Green City: Brooklyn

We, the editors at eco18.com, have decided to chronicle our travels and highlight some of the green aspects in various cities. Please feel free to submit city ideas and information for upcoming Green City features.

Despite being one borough in a big city, Brooklyn has much to offer those who want to live green. Here’s a taste of all the eco-friendly culture Brooklyn has to offer.

Green Residences: While Brooklyn is proud to be home to several eco-inspired apartments and apartment buildings, there are a ton of eco-enthusiasts who can teach us a thing or two about green living in Brooklyn:

Interior Designer, Alexandra Meyn designed, built, and decorated her tree house using reclaimed materials and a $400 budget.

Blues Clues host, Steve Burns (remember him?!), just built a 2,100 sq. ft. bachelor pad built on an old wood shop with some creative repurposed wood elements, including planks salvaged from the Coney Island Boardwalk.

Adrian Grenier plays the famed Actor Vincent Chase in Los Angeles, but his home is right here in the heart of Brooklyn. With inspiration from neighboring businesses (and early eco influences from his own mom and stepdad), Grenier’s Brooklyn home uses insulation made from recycled jeans, has solar panels and utilizes several other sustainable elements.

If you’re traveling to Brooklyn (or New York City), you may want to check out one of the several hotels offering green rooms and amenities. Amongst them is the Nu Hotel, inspired with an eco-concious design, the Nu Hotel features recycled teak, cork floors, lead-free paint, organic bedding, and green bath amenities throughout the entire space.

Nu Hotel: 85 Smith St, New York, NY

Green Shopping: Brooklyn is home to some of the best resale and vintage shopping around. Beacon’s closet, for me, is an absolute go-to throughout the year. They have preowned clothes, shoes and accessories from the world’s top designers at very reasonable prices with convenient locations in Williamsburg and Park Slope. My tip to any of you who are looking to bargain hunt, stay focused and give yourself at least  few hours to find your hidden gems!

Beacon’s Closet Williamsburg (88 N 11th Street)

Beacon’s Closet Park Slope (92 5th Avenue)

Next, you’re going to want to stop by one of Brooklyn’s infamous outdoor Flea Shops (brooklynflea.com). Reopening April 6th, Fort Greene Flea is Brooklyn’s flagship location and feature 150 vendors every Saturday. You might want to save your appetite as well. Fort Greene Flea is also home to some pretty delicious eats between purchases!

(176 Lafayette Ave. (btw. Clermont + Vanderbilt Ave.)

Organic Dining: Many restaurants in Brooklyn define the farm-to-table dining experience with both local and and organic ingredients. Chef Evan Hanczor is both a chef at Parish Hall and Egg, two Brooklyn-based restaurants supplied with fresh ingredients from owner, George Weld’s farm upstate in Oak Hill, NY. I love Parish for their Squash Toast with goat cheese and walnuts, while Egg is the perfect brunch stop with their Organic Grits and Eggs. Yum!

Parish Hall (109A N. 3rd Street)

Egg (135 N 5th Street)