Eating Green Across America: Los Angeles

As America's second largest city, with its West Coast mentality, green city initiatives, and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger quoted as stating "The future is green energy, sustainability, renewable energy", there is understandably a significant green-conscious community. Many LA restaurants offer an eco-friendly dining experience, however, in the home of the Hollywood film industry where not everything is as it seems, it is not uncommon for restaurants to make such claims to lure in eager unsuspecting diners. With so many patrons seeking out locally sourced, organically grown, and sustainably raised foods, readers are encouraged to do their due diligence. Here are few eco-friendly food options we're keen to trust:

Tender Greens

6290 Sunset Boulevard

Hollywood, California

(323) 382-0380

www.tendergreensfood.com

With several locations scattered across southern California, Tender Greens appears to be one of the most dedicated organic and environmentally conscious restaurants around. Just how dedicated? Their online menu indicates where each specialty ingredient in each dish comes from! Crunchy lettuce from Scarborough Farms, blue cheese from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, and chorizo from Espinola Meats - it's all there. For all the micro managers out there, each ingredient even links to the website of the producer, and it doesn't end there. For all the health nuts, Tender Greens also provides a menu calorie counter. So, for example, if one was to order roasted roma tomato soup with basil oil to start, the marinated flat iron steak as a main, with a side of baby spinach with cabernet vinaigrette, one should expect to take in about 570 calories, 33 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 44 grams of protein, not to mention 83% RDI of vitamin C, and 43% RDI of iron.

O! Burger

8593 Santa Monica Boulevard

Los Angeles, California, USA

(310) 854-0234

www.oburger.net

Much like the first moon landing, O! Burger has staked their flag to the claim for being the first totally organic burger joint in the Los Angeles area. Everything from their meat patties and buns to their ketchup and fries are certified organic. Their website even provides useful information pertaining to the various benefits of organic foods as well as further information as to steps they've taken to insure that their restaurant is as green as it gets. The most amazing part is that it's actually really affordable!

Sage Organic Vegan Bistro

1700 West Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, California, USA

(213) 989-1718

www.sageveganbistro.com

Sage serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a wide variety of dishes from burgers, wraps, and salads to curries, pastas, and mushroom steaks. They make a point of offering a seasonal menu that is prepared in conjunction with the help of local farmers as includes ingredients that are organically grown and pesticide free.

Forage

3823 West Sunset Boulevard

Los Angeles, California, USA

(323) 663-6885

www.foragela.com

Don't worry, they do the foraging for you! This restaurant's claim to fame is in finding the best locally raised meats and organically grown vegetables. The owners of Forage promote sustainable dining practices as an essential component of building a better world. The menu changes depending on the quality and availability of seasonal ingredients, with a choice of about 3 or 4 appetizers and an equivalent number of mains, and you can determine just how much protein you want - choosing from small, medium, or large to reduce waste.

Life Food Organic

1507 Cahuenga Blvd

Los Angeles, California

(323) 466-0927

www.lifefoodorganic.com

More of a vegetarian health food store than a restaurant, Life Food offers smoothies, soups, salads, and desserts in their café. They also sell packaged raw foods and supplements all while taking a very earth-conscious approach to their ingredients and packaging. A great place to eat and shop, one could make a pleasant afternoon out of a trip to Life Food Organic.

Top 10 Transactions in Renewable Energy in 2011

ERSA Energias Renovaveis SA

CPFL Energia S.A. and ERSA – Energias Renováveis S.A. to merge and create a new company under the CPFL name

• Largest renewable energy deal in 2011
• Technologies include wind farms, small hydro power plants, and biomass thermoelectric power plants
• CPFL Energia S.A will own 63.6% of the new company, while the remaining share of 36.4% is owned by ERSA, resulting in joint assets totalling R$ 4.5 billion in equity value
• Joint assets will combine to generate 1,034 MW of power operating and under construction

Landis + Gyr AG

Toshiba Corp. of Japan (Acquirer) buys 100% of the shares of Landis + Gyr AG (Target) for $2.3B

• Purpose of acquisition is to help Toshiba to become the leader in the Smart Community business by 2020
• Assets include Landis + Gyr AG’s:
• “leading-edge smart metering” system
• 8,000 global utility customers
• Post merger, Landis + Gyr AG will continue to operate as a stand alone subsidiary

EDF Energies Nouvelles SA (EEN)

Electicite de France SA (Acquirer) acquires the 50% of what it does not own in EDF Energies Nouvelle SA (Target) for $2.08B

• Energies include solar and wind projects
• Diversifies the Acquirer away from large exposure to nuclear
• Acquirer plans to grow existing businesses (mostly nuclear) organically take a priority over additional acquisitions of renewable companies
• By the end of 2012, EDF is targeting:
• 500 MW of solar power; and
• 4,200 MW of wind power

True Green Energy Group

Universal Resources Development Incorporated (Acquirer) buys a 25.5% stake in True Green Energy Group (Target) for 1.25B euros.

