Step up onto the balcony, and you immediately realize you are not in a Starbucks. You look to the left and there are four separate trash bins: one for glass, one for paper, one for plastics and one for everything else. There is a man sitting at a small table with a beret on top of his head, hiking boots on his feet and a Lonestar beer in his hand. This is Tantra Coffeehouse.

            This “hippie hangout” offers, not only great coffee, but a Budda’s belly to rub, art to admire, a stage to watch and listen to great music and a unicycle football league to join. You can even debate political issues over a game of Ms. Pac-Man.

            Tantra Coffehouse  gives a look into the world of people who care about the environment, but are often misrepresented by the media. The people that you find at Tantra, perhaps have the answers when it comes to saving our environment. In front of the coffeehouse there is a bike rack that is full and an almost vacant parking lot. There is a push to recycle, a vegan menu to order from and posters offering services for natural heeling. These people want to make as little impact on the environment as they can, but their lifestyle has received little media attention until only recently. Everyday we see more and more people driving hybrid cars and opting for reusable grocery bags.  

            I would do stories based on the lifestyle of these people and the everyday choices they make to help our environment. Going green can fit into many other beats, such as, fashion and trends.