Have you ever thought about what sort of food grows around your neighborhood? The bounty of edibles found right around the corner, from apples and nuts to rosemary and greens, is astounding. The urban landscape is filled with fresh, free food if you just know what to look for. Plants you might normally ignore, like dandelions or nettles, can be cooked into healthy, delicious meals.

Many people first experienced wild foods in their childhood—learning to mushroom hunt with their grandfather or picking apples from a neighbor’s tree. Looking for wild fruits, veggies, and nuts is a fun family activity that helps teach kids the value of local, fresh food. In addition to having kids help you forage for your own kitchen, you can volunteer to help harvest urban edibles for those in need (see resources below). More...

50% OFF
La Estrellita offers authentic Mexican food and proudly serves Niman Ranch and local produce.
EXP Dec 15


    
50% OFF
Core Cat Pilates Studio helps students focus on strength, vitality, flexibility, coordination, and overall well being. Specializing in small group classes, they endeavor to build community through health.
EXP Dec 15





FREE WITH PURCHASE
Bailey’s on 65th is an intimate, neighborhood café and marketplace featuring organically grown, locally produced food products, and a seasonal menu.
EXP Dec 15 More...

Working with local schools on their fundraisers we often hear their great ideas to raise money and awareness for green living. This fall one of the schools fundraising with EcoMetro Guide, Glenview Elementary opened its first-ever produce stand, a project of the PTA’s school food and nutrition committee. Open from 2-4pm every Tuesday afternoon, the stand includes a “tasting” table, where all Glenview students have the opportunity to taste the fruit or vegetable of the week. More...

Live, Play: San Francisco Green Festival
Join EcoMetro Guide in booth 532 at the nation’s premier sustainability event, where you will see the best in green. Enjoy more than 125 renowned authors, leaders and educators; great how-to workshops; cutting-edge films; fun activities for kids; organic beer and wine; delicious vegetarian cuisine and diverse live music. Shop in our unique marketplace of more than 350 eco-friendly businesses—everything from all-natural body care products and organic cotton clothing to Fair Trade gifts and beautiful kitchen tiles made from renewable resources.
Fri-Sun, Nov 13–15
Concourse Exhibition Center 635 8th St, San Francisco
View the EcoMetro Guide coupon>>
 More...

-Heather Hale, Sustainable Business Accounts Manager

The seasons here in the East Bay are definitely changing. We've had our first two heavy rains, and there's a new crispness to the air. Leaves are turning wonderful shades of red, orange, and rust, and many trees are losing their leaves altogether.

You're probably picking the last of your homegrown tomatoes, if you haven't already. But wait! If you're packing all that gardening equipment away until early next spring - and you haven't tried fall and winter gardening yet - you're missing out on six months of outdoor fun! More...

In our 2010 edition we inaccurately reported how mattresses are recycled in the East Bay area. The Salvation Army does accept mattresses in good condition for recycling; however, Goodwill (eastbaygoodwill.org) does NOT accept mattresses. Mattresses are also accepted at the Berkeley Transfer Station for $10. For pick up of bulky waste, including mattresses, appointments can be scheduled in Oakland (510-613-8710) and Berkeley (510-981-7270).

We at EcoMetro Guide regret the error printed in our 2010 edition. More...

By Jennifer Hallstrom, Community Outreach Manager

For Memorial Day weekend my dad came to visit from Florida. Having guests in town is always an opportunity to show off the East Bay sights, especially if it is to a place you've never been. My dad has always enjoyed taking the Ferry, so we decided this time to take the Alameda/Oakland Ferry to Angel Island for a hike. On the weekends you can catch a ride directly from Oakland at 9:00am, or Alameda just 10 minutes later, that goes to Angel Island (with a transfer at Pier 41). We decided to leave a little later and caught the 10:25am ferry from the Alameda Port, which stops at Oakland and the Ferry Building before reaching Pier 41, where we transferred to the Angel Island Ferry.

The extended ride was worth it to experience more of the cool bay breeze and watch my nephews’ amazement of the boats and bridges. We enjoyed a picnic breakfast on the boat and arrived at Angel Island within an hour. We walked along the Angel Island Loop Trail, enjoyed the views and made it back to catch the 3:10pm ferry, which took us directly to Alameda  - docking at 3:45pm. It was a perfect day on the water.

Here's how to go yourself or view the EcoMetro Guide ferry coupon.: More...

There are a few ingredients a cook can’t live without. Mark Bittman of the New York Times offers up an excellent article regarding kitchen staples (Fresh Start for a New Year? Let's Begin in the Kitchen), featuring foods like real lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and walnuts… but there’s one item I can’t imagine ever cooking without – garlic, the little bulb that can do anything!

I’m not the only one – garlic has been gracing kitchens since the dawn of time. More...

Oakland has always been outside my everyday radius, even though it’s just a few miles from home.  Recently, on a lovely sunny weekday with several hours to fill, I decided to head for Oakland City Center and the nearby Historic District.

Within an amazingly short BART ride, there I was, smack in the middle of “new” Oakland.  I was impressed with the juxtaposition of modern high rises melding with 19th century landmarks – Beaux Arts City Hall, Rotunda Building, Tribune Building and the Art Deco  Financial Building. More...