• The terms of the agreement also ensure that the Target’s vision is continued, by providing clean energy to the Philippines, while cleaning the garbage and building satellite cities for Philipino citizens
• Target’s CEO explained that “TGEG will build 500,000 homes in the Philippines in addition to working with the government to accumulate all landfill and garbage dump sites in order to create clean green energy power plants that will reduce pollution while reusing the waste to create clean green energy.”

SunPower Corp.

Total SA (Acquirer) from France buys 60% of SunPower Corp. (Target) for $1.37B

• SunPower is the second-largest US solar panel maker
• Total acquisition will give SunPower competitive advantage for increasingly competitive Chinese manufacturers who are getting support from their government
• May see rise in acquisition of renewable energy by oil companies who are looking to diversify their energy portfolios
• As crude prices continue to surge, demand will shift towards the renewable energy sector
• Acquisition offer represents a 46% premium over the closing price prior to the announcement.

Televent GIT SA

Schneider Electric (Acquirer) buys 100% of shares of Televent (Target) for $1.36B.

• Televent is a global IT company that helps improve efficiency, safety, and security of IT systems for companies the produce a sustainable world
• Schneider Electric is the global leader in energy management
• Announced shortly after the acquisition the launching of SmartCity, giving cities access to offerings for more efficient and sustainable infrastructure

Enbridge Acquisitions

Enbridge Income Fund (Acquirer) buys 100% interest in a portfolio of wind and solar energy assets for $1.23B

Targets include:

• 190 MW Enbridge Ontario Wind Project
• 99 MW Talbot Wind Project and;
• 80 MW Sarnia Solar Project, the largest photovoltaic solar facility that is operating in the world

Windfarm (400MW) – Anholt

PensionDanmark and PKA (Acquirer) purchase 50% of the 400 megawatt Anholt offshore wind farm (Target) for $1.13B from DONG Energy

• Could be the largest sale of an offshore wind farm in the industry, according to Anders Eldrup, CEO of DONG Energy
• Project not yet operating, but DONG Energy has committed to the construction of the project for an agreed upon price and date, or could face a fine by the Danish government
• Siemens Wind to supply 111 wind turbines generating 3.6 MW each for 400MW of energy

Windfarms (443MW) - Castilla y Leon province Spain

A consortium of fund managers led by Bridgepoint (Acquirer) purchases 11 wind farms from ACS for $880M

 

• Consolidated capacity of all wind farms is 443 MW
• Josu Arlaban, former CFO of Acciona, to be chief executive of portfolio
• Arlaban notes that their goal is to achieve greater efficiency within the projects on a larger scale

Hansen Transmissions International Nv

ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Acquirer) will acquire the 26% remaining portion of Hansen Transmissions International (Target) for $190M, or a full valuation of $731M

• Hansen is listed on the London Stock Exchange and manufactures wind turbines and industrial gearboxes since 1923

Source: www.pwc.com/renewablesdeals

Eating Green Across Canada

Canada is a vast and beautiful country stretching from coast to coast with stunning landscapes, crystal lakes, mountains, plains, and forests. With so much natural beauty within its borders, Canada has a responsibility to be a model for the rest of the world of how to leave in harmony with the planet. The people of Canada love the outdoors so it's not surprising that you can find eco-friendly restaurants that serve seasonal, local, and sustainable fare in just about any Canadian city. Here are few hot spots from some of the more moderately populated burghs.

Halifax

The Wooden Monkey

1707 Grafton Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

(902) 444-3844

www.thewoodenmonkey.ca

A real supporter of everything local, The Wooden Monkey offers a menu made from local and organic ingredients, supports local artists and musicians, and brews its own beers and wines. They promote local and organic foods as a means to better health by eliminating pesticides and preservatives. It's upscale pub fare at its finest serving steaks, seafood, and pizza, and they also have a recipe section on their website for those who like to stay in.

Heartwood

6250 Quinpool Road

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

(902) 425-2808

www.heartwoodbakerycafe.ca

"Local. Organic. Food with a conscience." is their motto. Once again, Heartwood makes the association between eating natural foods and better health, and as such prepare their meals with ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible including whole grains and fresh fruits and nuts. Their menu includes mainly salads, sandwiches, and pizzas, along with an extensive dessert selection.

