Results tagged “environmentaldesign”

The owners of Clear Conscience Cafe in Central Square are on a mission. It’s pretty hard to miss… in fact, it’s conveniently spelled out on a poster behind the counter. They sell fair trade, shade grown, organic coffee and organic food “with an underlying agenda of social responsibility and environmental stewardship.” The counters are made of bamboo or crushed beer bottles; the ceiling tiles are made of 100% recycled material; the shop is illuminated by efficiency lighting; whenever possible, the owners used materials from less than 250 miles away. “Wherever we could make tiny little inroads to what I believe in, we did it,” says Daniel Goldstein, one of the owners. It meant that it took longer than expected to build the cafe, located at the front of Harvest Co-Op... well over a year. But it’s more than worth it, according to Goldstein—he hopes the café will be Massachusetts’ first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified commercial retailer.

The city of Boston unveiled new plans today to hold private developers to a more environmentally friendly standard. The Globe reports that the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) will incorporate these regulations into building codes for the city.