I was reading a recent post on this site titled More Veggies in Your Food and I thought it was very interesting to see the suggestion that you could make your own ketchup! I guess I am not too surprised, and it does make sense, but I would have never thought to make  my own ketchup and I think that it is a really good idea.

You may be wondering to yourself, what does this have to do with being green? Well, think about all of the production that goes into producing only one bottle of ketchup. Think of all the processed foods and sugars that get put into that bottle. Think about how much pollution that one bottle could be creating or about how much waste is associated with that one bottle. Now multiply that by billions. Maybe even “zillions”; I don’t know how much ketchup we produce every day.

So, I decided to look into how to make your own ketchup and I thought that it would be a worthwhile thing to share with you all.

The first step is to gather about 25 pounds of tomatoes; yes, I know that’s a lot, but you’ll need them! The best type of tomato to use is the Roma, or paste tomato. You should really get these tomatoes from your own garden or a nearby farm and not from a grocery store. The next step is to remove the tomato skins. It helps to put them in boiling water for a minute or so and then “shock” them by putting them in ice. Then, take out all of the seeds and the water and drain the tomatoes. Now it’s time to put the tomatoes in a large pot to start simmering. You can then add seasonings like onions, garlic, pepper, sugar, etc. Prior to this you would have prepared a season vinegar. This is when you would add  the vinegar to the tomatoes and then cook down the mixture to thicken it.

Now it’s time to put it in sanitized jar!  I realize that you probably can’t make the ketchup based on these directions, but it does show how it is pretty easy to make your own! There are plenty of more detailed recipes/directions on the Web.

New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO)

The first wind powered brewery in the United States, New Belgium Brewing promotes beer culture, world-class beer and responsible ways to enjoy beer. Born through the adventures of a boy on a bike, New Belgium Brewing exclusively made and brought Fat Tire to the public. As a sustainable brewery, they make sure that they are alternatively empowered.

Being alternatively empowered means increased efficiencies in the brewing process, a utilized green design in the entire building, an improved wastewater treatment process, sustainable eventing, actionable advocacy and supporting innovative technology. So, remember when you buy a Fat Tire on bottle or tap, you are supporting all these sustainable activities.

The Winery (New York, NY)

The Winery is a specialty wine store located in South Harlem in New York, that focuses on promoting and selling small-production boutique wines. They proudly offer quality wines from producers who give particular respect and care to nature and the environment. They also try to support local production and non-profit communities as much as possible.

Death’s Door Spirits (Washington Island, Door County WI)

Vodka and gin are their specialties, and they believe that great spirits only come from good practices, and that’s exactly what they do. All their ingredients are herbicide- and pesticide-free. All ingredients are sustainably grown on Washington Island or sourced as locally as possible.

Frey Organic (Mendocino County, CA)

Operating since 1980, Frey Organics is America’s first organic winery. For 30 years, Frey Organic has practiced consistent sustainable ways, including organic and biodynamic grape growing, biodynamic farming, organic gardening, and more. Supporting Frey Organic not only means supporting an organic and sustainable winery. You also support a green and sustainable Mendocino County.

Hall Wines (Napa Valley, CA)

Besides delivering some of the best wines in Napa Valley, Hall Wines is also California’s First Winery to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification. To achieve this prestigious certification, they made sure to include sustainable design elements, such as radiant floors for precision wine-making and maximum energy efficiency, solar panels and solar energy, local materials (sourced within 500 meters from the winery), recycled building materials and water conservation.

Next time you drink a glass of beer, wine or spirits, find out if they practice sustainable green practices. You might be surprised to find out that they actually do.

Go green with them as you visit these establishments!

1. Lush USA

If you need bath products or fragrances, visit Lush USA. Lush uses only the freshest organic fruits and vegetables in all their products. Every product is made by hand and uses little to no preservatives and packaging. Their products are all 100 % vegetarian and some are even 70% vegan to give you the most nutritious ingredients you can use for your skin. Their products are never tested on animals nor do they deal with suppliers who perform animal testing. They try not to use packaging for their products as much as possible, but when they need to, they use post-consumer recycled, recyclable and biodegradable materials. Lush USA is available nationwide and globally.

