Drinking cocktails with a mission in mind is always better than just plain knocking them back – so a new initiative has just been launched in Budapest to make you merry and help the planet. The Plant a Tree Cocktail was six months in the making but is now upon us, just in time for the season of celebration.
The brainchild of hospitality executive Barbi Angeli and green-focused Barbi Csallóközi, the scheme involves a number of Budapest bars and restaurants – and the need to plant as many trees as possible.
The Plant a Tree cocktail is actually a G&T with a dash of matcha tea, for 4,800 forints at all participating bars. So far, these include the 360 Bar, BB’z Bar & Grill, Anker’t, Extraand KIOSK Budapest – where you can order with this cocktail and, along with it, a tree. When you order one, you will be presented with an iPad where you can enter your name and email address. A message confirming your ownership of the tree will follow. After that comes a photo of your tree, with your name on the label.
G&Ts and trees are selling like hot cakes, with 500 seedlings already planted. If it turns snowy, you may have to wait a couple of weeks for your seedling.
Angeli stressed that anyone could visit their tree at any time at the site near Nyíradony, as it was important for them to make everything transparent. The plot has been in the family for generations. Land in this part of Bács-Kiskun County is cheaper, and leaving it fallow is better than selling it. If enough space is provided for 5,000 trees, work can continue on the land.
Of course, experts were also consulted for the project, the soil was tested and red oak was chosen. “We know that cocktails are priced higher than the average gin and tonic,” says Barbara Csallóközi, “but, in fact, this is the price of the tree, with planting costs”.
If G&T isn’t your thing, you still have the opportunity to plant a red oak in Nyíradony – on their website, you can plant a tree for 2,990 forints. Several large companies have already entered and bought dozens of trees in the area. Although the initiative has started in Budapest and will be continued in the countryside, the founders aim for it to become known abroad, thus contributing significantly to reforestation.
The Plant a Tree Cocktail Initiative can be a great opportunity for team building after a glass or two – you can go planting trees in person after prior arrangement, but as the holidays approach, one of the coolest Christmas gifts might be to give you a tree instead of that last-minute afterthought.
Source: We Love Budapest