Getting to Know.. Georgia's State Parks

As Georgian's we are very fortunate to have a diverse range of regions. We have beaches, coastal plains, foothills, canyons, mountains and much more. We are also lucky to have a very robust state park system. The Georgia State Park network has over 40 parks and many more historic sites that protect nearly 75,000 acres. These parks provide a great opportunity for a family outing or just a reconnection with nature and/or the history and culture of our state. Many of the parks are just a short drive from metro Atlanta. Click here for a state map.

Some of the most popular parks within driving distance of Atlanta are Amicalola Falls, Vogel and Sweetwater Creek. The falls at Amicalola are the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River and are absolutely beautiful. Additionally, there are numerous trails to hike around the 800+ acre park. At Vogel State Park, you can see some of the most picturesque scenes in all of Georgia. The park is at the base of Blood Mountain and offers some of the best camping in the state. With lake and mountain views, this one is a must visit. Sweetwater Creek is perhaps more famous right now for the beer that shares its name but the park is as good as if not better than the beer. The creek is a nice setting for relaxing, fishing or feeding ducks but our favorite part is the visitor center which is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Georgia. It is LEED - NC Platinum certified which is the highest rating that the US Greenbulding Council gives.

Sprawl has been and continues to be an issue for many of the parks around metro areas. The National Park Trust has been evaluating and working on these issues for more than a decade. Unfortunately, many of our parks in the metro area have already been encroached upon by commercial and residential development. The current economic crisis is impacting reparis and maintenance in the parks and we should expect to see continued cutbacks with proposed budget shortfalls.

Regardless of these issues, our park system is robust and is there to be enjoyed by everyone in Georgia. Get out and go for a hike and don't forget to bring your camera (with charged batteries).

Look for upcoming posts featuring many of our state parks and their surrounding areas.


Additional Info..

Website - www.gastateparks.org

Park pass - $30/year or generally $3/day for parking

Pets - Most of the parks offer hiking and I have found that they are usually dog friendly. It is always a good idea to check ahead to be sure if you are bringing your canine companion. Many of the parks offer camping and some offer RV hookups if that is your style.

Related Groups and Organizations - Friends of Georgia State Parks, Get Outdoors Georgia

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Atlanta claims the nation's first carbon neutral zone(AJC ). Learn about how the Virginia Highlands business community is using carbon offsets to go carbon neutral.

Mother Nature News Network aims to be green machine (AP). The Atlanta based environmental themed online news outlet aims to be the juggernaut in the green news space. They are going up against TreeHugger and PlanetGreen but the site looks good and they have some big financial backing.

Dead Peaches - The Green Guide from National Geographic and Plenty Magazine have called it quits (Advertising Age). Two of our favorite green themed magazines have called it quits. Both magazines are still online and it appears as though The Green Guide will continue to exist online. We're not sure about Plenty though.

Peach Bites

The American Planning Association’s National Planning Excellence Award for Implementation goes to the Atlanta Regional Commission's Livable Centers Iniative (AJC Planning.org)

Supreme Court Won't Hear Georgia Water Wars Case (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

The McMansion Trend in Housing is Slowing (Christian Science Monitor)

Time To Reboot America - Op Ed by Thomas Friedman (NY Times)

The 22-Mile LifePreserver - Almost a decade after it was first proposed, the BeltLine still offers promise - or potential pitfalls? (Next American City)

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Here are some of the more interesting articles that we have come across recently.

Atlanta Watches in Envy as Phoenix Light Rail Debuts (AJC)

Sprawl to Meet Its Limit in Atlanta (AJC)

Coal Plant Project Threatened by Partnership Breakup (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

Transit Group Has Its Hands Out for $50 Billion (AJC)

Jason's Deli - A Quick, Healthy Eating Option

If you are out and about town and are in the need of a quick stop for food, Jason' Deli might be the perfect idea.  Don't fall into the trap of thinking that Jason's is just another sandwich shop.  They are much more than that.  Jason's has an incredible selection of healthful organic food on their menu and at their delicious salad bar. They made news recently by removing high fructose corn syrup from thier menu in every way possile.  This follows their anouncement in 2005 to eliminate trans fats and MSG in every way possible. About the only place you will find HFCS is in their soft drinks and you'll have a difficult time finding trans fats or msg anywhere. Their prices are very reasonable especially given the quality of the food. You won't find a dollar menu but $6 to $7 per person for a healthy, nutritious meal isn't going to break the bank.