1450 Ala Moana Rd, Unit 1206, Honolulu, HI; Tel. (808)941-7400; 2201 Kalakaua Ave, Unit c120, Honolulu, HI; Tel. (808)923-5874.

2. Earth Tones

If you need Internet or a phone or both, then Earth Tones is the one for you. They are the only communications company to provide long-distance phone, wireless service and Internet access and donate 100% of its profits to environmental organizations.  Earth Tones was founded and currently is maintained by a coalition of non-profit groups. Aside from funding environmental research, they send out Green Alerts to keep their customers aware of the environmental issues and how they can help protect the planet themselves.

http://www.earthtones.com; Tel. (888)327-8486

3. Lotus Cafe

Lotus Cafe is the only Pan-Asian restaurant in Hawaii, serving the best in Thai, Indian and Indonesian cuisine. They use natural, organic and homegrown ingredients to create authentic dishes for their customers. Even their gelato offerings are 95% organic and all vegan. And they’ve switched to using solar panels to power up their restaurant, and they’ll teach you how to do the same for yours!

73-5617 Maiau St. Kailua-Kona, HI; Tel. (808)327-3270

4. Down to Earth

Down to Earth is Hawaii’s only all-vegetarian organic and natural food store. They carry wide choices of natural and organic food products and includes dairy, local organic produce, vitamins and natural supplements, body care products and household items. They don’t carry meat, eggs, fish oils, gelatin capsules and other products that contain animal rennet. More than that, they also participate in community outreach programs that commit to helping people live and maintain a vegetarian lifestyle.

2525 South King St. Honolulu, HI 96826; Tel. (808)947-7678

1. 70 Park Avenue Hotel

Part of the Kimpton Hotels, 70 Park Avenue Hotel participates in its Earthcare: Eco Program. As an eco-friendly hotel, they implement a linen and towel re-use program and an extensive recycling program. They use energy efficient light bulbs throughout the hotel. All hotel materials and paper are 100% recycled and use soy-based inks. All the cleaning materials they use are non-toxic and environmentally safe. Participating guests get extra discounts, including using hybrid cars.

70 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016; Tel. (212)973-2400

2. GustOrganics

The Green Restaurant Association has certified GustOrganics as a Green Restaurant. They have an excellent recycling and composting program. They use wind energy and solar lighting. They have environmentally friendly packaging, including biodegradable take-out containers, cups and flatware. They use biodegradable and environmentally safe cleaning products. And the entire restaurant was constructed with recycled wood and eco-friendly materials. They serve organic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They even have an organic bar and organic tapitos. GustOrganics supports the Green and Organic cause and this is a great place to visit if you support the same cause, too.

519 Avenue of the America,s New York, NY 10011; Tel. (212)242-5800

3. Birdbath

Birdbath is the Neighborhood Green Bakery. Their walls are made of wheat, they use wind power, they used recycled wood for their floors. The countertop display and shelves are made of 100% recycled paper. Their paper bags have no wax lining and their cups are made of corn.

223 First Ave. New York, NY 10003; Tel. (646)722-6565

4. Kaight NYC

Kate McGregor has redefined vegan fashion so her customers can still feel pretty while helping the environment. Kaight NYC only features designers who practice the same beliefs. Matt & Nat uses recycled plastic water bottles to line their bags. Ashley Watson uses recycled leather for her bags. Loomstate uses organic cotton for their clothes. EDUN uses sustainable practices to make organic clothing. Drop by their store when you’re in New York or order online at www.kaightshop.com.

83 Orchard St. New York, NY 10002; Tel. (212)680-5630

5. giggle

giggle is the newest parent store for babies in New York. All the must-have baby items are here, and you’ll be able to provide everything your baby needs. Products include non-toxic and recycled items that are good for your babies and the earth and support causes. Products include formaldehyde-free beddings and fabrics, washable toys and nontoxic cleaning and bath supplies.

120 Wooster St. New York, NY 10012; Tel. (212)334-5817; 1033 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10021; Tel. (212)249-4249