Margaret Lydecker founded Green Drinks New York City, a monthly environmental networking group that is part of Green Drinks International, in 2002. Since then, she's grown the New York City chapter to over 13,000 members and has been a key contributor to expanding Green Drinks’ international network to over 650 cities around the world, covering every continent. These networking events not only raise awareness of the sustainable lifestyle, but provide a forum for people to effectively connect with other like-minded people around the world.
Lydecker, who studied environmental law at Vermont Law School, is also principal of Brite Green Sustainability Advisors LLC, a green research and consultation company that works with companies to find green solutions and develop and implement a roadmap of environmental responsibility. Her clients include Fortune 500 companies such as DuPont and Knoll Furniture, and currently, Lydecker is an advisor to VH1 and MTVN on their green initiatives. Lydecker has been interviewed for numerous blogs and magazine articles, and will be included in the soon-to-be-published book The 100 Most Powerful Green Women, written by Rebecca Harrell, co-producer of the Sundance Festival award-winning film FUEL.
Tell us how and why you started Green Drinks.
I started Green Drinks in July 2002 as a way to connect with other like-minded people. What started out as friends with common interests really evolved into community building, a green resource, a place for people from all backgrounds to come to meet, cross pollinate, get inspired, develop new ideas, make friends, find a job and connect on a much deeper level with a few people from within a massive context—the backdrop being New York City.
Besides becoming more visible, how do you think the green movement has changed the most since you started Green Drinks?
People are much more connected now than ever before. There is more information available, more choices, more details and transparency. What has also shown up as a result is more green washing, more greed, and more "business as usual" in this new industry. All in all, there is much more good than bad. When I was job searching years ago, one thing that always stuck with me was the value one has when they have a great rolodex. That is one major thing I found was missing within the environmental community for the most part, they may have great ideas, heart in the right place, making a difference, but without a lot of connections outside of their organization. Green Drinks has helped in some small way to make that happen. We make introductions, create the space for people to meet and as I like to say, cross-pollinate. We host speed-networking hours [and] give people an opportunity to do a two-minute pitch at the events, advertise in our newsletter, and more.
How often do you speak with other Green Drinks founders in the U.S. and abroad?
All the time! Chapters in the U.S. are connecting even more closely after our first North American Green Drink conference, which happened in Seattle this past September. About a dozen or so chapters heads came and talked about our common mission. It's a very close group and we are becoming wonderful friends within this context.
Green Drinks has expanded rapidly in recent years. Where are the newest chapters?
Oh, so many new chapters and all over the world—it's so exciting to see this incredible expansion! The largest growth has been in the US—with St. Augustine, Florida; Klamath Falls, Oregon; Staten Island; New York; Maui, Hawaii; and Malibu, California to be the latest.
Internationally, our latest chapters include: Mal Pais, Costa Rica; Medellin, Columbia; Tre Kronor, Sweden; Nairobi, Kenya; Cusco, Peru; Beaconsville, Quebec, Canada; Santiago, Chile; Geneva, Switzerland; and Hanoi, Vietnam. It is so exciting! Overall, we are expanding about 30 to 40 new chapters every month, as the model is very simple to follow— it's a DIY for offline social networking, and the best part about it is that it is offline! People are social creatures and we recognize how much more fulfilling it feels to connect in person.
What environmental issues are nearest and dearest to your heart?
Nearest and dearest are several. One is land conservation—keeping in tack those untouched magical places in the world, habitat preservation for the many unique creatures on our planet. Another is over-population. One big challenge is acidification of the oceans—a lesser talked about but critical subject. I feel I personally need to do more in my own life and that is an ongoing challenge of mine.
2010 is a big year for the world. As legendary oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle—who we honored at our 2009 holiday event—so beautifully writes, "with knowing, comes caring; with caring there's hope that we'll find an enduring place for ourselves within the natural systems that keep us alive." Let's educate ourselves to make better choices and preserve the magic and beauty in the world. Knowledge is power!
Paul McGinniss, "the Green Advocate," is a columnist for www.newyorkhousemagazine.com. You can read more about Green Drinks New York City and Green Drinks International on his blog: www.thenewyorkgreenadvocate.blogspot.com
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