Eat Local, Help the Earth on April 22

Earth Day, April 22, presents Austinites with yet another chance to vote with their dollars. Local businesses across the city will donate 5% of their sales to seven environmental nonprofit organizations.

The nonprofits that will benefit are the Hill Country Conservancy, Texas Land Conservancy, TreeFolks, Friends of Barton Springs Pool, Texas Campaign for Environment Fund, Urban Roots, and Clean Water Fund

A healthy portion of participating businesses are cafes, bakeries, restaurants, and bars, so here’s a handy guide for supporting environmental causes from breakfast to nightcaps this April 22.

Start off your morning with a hot cuppa at Anderson’s Coffee or Monkey Nest, then grab a taco or two from the nearest Tacodeli; hell, treat the office to morning buns from Upper Crust. They’ll thank you for it.

For lunch, check out the pastrami sandwich at Easy Tiger, deep dish pizza on a whole-wheat crust from Conan’s, or a banh mi hot dog (can be made vegetarian) from Man Bites Dog. Treat yourself to an afternoon gelato at Dolce Neve or a cupcake from Sugar Mama’s bakeshop.

The world is really your oyster at dinnertime, whether you want to go large with enchiladas and margs at Matt’s El Rancho, steak or burgers at ALC Steaks, locally sourced Southern comfort at Greenhouse Craft Food, or old-world with Nik’s Italian Kitchen.

End the night with a craft cocktail at Drink.Well or a local beer at the ABGB and rest well knowing your dining dollars have gone toward a very worthy cause. Bonus points if you travel by bicycle.

Here's a complete listing of all the businesses participating in 5% Day.