Some of our favorite things about Jason's.

• Great organic selection and salad bar.
• Limited HFCS.
• Non-disposable plates, glasses and silverware when eating in the deli.
• Lots of locations. 10 in the Atlanta Area!
• Friendly staff.

Jason's Deli is taking many steps in the right direction to a greener restaurant industry and a healthier world in general.  I only wish more high volume franchises would do the same.  If you are interested in finding out more about Jason's Deli, check out their website. They also update a blog every couple of weeks here. Also, they have info on their HFCS and organic policies on YouTube.

You can find all of the Jason's Deli locations in the Atlanta area on the GreenPeaches map.

The GreenPeaches Holiday Shopping Guide - Home & Gifts

With only 10 days left until the big day, you might be running out of time to buy an online gift from any one of hundreds of green/eco retailers online.  We're here to help.  There are some great places in Atlanta to find an eco friendly gift.  From new boutiques and retailers to established stores and markets, we'll point you to a few that will be worth your time.

One of our favorite ways to find great gifts is to check out local antique markets.  Now, don't think that antique markets are old and stuffy with stuff you might find in your grandmother's house.  These days, you can pick up cool stuff from the 70's and 80's at most markets and some booths in these markets cater to eras that you might find interesting.  Some of my favorites are art deco, rustic french farmhouse and vintage WWII themes.  You may find hundreds of different dealers in some antique markets each with different items.  Some can be pricey and others affordable but looking and buying is almost always fun and don't forget that you're recycling instead of buying new products made by underpaid laborers that were most likely shipped thousands of miles from another country...

Anyway, a couple really solid markets in Atlanta are The Kudzu Antique Market near Decatur.  They have been one of "Atlanta's Best" since 1979 with over 25000 square feet of space.  The market was recently named to Atlanta Magazine's "Best of Atlanta" Hall of Fame for its consistent performance over the years as a local favorite. 

For those of you on the north side, there are two great places to go in Historic Roswell.  First, is the Historic Roswell Antique Market.  It's not as large as The Kudzu Antique Market but it's pretty big with 15000 square feet and over 85 dealers.  You'll find European Antiques, Rugs, Jewelery, Vintage Books and lots of other knick knacks.  Also in Historic Roswell is the very popular Board of Trade consignment shop. 

If antique markets aren't your thing, there are some great options that are available around town for gifts for the home and just general items that your friends and family might like.  First, you may want to take a look at Verde Home.  You can find furniture, rugs, antiques, lighting and much more at Verde Home.  The store was founded in 2006 and has a stringent philosophy on sustainability in their business.  They take into account Materials Use, Manufacture Method, Transport, and Utilization qualifications. Learn more on their website.

Another favorite for gifts is EcoBella.  This organic lifestyle boutique in the Virginia Highlands area originally catered toward the baby crowd but has started to branch out into organic apparel, green home improvement, pet gifts and bath & body.  The store is small but has a good amount of variety.  You should be able to find a green gift here that is reasonably priced.

If you are shopping for a gift for a younger GreenPeach, you may want to try out Olozoo in Duluth.  This boutique has baby and kid minded furniture, home decor, toys, clothes and much more.  It might be a ways away for some of you so check out their well designed website first to see what they have.  

Well, that's about it for this edition of the GreenPeaches Holiday Shopping Guide.  As always, if you have anything to add, please feel free to comment.  We know that not all of the great stores and markets in Atlanta were captured in this brief post but this is a great sample of what you can find around town.

The GreenPeaches Holiday Shopping Guide - Clothing

Since it's that time of year when everyone is concerned about shopping, we figured it was about time to get on the bandwagon.  Our next few posts will be about where the eco-concious shopper can go to find some good presents for the holidays or even just pick up some things that they have had their eyes on for a while. 

We're going to start by taking a look at where you can go for some eco-friendly clothing.  When looking for clothing there are too many choices and ethical decisions to worry about for us to get into in this post.  We'll leave that to some of the other sites out there to debate.  This is how we frame our purchases: new vs. reused/vintage, organic vs. conventional and fair trade vs. exploitation. 

