come along very often. I was happy to give it a try. It was interesting to see that they have put the battery inside the car, so it doesn’t take up trunk space like you may have seen on other electric and hybrid vehicles. Additionally, there is an extra window on the hatchback so you get an extra view of the road you normally don’t find in other cars. My only regret is that we didn’t get to test the EV portion of the Volt, as it had lost it’s charge during transport and didn’t have enough time to charge before the event.

Our first stop was Ecoist in the Wynwood Arts District, a locally based eco-accessories company, most well known for their candy wrapper handbags. I was excited to find that they now offer upcycled t-shirt necklaces, as well.

Next, we headed over the bridge to Uhma Spa, an utter sanctuary in the heart of South Beach. Everyone received a mini massage and a fabulous gift bag from the spa itself.

Finally, we ended at Metro Organic Bistro to dine on organic grub. All items on the menu are organic!

If we offer an event like this again, all I can say is, sign up immediately! GM provided top notch event planning and treated us like royalty. Read more accounts of our day from Brandon’s Puppy, Tropic Home & Family (Uhma Spa), Tropic Home & Family (Chevy Volt).

Transportation and gifts provided by Chevrolet.

Congratulations to our 8 selected readers who will be joining us on Saturday, July 16, 2011 for a fabulous eco tour of Miami.

We will be driving two electric Chevy Volts and Tahoe Hybrid around town. Each participant will have an opportunity to drive each vehicle throughout the day.

Our first stop is Ecoist in Wynwood. We’ll get a private tour of Ecoist, makers of eco-friendly accessories.

Next, we’ll drive over the bridge to Uhma Spa. This organic spa is an utter sanctuary in the heart of South Beach.

Finally, we’ll have a late lunch at Metro Organic Bistro.

Follow along on Twitter with #chevyecotour or read the participants tweets in this Chevy Eco Tour List.

We’ve got 8 spots to fill on the Chevy Eco Chic Tour with greenerMiami.com on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Details on how to enter to win a spot on this fab FREE eco tour of Miami are below.

We’ll meet at a dealership and then hop into the cars: two electric Chevy Volts and Tahoe Hybrid. Each participant will have an opportunity to drive each vehicle throughout the day.

Our first stop is Ecoist in Wynwood. We’ll get a private tour of Ecoist, makers of eco-friendly accessories. If you haven’t seen their candy wrapper handbags in person, you are in for a treat. Next, we’ll drive over the bridge to Uhma Spa. This organic spa is an utter sanctuary in the heart of South Beach. Mini-treatments, anyone? Then, we’ll have a late lunch at Metro Organic Bistro, which looks delish. Finally, we’ll head up the street to pick up your car and say our goodbyes!

The Details
Date: Saturday, July 16, 2011
Time: 10:30am – 5pm
Meeting Point: Tropical Chevrolet, Miami Shores
You MUST enter to win a spot on this eco-tour! See details below.

To enter to win a spot in the Chevy Eco Chic Tour with greenerMiami.com, please reply below including why you would like to participate and your Twitter handle (if applicable). Please confirm you are available on July 16, 2011 from 10:30a-5p before entering. We will select eight participants from all eligible entries on Monday, July 11, at 9:00 am ET. If we have not reached eight participants by this date, the remaining spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Entrant must be 21 years old as of date of entry, a US resident and have a valid driver’s license. Entries will be judged based on articulation of why entrant would like to participate and judge’s analysis of entrant’s Twitter influence. Sponsors must receive a reply including necessary information from potential winner within 24 hours of contact, or the prize will be forfeited.

Best Buy – In Store Kiosks

Accepted items include: Nearly everything electronic, including tube TVs and monitors up to 32″, flat-panel TVs and monitors up to 60″, peripherals, DVD players, home and car audio, cell phones, MP3 players, and cables. Desktop or laptop computers with the hard drive removed. Small electrics, fans and vacuums. $10 for televisions and monitors, but you immediately receive a $10 Best Buy gift card good toward future purchase. Three items per household per day.

Not accepted: Internal and External computer hard drives. Console TVs of any size, or tube TVs and monitors larger than 32″. (They have a pickup program for this, see website) Electronics containing refrigerants, such as mini refrigerators or air conditioners. Appliances.

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Miami Dade Solid Waste – Select Locations

Accepted items include: Computer monitors, televisions, personal computers, keyboards, hard drives, printers, VCRs, audio & video equipment, cell phones

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SIR International

For businesses. Free pick-up in Miami Dade.

