Jean-Georges announces he's opening a green restaurant. Then $72 prix-fixe Rouge Tomate says it doesn't have table cloths because they're "green." Now Greenhouse opens up, claiming to be New York City's first green nightclub. But clubbers will still be downing beer and liquor shipped from all over the globe. Plastic straws and cocktail napkins will accompany every mixed drink. While the bottle-service menu will highlight $375 bottles of 360 Vodka, made in a green distillery and shipped in reusable bottles, it will also offer a $70,000 Perrier Jouet Fleur de Champagne, custom-made in France.
"You have to be careful of 'greenwashing,' " says Margaret Lydecket, a sustainability consultant at VH1 and the founder of the monthly Green Drinks networking event. While Greenhouse's efforts may be commendable, and even set a new standard for eco-partying, there is another side to every coin. Here are the nightclub's green highlights, along with a primer of their unintended consequences:
Greenhouse hopes to host weekly events with the hundreds of environmental nonprofits based around town. Do-gooders may get too drunk on 360 Vodka to do any good.
Eight varieties of colorful, real leaves cover the walls, lending a natural woodland feel to the club. By city law, the leaves must be treated with a decidedly nongreen fire-retardant chemical.
Waterless urinals and low-flow toilets make for a big reduction in water use, at least 15,000 gallons saved annually. No water means no flushing, which, in a crowded nightclub bathroom, can lead to unpleasant sights and smells.
Read the full story here.