I'd love to buy a good looking reused suit that is made from organic sustainably farmed cotton that was originally purchased at a fair price from the supplier and manufacturers but that's a tall task even in this day and age.  We hope that this quick hit guide around Atlanta will help you find some threads that are at least a bit more sustainable than going straight to Abercrombie or J.Crew to buy the latest cargos or shirts.

Today, we'll take a look at where you can land some great used clothing around Atlanta.

Plato's Closet is a personal favorite of mine.  They have 8 locations in the metro Atlanta area.  Each store has  a different selection and you can find some great deals on casual or work clothes.  Personally, I have found several of my favorite pairs of jeans there and I wear a couple of the shirts I have bought at Plato's Closet to work regularly.  They tend to cater toward the younger crowd but in my 30's I can get by.  You can find Abercrombie, Guess, Banana Republic, Quicksilver, J.Crew, Express, Hollister, and clothing from most regular mall retailers in the store.  They also purchase clothes if they are in good condition meet the store's inventory needs.

Goodwill is always an option if you are looking for used clothing but it is much more hit or miss and you will likely spend a lot more time looking than a more focused reseller like Plato's Closet.  There are around 40 metro area locations listed on their site so you will probably be able to find a location near you.  Goodwill also sells a number of other types of items so you are bound to find something of use for that person you are shopping for.  Don't forget that after you get new things over the holdidays you can donate your old things to Goodwill and you will also get a tax deduction. 

If vintage is what you're looking for, Psycho Sisters is where you might want to look.  You can find great unique items from the 60's, 70's and 80's at each of their three locations as well as quality clothing from today.  You'll find them in Sandy Springs, Little 5 and Cartersville.  Psycho Sisters has been open for 15 years and has been voted Atlanta's #1 Consignment Store for 10 years.  Another reliable option is The Lucky Exchange on Ponce might be the right place. 

Unfortunately, it is impossible to mention all of the quality stores around town and I'm sure you have your own personal favorites.  Feel free to add any in the comments.

Look forward to our next post on Holiday Shopping in the GreenPeaches Holiday Shopping Guide.

Captain Planet Foundation 14th Annual X-Mas Party

Next Friday, Dec 12th, is the 14th Annual Captain Planet Foundation's X-Mas celebration.  The star studded event looks to be a night of fun and fun with an Environmentally friendly message.  The fund raiser will benefit the Captain Planet Foundation, Atlanta Childrens' Shelter, Our House and the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. All of these groups are top notch award winning organizations that operate in and around the Atlanta area.  It is great to see an event that brings this kind of attention to environmental and social causes.

The event was originally organized by Laura and Rutherford Seydel.  You may recognize them as the owners of EcoManor and you may also recognize Laura because she is Ted Turner's daughter.  Aside from these influential Atlantans, you you may bump into celebrities such as Ludacris and Chevy Chase.

Tickets don't come cheap but as you can see the money is going to four great causes.  Individual tickets range from $150 to $500 each.

If you are interested in finding out more about the event, visit their website.

The Streets of Buckhead - LEED Silver & Brownfield Cleanup

This isn't necessarily new news but given that I spent soo much time and money in the Buckhead Village in the late 90's and early 00's, I felt obligated to write about it.  Man I spent so much money there.  About the only bars left that I would have frequented are East Andrews and Moon Dog's (although there are a few less memorable others).  Buckhead has done a complete 180 from the times when the area embraced a party district that was one of the nations most popular and oft notorious spots for nightlife.

From 2001 to 2003, the crowd declined in civility and in number until the massive crowds were gone.  Buckhead had decided that it was time for a change and about a year ago pretty much the whole buckhead village area was razed and a new era for Buckhead started.  This was because the vision of lifelong area resident Ben Carter was ready to be realized.  The Streets of Buckhead is as the developer Ben Carter Properties says;

...is the southern address for European style, in the heart of Atlanta's cosmopolitan Buckhead neighborhood. A unique collection of boutiques and restaurants, formerly found only along the world's most exclusive promenades, joins high-rise estate residences, amenities and entertainment in a true world class mixed-use community destined to set new standards for luxury and service.

