Best Green Day at the Beauty Shop: Clients of the stylish Jeffrey Smith Salon (3801 Butler St., Lawrenceville) can now pamper themselves at a "green day" of beauty with eco-friendly hair-, skin- and nail-service options. Going green is an easy option to offer, and Smith and his team do it with great flair. Your hair, skin and nails will thank you, and so will the environment. That's so eco-chic. Info: 412/683-8153, jeffreysmithstudio.com
Best Place Where Green Is Always the New Black: In trendy "Larryville," there is Equita, a clothing boutique that focuses on contemporary-fashion designs that are eco-friendly and sweatshop-free and all geared toward fostering fair-trade and sustainable employment in developing countries around the world. Equita (3609 Butler St., Lawrenceville) supports and offers designers that adhere to using organic materials. Info: 412/353-0109, shopequita.com
Best Way to Wear It Green... Baby: Come on, you're not too young to recall when wearing an "I Like Ike" pin made a statement. Now your tots can make their own eco-political statements with eco ike brand T-shirts. They are the brainchild of Pittsburgh's hip, all-organic mom Faith Moser, who was inspired by her son to create an environmentally friendly children's-clothing line. Her mission is to encourage people to go green. In fact, "I'm Organic" is the most popular shirt. The merchandise is sold in select local and national boutiques as well as online. So get your eco ike wear before Brooke, Gwen, Sarah Jessica and other celeb moms buy them up for their little ones. Info: 412/901-4043, ecoike.com
Best Thing That Should be Happening to Your Dry Cleaning: It's hard to believe that green dry cleaning is late to catch on in our region. Even small hamlets across New Jersey, as well as in (gasp!) Cleveland, now have this dry-cleaning service. Using a sand byproduct rather than petroleum, green dry cleaning is not only healthier for you and the environment, but it's also gentler on your clothes and budget-friendly - your clothes will last longer! Demand that your dry cleaner go green. In the meantime, there are two area companies that now offer GreenEarth cleaning systems: Martinizing Dry Cleaning (12023 Perry Highway, Wexford; 724/940-2494) and Dry Cleaning Station (4071 Washington Road, McMurray; 724/941-7610; 330 Greengate Centre Circle, Greensburg, 724/834-2225). Info: martinizing.com/wexford, drycleaningstation.com
Best Green Spaces: Our parks are some of the greenest treasures we have. Parks help filter air and water pollution; they are democratic, and they allow people to exercise and give children a place to play. This past fall, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, an organization that works in partnership with the city of Pittsburgh to help restore and improve the city's park system, got to show off some of these glorious parks by hosting urban-parks leaders from around the world to discuss the critical role parks play in the well-being of urban communities. As Pittsburgh and the Conservancy address city parks, regional groups are working to improve trails, riverfronts and green space. Take advantage of their efforts and visit your local park, take a walk, ride your bike and celebrate the greenery. Info: pittsburghparks.org
Best Way to Buy Fresh and Local: From May to November, support your local farmers and buy produce at area farmers' markets and farm stands. Because the food is grown locally, many items are limited to the beginning of the season, and more become available each week. Markets have the most food and the most farmers from July through September. The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) has a directory of Pennsylvania farmers' markets, family farms, you-pick farms and other businesses that sell locally grown farm products. Info: buylocalpa.org
Best Chefs Who Make Others Go Green With Envy: It's no surprise that for three years in a row, Pittsburgh magazine's "Chef of the Year" has been Douglass Dick, executive chef and owner of Bona Terra (908 Main St., Sharpsburg). His restaurant, whose name means "Good Earth," offers the freshest local ingredients prepared in the most exquisite manner, and they're on the menu every night. Make your reservations well in advance, or you may have to wait until Earth Day 2010. Info: 412/781-8210, bonaterrapgh.com
Big Burrito executive chef Bill Fuller gives Douglass Dick a run for the green. Not only does Fuller incorporate local purveyors into the menus at all of big Burrito's restaurants, Fuller also has turned part of Eleven's wine cellar into a charcuterie, and he makes his own vinegar in Casbah's basement. Fuller is one of the greenest food junkies around, and is not shy about letting you know it. You can't miss him at nearly every green food event in town, from Rachel Carson's Homestead events to cooking up whatever he can grab at the Farmers@Firehouse market in the Strip District on Saturday mornings. Even big Burrito's catering company, big catering, is mad about green. Info: bigburrito.com
Pittsburgh's Queen of Green: The city now has its first official sustainability coordinator: Lindsay A. Baxter, who was hired last fall, is charged with implementing the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan (PCAP), a document outlining recommendations for city government, residents, businesses and universities to decrease their greenhouse-gas emissions, and with forming a green steering committee. Baxter also will support current environmental programs managed by the city, such as recycling, planting 20,000 trees over five years and "Green Up," a project of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's that aims to stabilize city-owned vacant lots with the goals of reducing blight and promoting environmental values. Baxter, who completed her master's degree in environmental science at Duquesne University in 2008, was the lead writer for the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan while a fellow with the NGO Clean Air-Cool Planet.
Best Green Specials: Legume (1113 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square) is a charming BYOB restaurant that offers an evolving seasonal menu. Though its menu is small, you might find it difficult to decide what to order, because everything is made from enticingly fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Legume updates and posts its offerings daily on its Web site. Info: 412/371-1815, legumebistro.com
Six Penn Kitchen (146 Sixth St., downtown) serves fresh, carefully crafted, all-American cuisine. The menu highlights seasonal ingredients and takes an updated approach to regional American classics. Executive chef Keith Fuller masterfully creates regional classics with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Six Penn continues to grow its own herbs on its rooftop garden, and supports local and sustainable farms and suppliers, all noted on the menu. Info: 412/566-7366, sixpennkitchen.com
Best Green Community-Development Leader: In his role as the sustainable-policy coordinator at East Liberty Development Inc., Nathan Wildfire is the city's first community-development professional devoted to sustainability, specifically supporting the greening of East Liberty. "I strive to challenge and empower both neighborhood residents and regional leaders to think outside the box about how we plant trees, plan bike lanes, build buildings and roads, and use vacant space," he says. "I empower people to dream big about where they live, work, play and worship." Info: eastliberty.org
Best Green Beans: Fair-trade-certified coffee roasters La Prima Espresso Co. directly supports a better life for coffee-farming families with each bean it roasts. La Prima's current fair-trade coffee offerings include relationships with Los Olivos farm in Colombia and Finca Vista Hermosa farm in Guatemala. For a small fee, you can enjoy a roaster tour and coffee class at La Prima (Smallman and 20th streets, Strip District). Learn about different coffee types, including organic, and find out more about fair trade. Info: laprima.com