On Earth day last year, together with 15,000 other people, we went to the Bronx Botanical Gardens. It was a perfect day weather wise and fun was had by all. They put out a great huge balloon of the Earth, let people picnic on the grounds which is usually forbidden and generally pulled out the stops for guests. I was really pleased to be there and looking forward to a glass of mass market American wine in a small plastic bottle that they usually sell at the counter. Instead, they now sell wine in cans at an even higher price. It very much did not appeal to me and I opted for a beer in a glass bottle instead. I wonder if the small plastic bottles of wine are worse for the environment than the aluminum cans of wine. Maybe so.  I guess on Earth day neither would have been appropriate. Since I wrote about it last year, I have changed my mind about wine in a can and have even considered promoting one and what best practices to use there. I’ll never be a front runner on stuff like that but I can see it’s place in the wine world. Here’s an interesting take on it. And here is an article written last summer which show what a big industry wine in a can has become.

This led me to reflect on a recent conversation I had with a producer. Can a biodynamic producer smoke cigarettes or drive an old gas guzzling car? How far does one go to be complete with vineyard practices. I don’t have an answer but Earth day makes me think about this even more. As does having a small explorer who is still relatively new to our planet. Earth Day-Hooray is the name of a favorite book for children, it’s about recycling and cans in a park. I’m sure it was in my mind when I saw those cans of wine. The recycle cans and get money to beautify a park. Maybe wine in cans is a better way.