In honor of Earth Day, a local business is throwing an eco-friendly bash, complete with local reggae music, donations to a local charity and a recycling drive.
Stir Fry Cafe, located next to Barnes & Noble, 3020 Franklin Terrace Drive, will hold its first Green Day Event April 19 from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.
“We just think that there’s nobody else in the area that has ever done this, and as a restaurant we try to set ourselves apart from all the rest,” said Rachel Oliver, an ETSU graduate who is coordinating the event.
General manager Rafael Zabala said he hopes that Stir Fry will lead the way in environmentally friendly practices in Johnson City.
A new Stir Fry Cafe will open in Asheville, N.C., in June. Due to a law that passed last month, all restaurants in Asheville must meet “green” regulations, such as recycling standards. Since the restaurant has to take these steps in Asheville, said Oliver, they might as well work on making the Johnson City location eco-friendly as well.
“Green is evolving . and I think it’s just something that our community needs to become involved in,” said Oliver, an assistant manager. “We’re one of the best restaurants in town, so I think that the people who come into the restaurant are the people this appeals to.”
While the “greening” of Stir Fry Café is still mostly in the research process, Zabala says that after green practices are implemented in Asheville they will be adapted in Johnson City.
These new steps toward eco-friendliness inspired the Earth Day party.
Cover charge for the event is $5 and 10 percent of the proceeds from that cover charge will go to a local environmentally friendly organization that has not been chosen yet. Events at the café will begin earlier in the day, long before the green alcohol starts to flow.
Starting at 2 p.m., Johnson City Recycling will provide bins for people to bring recyclable materials, such as paper, plastic and glass. Then from 4 to 8 p.m., local environmentally minded vendors will set up boots with information, items for sale and prizes.
“This Earth Day will help us with the logistics,” he said. “We will recycle everything from the restaurant that night,” including materials like cardboard and glass bottles from the bar.
Phil Bachman Toyota will showcase a new hybrid car, the 2008 Toyota Camry, at the event. According to sales manager Mike Felty, the demand for hybrid cars has dramatically increased in the last year. There is currently a waiting list of 11 people waiting to buy the 2008 Toyota Prius.
Participating in the Earth Day bash will be good, Felty said, because it raises awareness about hybrid cars.
“Toyotas are coming in with more and more hybrid models,” he said. “With fuel prices the way they’re going, we’re going to have to do something.” Toyota hybrids currently have the lowest emissions of any vehicle on the road, according to Felty.
The night’s entertainment will feature renowned reggae artist Ras Alan at 8 p.m. Alan’s background, as well as music, made him perfect for the event, Oliver said.
“He’s an Appalachian reggae artist,” Oliver said. “He has music in the Smithsonian institute, and he is from the area.”
Along with recycling and reggae, there will be drink specials that night. Stir Fry Cafe will be serving up green colored martinis of varying flavors for $5. One special martini they will be serving up is a “clean” martini, infused with basil.
Junior Patrick Lewis supports the restaurants’ Earth Day bash. “I think it’s great,” he said. “Everyone should change to be more environmentally friendly.” Lewis plans on attending the party. Lewis said that passing legislation for restaurants in Johnson City to implement greener practices would be something he supports.
For now, the environmental movement in Johnson City is creeping forward one $5 green martini at a time. For more information call 232-6000 or visit www.stirfrycafe.com.

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