But what have they done about it? They’ve implemented a recycling program and installed energy-efficient LED lights. Two words: pah-leeze. Do they know there are clubs in Chicago and the Netherlands that are made nearly entirely out of recyclable materials and powered by solar panels and dancing? Yes, for Miami it’s a start, but a blue bin and some flashy lights are not the kind of thing that will drastically reduce global warming or get you Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Nor does it look like any Miami club has plans to do so in the near future. But at least it’s something.

It seems as if the majority of these most glamorous of nightclubs have decided to progress through baby steps. Such is the direction taken by New York’s Southampton celebrity hotspot, Stereo by the Shore. The hip-hop club/lounge, which lures such young stars as Diddy, Scarlett Johansson, and Fez (I refuse to refer to him by his real name), has taken such measures as replacing air conditioning with open windows and banning smoking. It sounds simple enough, but it’s the little things that count, right?

The hotspot is also known for its outdoor deck garden, which spurns the use of pesticides. But, as I said before, it’s hard to balance environmentalism and opulence, and Stereo by the Shore is one of the most opulent of them all. High-rolling VIPs are chartered in from Manhattan on gas-guzzling private helicopters. I knew there had to be a catch. In order to truly go green, some sort of sacrifice has to be made for splendor.

That’s why the task is much easier for places on a smaller scale. Case in point: New York City’s Village Pourhouse. Unlike big nightclubs, this East Village neighborhood tavern has done more than a little for the planet we call home. They’ve done everything from replacing their cleaning products with Enviro-Solutions Certified Green supplies (whose products improve indoor air quality and contain no hazardous ingredients or carcinogens) to using recycled paper goods and aluminum to-go containers.

Even the drink list has gone green (and no, that doesn’t just mean St. Patrick’s Day beer). The bar has added a number of organic beers to their already extensive beer list as well as Earth Chardonnay to their wine list. Don’t worry, that means it’s made with organic grapes, not with soil and dirt. Add to that their energy-efficient-distilled vodka and that’s the kind of environmentalism I can get behind!