Hug A Tree, Then Eat Some Food
A bunch of restaurants in DC really like the environment, saving it and such, that is, and are doing all sorts of things to be nice and green. And, except for the fact that corn starch silverware makes your food taste funny, green restaurants aren’t the most terrible idea we’ve ever heard of.
Where to eat when you feel like hugging a tree:
DC Bread and Brew: This place is certified by the Green Restaurant Association, which we assume means that they're particularly good at healing the world. They offer biodegradable silverware and environmental packaging, and their ingredients are local and organic. They also have a chandelier made of recycled beer bottles. Green, green, green BUT the food's just adequate.
Sweetgreen: These guys are also certified by the Green Restaurant Association, so they're super green as well. The place is powered by 100% wind energy, all their silverware, plates and cups are compostable and made from corn, and they use local and organic ingredients when available. Which is great for the earth and all, but the food is a little expensive and the taste of the frozen yogurt is RUINED by those damn corn starch spoons! We don’t believe in sacrificing the flavor of fro-yo for the greater good, that's just taking this too far.
Chix: Chix serves free-range, antibiotic-free, all natural chicken in Chix (that would be a secret spice), Peruvian, or Colombian style. And at Chix, they also LOVE the environment: they use earth friendly packaging, paper and cleaning products, the interior is green friendly, they compost about 90% of their waste, and they use 100% wind energy to power the store.
Coppi's Organic Restaurant: The name of the restaurant gives this one away ... cheaters. They do the whole local, organic produce and wind power energy thing too, but they also have grass fed/free range meats and poultry, low wattage light bulbs, and sustainably sourced fish.
Java Green: Look how cute, their motto is: “Drink Green. Eat Green. Live Green.” They've got organic food, fair trade products, wind power, real chinaware for folks who dine in, and that sustainable stuff for those who take the food to go. EVERYTHING they serve is vegan, so they have food that looks like meat, only it’s made out of soy and vegetables. Aside from looking funny, the food doesn’t taste half bad. And, that new location on 17th and P NW? Yeah, it’s never going to open. We give up.
Longworth Cafeteria: Who knows if we’ll ever get good climate legislation from Congress, but they’ve at least done something climate friendly! The Longworth cafeteria is FULLY sustainable. It boasts biodegradable bottles of water, recycling bins, a salad bar made of sustainable materials, and cornstarch silverware. They also serve organic, sustainable, local food. Got to start somewhere.