Patch Picks: Going and Staying Green

There are movements that enter our lives that we could just as easily do without (ahem, Twitter). Then there are those that seem logical, rational and good for not only us, but the world we live in. We're talking about going green, going organic, the locavore movement and knowing the answers to questions like "Where does my water ultimately come from?" or, "How large is the farm where these cage-free eggs were layed?" This week, Patch offers a few suggestions for how to go green (or stay green, if you've already gone) here in St. Louis Park:

Bike there: "There" could be work, the grocery store or the neighborhood restaurant you're eating at tonight. can help outfit you with the wheels. And many local restaurants, like , reward you with discounts for choosing bike pedals over gas pedals. 

• Why? — Car exhaust pollutes the air we breathe. Filling up with gas furthers our dependence on oil. We have all heard this over and over, but that's because it's true. Don't forget how good the exercise is.

Reuse the reusable bags: It's an initiative that took far too long to catch on, but fewer cashiers have to ask "paper or plastic?" at the checkout lane these days. Bring in your own bags to and you'll be rewarded with a percentage off your final total—a number of other stores do this, too. 

• Why? — Using your own bags lowers the demand that stores have for plastic bags, meaning less will end up as roadside litter and landfill filler. Also, an earth-friendly pal once told us that while the plastic bags may be called "recyclable," only around 3 percent of them actually are. Look it up if you don't believe her.

: St. Louis Park now has two of them on Wednesdays, located in the parking lot and also at the . 

• Why? — It's a great feeling to buy your fruits and vegetables (and honey and salsa and countless other goodies) as fresh as can be, and to shake the hand of the person who picked them from the ground. 

Take a guided tour of Eco-Yard Midtown: Located at 2801 21st Ave. South in Minneapolis, this little slice of environmentally sound gardening and landscaping is just up the road from us in SLP. All year round, you can learn tips of the sustainable landscaping trade to bring your yard up to Mother Nature's code. Just hop on the Greenway and pedal over there!

• Why? — It's always great to learn something by seeing it up close and personal, and sustainable landscaping is worth learning.