Local Athens restaurants are participating in the green restaurant movement by trying to decrease their ecological footprint and increase their support for farmers from the area.
Jake Householder, a manager at Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 -+ Washington St., said he thinks that customers get a sense of peace from buying organic. Donkey uses cold-liquid cups that can be composted and is looking for a distributor of hot-liquid cups that can do the same.
At Bagel Street Deli, 27 S. Court St., the management encourages dine-in customers to use red plastic cups, which they wash after every use.
It's kind of crazy (how much we recycle) ' we even recycle our receipts
said Meredith Rock, a three-year employee of Bagel Street.
Casa Nueva Restaurant, 4 W. State St., recycles its green glass by incorporating it into its furniture, as green glass is not part of the Athens pick-up. The restaurant holds sour cream and yogurt in reusable No. 5 plastic containers, said Michelle Wasserman, a manager at Casa.
Della Zona, 270 E. State St., and Village Bakery, 268 E. State St., are mostly concerned with being socially conscious and supporting self-sustaining agriculture.
The food system is a huge energy waste and petroleum guzzler G?- not just buying local said Bob O'Neal, the owner of Della Zona and Village Bakery.
O'Neal buys almost exclusively from local farms to combat the food wars of the industry, although O'Neal added he is not sure if people buy his products for their taste or for social reasons.
When asked if high prices affect people's willingness to buy fair-trade products ' something he advocates adamantly ' O'Neal said, When you buy fair-trade products G? and you know the impact
you'll never buy anything else.
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Natalie McGee