Accepted items include: Anything that plugs in or runs on batteries.

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Staples

Accepted items include: PDAs, cell phones, digital cameras, ink cartridges, toner. Dell computers. All other computers and large office electronics accepted at $10/item.

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Target – In Store Kiosks

Accepted items include: MP3 Players, Cell Phones, Ink Cartridges

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Many manufacturers are now offering free recycling programs for their products. Here is the EPA’s list of where you can drop off or send your cell phone, computer, and television. Always check Earth911.com when you have a specific item you’d like to recycle; it is the most complete list in the country.

Don’t forget, if the item is still in working order, try to donate it first!

South Miami Farmers Market

Farmers’ Markets across South Florida have exploded in recent years. Find fresh (and often Local and Organic!) produce and more all across Miami. Many are weekend markets during growing season (winter), but some are year round and others on weekdays.

Coconut Grove Saturday Organic Market

When: Saturdays 10 am – 7 pm; Year Round

Where: 3300 Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove (map)

Organizer: Glaser Organic Farms, 305.238.7747

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Coral Gables Farmers’ Market

When: Saturdays 8 am – 1 pm; January – March

Where: Corner of LeJeune Road & Miracle Mile (map)

Organizer: City of Coral Gables, 305.460.5600

Est. 1991

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Homestead Farmers’ Market

When: Mondays 2 pm – 6 pm; December – April

Where: Losner Park in Homestead, 104 N Krome Avenue (map)

Organizer: Kristin Jayd & City of Homestead, 305.342.5844

Est. 2010

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Jackson Memorial Green Market at Alamo Park

When: Thursdays 9 am – 4 pm; Year Round

Where: Inside the Jackson Memorial Hospital Campus (map)

Organizer: The Market Company, 305.531.0038

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Liberty City Farmers’ Market

When: Thursdays 12 noon – 6 pm; December – April

Where: Tacolcy Park (map)

Organizer: Urban Oasis Project (market manager), founded by Urban GreenWorks and Youth LEAD

Est. 2010

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Lincoln Road Farmers’ Market

When: Sundays 9 am – 6:30 pm; Year Round

Where: Lincoln Road between Washington Ave & Meridian Ave (map)

Organizer: The Market Company, 305.531.0038

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Normandy Village Marketplace

When: Saturdays 9 am – 5 pm; Year Round

Where: By the Fountain near 71st St and Rue Vendome on Normandy Isle (map)

Organizer: The Market Company, 305.531.0038

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Pinecrest Gardens Farmers’ Market

When: Sundays 9 am – 2 pm; November – May

Where: Pinecrest Gardens parking lot

Organizer: The Market Company, 305.531.0038

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Roots in the City Farmers’ Market – Overtown

When: Wednesdays and Fridays 1 pm – 4 pm; December – April

Where: Corner of NW 2nd Avenue and NW 10th Street (map)

Organizer: Roots in the City, 305.772.3229

Est. 2010

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South Miami Farmers’ Market

When: Saturdays from 9 am – 2pm; Year Round

Where: Parking lot in front of South Miami City Hall, 6130 Sunset Drive (map)

Organizer: Earth Learning and City of South Miami

Est. 2010

Okay, so here’s some direct language from the County:

Miami-Dade County Code Section 15-2.2 mandates that all multi-family establishments implement a recycling program. The program must be serviced by a permitted hauler or the appropriate governmental agency. Please note that we are executing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each city to determine if they will perform the enforcement function for this section of the code or if they want our department to do it. Probably the safest way for a caller to know who is responsible for the enforcement in their city is to contact the city’s Solid Waste Department.

What’s that mean? It means your condo has to recycle and enforcement is either up to the County, or the City that you live in. You can contact your City’s Solid Waste Department to find out, or if you have any trouble, just call 311.

Once you are on the call, request to report a complaint about the condo not recycling. You’ll really just need the address of the condo. Then, this is what happens:

1. An inspection is conducted either proactively or through a complaint received. A thirty day (30) warning notice is issued by the officer if a recycling program is not revealed during the inspection. If a request for an extension is made, the officer will accommodate according to the time requested. Even though the code is mandatory, condominiums normally have to go through their association board meeting for approval prior to adding a service and may need additional time.
2. At the time a compliance inspection is completed, a citation will be issued if the recycling program has not been implemented. The amount of the fine for a multifamily establishment is determined by the following schedule in Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8CC.
   1. Up to 25 Units – $300.00
   2. 26 Units to 100 Units – $650.00
   3. 101 Units and above – $950.00
3. Citations also have a five (5) day compliance period, which begins to accumulate on the sixth day and will continue up to 20 days. This means that a $950 dollar fine can accumulate to $19,000 for non-compliance.
4. If after this process there is still non-compliance, our Administrative Unit will begin the process to lien the property.

