Green Clubbin'

Nightclubs with a green conscience are sprouting up in major cities. San Francisco's successful Temple nightclub has expanded into an "eco-conscious 'edu-tainment' complex." Which begs the question: Can you really go wrong with some alcohol, strategically placed LED lighting and sustainable bamboo walls? At least that's what owner Jon Bakhshi is asking by opening his new nightclub, Greenhouse, in New York City's SoHo district (Green Inc). It'll be the first club of its kind to seek LEED certification and is a 6,000-square-foot, bilevel venue furnished with recycled or recyclable materials and equipped with low-flow toilets, waterless urinals and an HVAC system.

Easing into the idea of sustainable partying, the club offers both organic and regular alcoholic fare such as 360 Vodka. The management is also buying energy credits to offset the establishment's consumption. While upfront costs have not been cheap, the hope is that the concept of combining environmental consciousness with weekend fun will grow with the club's success. 

The USGBC reports that buildings account for 72 percent of electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use and 40 percent of raw-material use in the U.S. According to the Energy Star website, if the hospitality industry were to reduce its energy use by 10 percent, it could save upwards of $285 million.  

--Hannah Buoye

Comments

[Woody]

D.P. & L.

About 40 years ago, give or take, there was a campaign going on about saving “Energy”, (Fossil fuel).
That was before the “incident in Iran or the current “war” in Iraq. That includes the so-called “oil embargo”, (On imported, “Foreign” Fossil fuel/ “Energy”) and “Energy” shortage. Also, before there was any serious talk of “Global warming”.
Before the wide promotion of “Energy”, (Electricity) saving Compact Fluorescents light bulbs and the newly “Jolly Energy Worshiper’s” controlled news media slogan, “GREEN”! (The only real thing about this is just the color and the word).
Believe it or not, it was the oil companies, (Mobil), that were spear-heading this propaganda. (If we, (USns), stopped using, (buying), there product, they would go out of business. (Heaven forbid)!
Every Sunday in the news paper, the insert that now is called “Parade”, Mobile ran a half page add instilling the benefits of using less fuel, (“Energy”).
At this time I had a few shares of Dayton Power and Light, 3 to be exact. Because I was still young and had a desire to become wealthy, I would read the annual and quarterly stock reports of DP&L. In one fall report, they lamented that their profit was down because there was an unusual mild winter. In the first of the following year, the East Coast had some severe storms. Therefore the spring report announced that profits had soured, due to the extreme weather!
Now at this time I was still a little naïve. I had saved several of the Mobil adds along whith the two quarterly stock reports from DP&L. I circled the pertinent passages whith reference to each, respectively and sent them to the “White House”. I then received a timely letter back, (from the White House), thanking me for my interest. (Just like now when one tries to get in their “2-cents” worth and just receives a “form” letter. However Mobil soon stopped there weekly adds to never again mention “Energy” saving!

Woody R. Alspaugh; Foundation
www.hope05.org