I wouldn't say that the idea behind the development is the greenest ideology but the fact that they are pursuing LEED Silver certification and are dedicated to cleaning up contaminants around the area is a definite step in the right direction.  Below are some of the more environmentally friendly aspects of the development:

• Groundwater recycling to use where valuable potable water is not needed thus reducing the demand on Atlanta's already strained drinking water resources
• Low flow plumbing to reduce water consumption
• Environmentally friendly interior finishes
• Alternative transit options such as shuttles to MARTA, designated parking for alternative fuel vehicles and car/van pools as well as bicycle parking/storage
• Reducing energy use by 21 percent versus comparable developments.

All of this is great and will serve as an example for other developments in the area but my personal favorite is the cleanup of approximately 300,000 cubic yards of soil.  This cleanup was done under the Georgia Brownfields program.  This shows the commitment of the developer to the area and project.  They didn't necessarily have to do this but they chose to because it was the right thing to do. 

We won't be enjoying the finished product until Mid 2010 due to a slow real estate market but from what we can tell, it will be well worth the wait.  Thank you to Ben Carter for thinking of the environment in your efforts to build our city.

The BeltLine - Take a Tour!

We took a tour of the proposed BeltLine on Saturday morning. The tours have been very popular and we were very fortunate to get a reservation. The 2008 tours are booked but they plan to accept bookings for 2009 tours in mid Jan. Keep an eye on the "get involved" section of the BeltLine website.

The tour bus was almost filled to capacity but all in all it was a very comfortable experience. In my opinion, this really is a fantastic way to see the future of transit in Atlanta and you will also learn some interesting facts and a bit of history while your at it. It's tough to beat given that it is free. Additionally, the tour guide, Heather Hussey-Coker, was excellent and provides a wealth of knowledge about the project and the city.

If you are not very familiar with the BeltLine project, you won't find an indepth explanation in this post. Just check out the BeltLine website. In brief, it is a proposed 22 mile loop of light rail transit around the city of Atlanta that will connect ~48 neighborhoods to area businesses, parks and civic institutions. It is expected to spur residential and commercial development along the corridor. Additionally, there are 33 miles of walking/cycling trails that are planned. These will follow the rail line in most places but will diverge in some areas. One of the really great things about the project is that much of the infrastructure already exists in the form of historic rail lines that encircle atlanta. Most of those rail lines are inactive but some are still active. It will take some negotiation with the companies that use these lines before we know for certain exactly what the final route will be.

The tour is about 3 hours and it takes you through a very well planned route that zig zags clockwise around Atlanta following what will eventually be the route of the BeltLine. You receive a map and informaiton packet that will help you follow along with the tour.

As stated earlier, the tour was very interesting and informative. Having lived in the Atlanta area for about 8 years, I thought I knew a lot about the city but Heather quickly proved that there is still a lot for me to learn. Some of the more interesting parts of the tour include:

- Learning that a Ga Tech grad student came up with the idea for one of his graduate projects.

- A stop at what will be the new Westside Resovoir Park (formerly Bellwood Quarry) with a question answer session about the quarry that will be turned into an emergency water supply for the city. We can definitely use 2.4 Billion gallons which will supply Atlanta for 30 days.

- Seeing D.H. Stanton Park and learning about the environmental problems that existed at that site and what is being done to clean the area up and potentially expand the park along the rail line.

- Seeing the significant number of old abandoned sites along the line that will present opportunity for development. Some of these were the old Georgia State Farmer's Market, the 31 acre property owned by the Annie E. Casey Foundation along University Ave. and the Exide Battery Plant

- Potential combined BeltLine & Marta stations.

- The large amount of mixed use development along Huff Rd. We love this kind of development and feel that the BeltLine will spark more of it around the corridor.

These aren't the only things you will see/notice on the tour but I think they are all notable to the green minded residents of Atlanta. Although there will be challenges as this vision moves toward reality, we believe this is a project that should be supported and embraced by the area. It will set an example for the rest of the country to follow on how to creatively use existing infrastructure to improve the lives of the residents.

Thanks to the BeltLine Partnership for the well orgainzed and delivered tour!