Austin Guide » 10Best Bet Awards » Going Green
Austin 10Best Bet AwardsGoing Green
They're out there, and you're proud of them. You're behind their cause and supporting them every chance you get. These environmentally-conscious businesses do their part to preserve the world around us. They include restaurants that use only organic, local produce. They're hotels with green roofs or solar panels. They're shops that deal in fair trade goods or that promote recycling. They deserve a pat on the back – and our patronage – for their globally conscious efforts!
Address: 611 S Congress Ave, Ste 200, Austin, TX 78704
Although traffic is growing at an exponential rate, city dwellers now have a greener alternative thanks to this socially conscious non-profit. The state's first carsharing program takes the hassle out of personal ownership by giving members anytime-access to a fleet of vehicles without their having to juggle things...
Address: 301 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
The latest incarnation of this civic structure opened in 2004 and is not only an architectural success but is rife with green features that promote efficiency and are also quite beautiful. Largely made of recycled materials (including 82% of the copper adornment on the facade), City Hall uses a thermal energy cooling...
Address: 4th St and Guadalupe, Republic Square Park, Austin, TX
Most weekends throughout the year, area farmers cart their hearty produce downtown to Republic Square Park to set up temporary shop. Their farm-fresh goods depend on the season and include everything from organic salad greens and root vegetables to locally produced honey and artisan breads. Healthy eaters appreciate...
Address: 23rd & Robert Dedman Dr, Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX 78705
When time came to remodel this high-class art house, the designers, site planners, and builders focused on urban reuse, minimizing the amount of landfill waste and building up rather than out to optimize urban density. Landscape architects incorporated shade trees to help cool the building and established gravel...
Address: 1701 Toomey Rd, Austin, TX 78704
Focused on the principles of macrobiotics, this southside dining room serves all-vegan, usually organic dishes that promote dietary balance and health. Rather than select from several options on a traditional menu, customers pay a single price to receive the menu of the day, which consists of several small dishes...
Address: 2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
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Eastside Café asks, Why pay top-dollar for fresh produce when you can grow it just as well right behind the restaurant? The well-known eatery does just that, handpicking organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers as meals are prepared. In addition, at the end of each day, approximately 20 to 30 gallons of vegetable scraps...
Address: 2915 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78705
Doing the laundry is a tedious chore that everyone faces, but the good people of this University area cleaners provide an ecologically sound option. Using only non-toxic chemicals and steering clear of the standard dry-cleaning chemical, perchloroethylene (also known as perc), employees use a wet-cleaning system that...
Address: 310 Comal St, Austin, TX 78702
Established in 1992, this outlet deals in previously-used materials and has been the model for more than 250 other Habitat for Humanity-sponsored stores. Good Samaritans, often in the midst of demolishing or remodeling, drop off extra tile, old bathtubs, leftover paint, and the like for others to purchase at reduced...
Address: 419 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
Frequenting the nearby Farmers' Market for a significant number of ingredients, the founders of this Second Street salad spot not only feed hundreds of downtown employees mostly-organic, locally grown vegetables daily, but they also produce no landfill waste. And despite the absence of a city-sponsored commercial...
Address: 3101 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
Relying on customer membership and investment as a cooperative, this low-key neighborhood grocery focuses on stocking quality merchandise that appeals to a health-conscious clientele, including organic, locally-grown produce, holistic products, and vegan and vegetarian staples. As a community-owned business, the co-op...
