There's more to a sustainable dinner than the local or home-grown food (or wine!) on the plate. You can make small, simple adjustments when it comes to the setting and decor that make the overall meal a more conscious, thoughtful experience. Start with grandma's china, for example.

This doesn't need much explanation, does it? They're like wine glass charms for the Budweiser set. Wondering which beer is yours? Why, it's the one with last week's asparagus rubber band around it.

Having a honeybee hive in your backyard (should you be lucky enough to have one) or on your rooftop has been trendy for a while now, as the urban farming movement has grown and flourished. But until last week, having bees in New York City was illegal.

Not anymore! The New York City Board of Health recently voted to amend the health code and lift the ban on beekeeping. So all of those secret beekeepers can lift their big, screen masks and proudly show their faces.

Think you're interested? We've got links to detailed information about how to keep bees in the city, plus one Brooklyn resident's firsthand experience.

We know. Cleaning products- how sexy. We're not saying dishwashing liquid is for everybody, but we'd actually be delighted to get some pretty new scrubbers and soaps in our stockings. And think about it: Everyone has to clean up. Why not make the process smell better, feel better, look better? We've got ten cool items that are all eco-friendly. How's that for peace (and cleanliness) on Earth?

According to Reynolds, this product debuted back in April or May, but we haven't noticed it in our local grocery stores. It's foil made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. We already recycle our aluminum foil, but this is taking things one step further—and mainstream! Anyone used it?

In June we spent part of an afternoon exploring a new, improved community garden in Harlem. It was a rundown plot of land, but now, thanks to a Herculean renovation by the Food Network, Share Our Strength, and Teich Garden Systems, it's a thriving vegetable and fruit garden where kids from the Children's Aid Society (which has a center across the street) learn about planting, harvesting, and cooking. It's an amazing place to hang out...

We're so inspired by Sunday Suppers, the Brooklyn-based cooking class that created these menus. Their table decorations are always stunning, and yet this particular idea is so simple, we're filing it away for a future dinner party—paper bag menus that guests could pop open and fill with a sweet summer treat for the ride home. See it below...

First things first: Find some canned goods with really cool labels...

We love the classic look of black and white, diamond-patterned kitchen floors. They're very 1950s diner but can look clean and modern, too. Well, this is an eco-friendly riff on that idea, with sustainable cork laid out in contrasting shades...

Small kitchens can get hot, fast, especially in the summer. Do you have a fan? Do you keep your windows open? Crank the AC? Let us know your tricks...