Green Drinks gains international following

The invitation from the founder is the same as the administrator of the Facebook group: anyone green can join.

With more than 400 cities participating worldwide, the word is being spread even faster online, as the Facebook group membership grows close to 4,000.

From Yellowknife to Arizona and Lisbon to Bangkok, the self-organizing network of environmentalists and eco-friendly enthusiasts called Green Drinks is constantly growing internationally.

The first Green Drinks was established in London and created enough buzz that hundreds of cities developed their own, along with several online forums and an official Green Drinks code, now in its second round of revision.

Original founder Edwin Datschefski suggests the code of conduct follow an open, freeform, non-profit concept.

“We grew out of nothing, except a model in mind,” says Rick Findlay, founder of the Ottawa Green Drinks chapter.

Findlay says he wanted something informal, central and accessible. He says former co-workers at Pollution Probe, a charitable environmental organization on Sparks Street, helped launch the local Green Drinks branch three years ago.

One of them, Elli MacDonald, currently coordinates the Ottawa group.

“There’s really no direction Green Drinks is headed, or projects we work on,” says MacDonald. “It doesn’t need direction. We just want it to be a casual setting.”

Findlay says he encouraged MacDonald to apply for a position at Pollution Probe after talking with her at Green Drinks meetings.

MacDonald says it’s common to see people exchanging business cards to stay in touch afterwards, and she still does it.

Although green-coloured drinks aren’t on the menu at The Lieutenant’s Pump on Elgin Street, meetings happen the second Wednesday of every month.

MacDonald says about 20 to 30 people usually show up. “Lots of different people come: people that just moved to the city, people just here for one night,” says MacDonald.

MacDonald says it’s even common for people who have attended Green Drinks meetings in another city or country to drop in when in town.

Julie Sommerfreund, also from the Pollution Probe team, travelled to Brussels for a year and attended meetings there.

Sommerfreund says the Ottawa and Brussels chapters are fairly similar in terms of the relaxed atmosphere and range in discussion topics.

The range in topics parallels the diversity of the turnout at The Lieutenant’s Pump, as people from various backgrounds and reasons for attending come together over a drink.

“It’s intentionally a no-agenda thing,” says Findlay. “We’re not looking for recognition or glory here.”

Things may change though, when MacDonald leaves Green Drinks Ottawa under the guidance of Young Environmental Professionals, a volunteer organization that aims to engage, educate and offer opportunities for anyone keen on tackling environmental and sustainability issues.

MacDonald says the only event Green Drinks partakes in is an annual Christmas party with Young Environmental Professionals.

Whatever the Green Drinks location, MacDonald says she hopes it lands on more people’s radar.

“The most important role of Green Drinks is the support network,” says MacDonald. “Working on the environment can be tough.”

Green Drinks Ottawa’s next meeting is March 11 at 5:30 p.m.