Edmonton

Re-Fresh Bistro

10151 82nd Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

(780) 722-4740

www.refreshorganic.com

Re-Fresh Bistro prides itself on being a celebration of nature and offers a menu made with seasonal, sustainable, organic food. Specializing in soups, salads, wraps rice bowls, and smoothies, Re-Fresh also offers catering services and a nutrition analysis of all their dishes.

Quebec City

Le MoineÉchanson

585 rue Saint-Jean

Québec, Quebec, Canada

(418) 524-7832

www.lemoineechanson.com

The concept is a menu that aims to feed you what your body seeks in accordance with the changing of the seasons. Made with local ingredients, everything is delicately prepared and paired with local wines by the glass, by the bottle, or by weight drinking as you please. The food at Le MoineÉchanson is typically French in its fare, made finely from start to finish, and stressed to every last detail.

Ottawa

Zen Kitchen

634 Somerset Street West

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

(613) 233-6404

www.zenkitchen.ca

At Zen, an emphasis is placed on whole foods and with a belief that you can create a great meal that can be also be healthy and environmentally friendly. Zen offers a vegetarian menu which can be tailored to be gluten free upon request. They also offer an intriguing "wine pairing" option for an extra fee and which, due to the complex nature of the service, is offered only to the entire table upon request.

The Green Door

198 Main Street

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

(613) 234-9597

www.thegreendoor.ca

Open since 1988, The Green Door has been promoting organic and vegetarian cuisine made from locally grown and produced ingredients in our nation's capital for quite a while. The menu changes according to what's in season but regularly serves a rice, curry, or bean dish of the day. The Green Door also offers an extensive salad and soup menu and serves fresh bread as well.

Regina

La Bodega

 

2228 Albert Street

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

(306) 546-3660

www.labodegaregina.com

La Bodega is a tapas bar that specializes in international fine dining. They do their part for the environment by being powered by renewable energy (wind turbines and solar panels) and they offer a selection of local and organic menu items. This celebrity hot spot has drawn the likes of Charlize Theron, Lenny Kravitz, Arnold Schwarzennegger,  and others.


Looking for more cities? Be sure to check our posts on Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Winnipeg!

Eating Green Across Canada: Toronto

As Canada's most populated city it's no surprise that everything is available to the visitors and locals of Toronto including a wide variety of organic restaurants that run the gamut from basic quick stop "get your veggie fix" to lavishly, locally sourced, haute cuisine. Many local organic restaurants boast an adherence to what they call the FOSL philosophy - Fresh, Organic, Sustainable, and Local.

The Beet

2945 Dundas Street West

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(416) 916-2368

www.thebeet.ca

Quirky, cute, and good-natured to its very core, the Beet prides itself on not only delivering delicious fare, but doing its utmost to promote health and well being in balance with nature. They use ingredients that are local or certified fair, and even their interior design and packaging is 100% biodegradable.

Compass Lakeside Grill

 

2340 Ontario Street

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

(647) 317-3912

www.menupalace.com

Located in one of Toronto's wealthier suburbs with stunning views of Lake Ontario, Compass offers a gastronomic experience few will forget. They offer a fixed price table d'hote and an extensive wine menu in an immaculate setting with stunning decor - and they do it all while promoting the FOSL philosophy.

Earth/Globe Bistro

124 Danforth Ave                            

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(416) 466-2000                                           

www.earthbloorwest.com

2448 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(416) 763-2222

www.globebistro.com

Earth and Globe are owned but the same group with the same philosophy of thinking global, and eating local. Both restaurants have eclectic seasonal menus using local ingredients in modern and trendy atmospheres.

Live Organic Food Bar

 

264 Dupont St.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(416) 515-2002

www.livefoodbar.com

Committed to sustainable organic food production and local farmers, Live Organic Food Bar's motto is: "the only way food should be processed is by the human body." Serving a strictly vegan menu, the Food Bar offers a variety of salads, sandwiches and raw or cooked mains and appetizers.

Williams Landing

120 Lynn Williams Street

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(647) 340-8008

www.williamslanding.ca

Located in the King West area of downtown, Williams Landing has become a popular bar and grill. They add a second "S" to the FOSL philosophy where "Seasonal" is as important an aspect to dining as caring for the planet. As their menu states: William Landing "supports the community that supports (them)" and where everything from the butchering to the vinaigrette is prepared in house.