Recycling. It is a law that basically every resident of this county should have access from their home, condominiums and multi-family homes included. Do you? Are you going to report your condo if you don’t?

Show Description:

When Elmo’s sunflower, Sunny, outgrows his flower pot, Big Bird’s garden seems to be the perfect place for Sunny to flourish. An excited Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street’s fairy-in-training, casts a spell to make Sunny grow faster. The spell does just the opposite and, instead of growing, Elmo and his friends shrink! As Abby tries to reverse the spell, Elmo, Zoe, Telly and friends explore Big Bird’s garden from a smaller perspective and learn some big lessons about patience, overcoming fears and appreciation of nature. From dancing ladybugs to grouchy beetles, get ready for a fresh, original Sesame Street Live on a whole new scale!

The show is 90 minutes long with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets range from $12-$65, and you’ll need a ticket for everyone in your family over 1 year old. If you want to buy the tix now, or don’t win, use code ERNIE  at Ticketmaster for $3 off each ticket (offer excludes Gold Circle & Sunny Seats).

Performance Schedule:

Saturday, June 12: 10:30AM, 2:00PM & 5:30PM

Sunday, June 13: 1:00PM & 4:30PM

How to Enter to Win:

Simply leave a comment below with a suggestion for a BOY’S NAME. (That’s right, another greenerMiami baby is on the way, and we need help with a name!) Entries accepted through 11:59 pm on June 2, 2010.

Winner will be selected randomly and notified via email. Winner must respond within 24 hours with mailing address or the prize will be forfeited. Ticket vouchers will be mailed via standard USPS. greenerMiami is not responsible for non-arrival of prize. Must be 18 years of age or older. Applicable to US residents only. Void where prohibited.

Ticket vouchers provided by Vee Corporation.

FASHION FORWARD (a clothing swap)

Just as we had last year, you’ll be able to participate in Fashion Forward, a clothing swap, during the event. Bring in clothing, shoes, and accessories that you no longer use, and browse around at what others have already brought in – and take what you’d like!

I know I’ve got some shoes that no longer fit my lifestyle, but still have some good life left in them…and some pants that just aren’t the right size anymore. I’ll bring them in to the Fashion Forward tent at Miami Goin’ Green and look around for something “new to me”. In fact, I can’t wait!

This year, Fashion Forward is being run by the fabulous organization Dress for Success, which provides professional clothes to women that can not afford their own. All remaining items at the end of the day will go to the non-profit, so please be sure to bring in professional attire that you no longer need, as well. It will be put to great use.

T-SHIRT TRANSFORMATION STATION (New!!)

And new to Miami Goin’ Green this year is the T-Shirt Transformation Station. I’m really excited about this new addition. In this tent, you’ll be able to bring in some t-shirts that you don’t really use as is (promotional tees are great for this, or perhaps an old favorite that might have a little hole in it). We’ll have transformation experts on hand to help you turn that tee into something new! You’ll be able to choose from 10 different tops, 5 skirts, and 10 accessories. They’ll help you cut and sew. Then, if you wish, you can move on to the screen printing area and choose from several custom designs that have been made especially for this event!

This area is being run by Dirty Peaches Clothing Co. and their volunteers, as well as Squeegee Science eco-friendly screen printing lab.

So bring in some t-shirts to Transform, along with other clothing to swap at Fashion Forward…it’s going to be a great time and you’ll come home with new clothes at no cost to you! (Or the planet.)

We’ve got a lot of exciting stuff going on this year – some of which you saw last year, and many new things as well!

• Test drive hybrid cars from Chevy
• Fashion Forward clothing swap from Dress for Success
• T-shirt Transformation Station
• Yoga Classes & Demonstrations
• “Mad Lab” for the kids from Miami Science Museum
• Animal Demonstrations from Jungle Island
• Solar Powered Wii
• Eco – Workshops & Speakers
• Electronic Recycling
• Live Entertainment
• and Green Vendors galore!

Hope to see you there!