Eating Green Across Canada: Winnipeg

Not to be outdone by some of Canada's larger cities, Winnipeg boasts its share of delectable organic options for diners and culinary enthusiasts. Located in the heart of the Canadian prairie, Winnipeg is surrounded by some of our best arable land, and as a result some of the best food out of the ground doesn't have to travel far to get on a plate.

The Tallest Poppy

631 Main Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(204) 957-1708

www.thetallestpoppy.com

Open for breakfast and lunch, the Tallest Poppy is the undisputed king of local organic options in the Winnipeg metropolitan area. They use the word "love" ubiquitously to describe the care they put into their food. They utilize free run eggs and meats raised ethically at local farms and are also active members within their community.

Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse

91 Albert Street

Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada

(204) 946-5241

www.mondragon.ca

Organized as a "participatory" workplace with no manager or staff hierarchy, Mondragon is a bookstore and café where what needs to get done, gets done. They offer vegan cuisine made with all natural and organic ingredients as well as fairly traded ingredients. They are radical thinkers and very ethically and ecologically conscious. Their website is worth checking out just to read about how they discuss food politics. They also have an organic grocer on site.

Fusion Grill

550 Academy Road

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(204) 489-6963

www.fusiongrill.mb.ca

Open since 1996 on the foundation of serving food honestly, Fusion Grill offers a menu that has gone to great lengths to gather the best locally sourced ingredients. They trust where they get their ingredients to be the very best even mentioning who catches the fish by name.

Fresh Cafe

775 Corydon Ave

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(240) 221-5775

www.freshcafe.ca

Open for breakfast and lunch, Fresh Cafe uses locally grown ingredients as well as in-house butchering and preparation. They also have an extensive juice bar offering fresh juice, shakes, and smoothies.

Boon Burger Cafe

79 Sherbrook Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(204) 415-1391

www.boonburger.ca

Boon Burger isn't your typical burger joint; it's 100% vegan. They also offer organic loose leaf teas.

Eating Green Across Canada: Montreal

With so much cultural diversity, Montreal is a city that has everything. All the fast-food conveniences of a major city, combined with mom and pop restaurants that offer a one of a kind culinary experience, and menus stretching from every corner of the globe. Tucked in amongst the French bistros and ethnic delicacies that make Montreal the gastronomic capital of Canada are a fair share of cafés and dining spots which pride themselves on local, fair trade, and organic products. Most offer more than just delicious food and are integral part of a lifestyle trending toward the promotion of everything that the city has to offer including arts, culture, music and theatre.

Aux Vivres

4631 boulevard Saint-Laurent

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

(514) 842-3479

www.auxvivres.com

Located in the heart of downtown and best known for its chapati sandwiches, Aux Vivres is the most popular destination among vegans. Promoting health through vegan cuisine, Aux Vivres has an international menu but gives priority to local and seasonal produce in all of its dishes.

Le SainBol

 

5095 Fabre St.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

(514) 524-2292

www.montrealgazette.com/LeSainBol

Using only market fresh and in-season ingredients, Chef Houtin serves up a meal that's made to order. It's an unassuming little place tucked away along a side street in Montreal's trendy plateau region. Vegetarian that includes fish, it's a small menu with each mouthwatering dish tailored to perfection.

Café Zosha (Le Zigoto Café)

5731, ave du Parc 

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

(514) 867-9005

lezigotocafe.blogspot.ca

As renowned for the works of art that line the walls as it is for its fair trade and organic coffees, Café Zosha is as much a place to meditate as it is to enjoy a meal. The café offers an array of vegetarian and vegan dishes and is well-known for its Mediterranean style breakfasts made with organic eggs and served all day.

Cabaret-Boutique des BonsVoisins

247-A Lakeshore Road

Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada

(514) 505-0578

www.desbonsvoisins.com

Cabaret Boutique des BonsVoisins is more of a community centre that offers dining. In addition to their meals they offer live music and other cultural events or workshops almost every night, as well as a grocery store selling local, organic, and fairly traded food stuffs. Located in the quaint old village of Pointe Claire, a thirty-minute bus ride outside the city, it's worth a trip in itself.

Fait Ici

519, Notre-Dame O

Montreal, Québec, H3J 1N6

(514) 439.3888

www.faitici.ca

Fait Ici stands by its name which means "made here". They promote supporting the local community and creating better relationships between producers and consumers. Besides their store which sells local and organic foods, Fait Ici offers a small sit down café with a menu offering a variety of sandwiches and salads made from the same ingredients that are on their shelves.

Eating Green Across Canada: Calgary

Calgary is quickly growing into one of Canada's powerhouses and is the largest city in Alberta (which has become the strongest province economically over the last ten years due in large part to the crude oil and gas industry). Say what you will about its tar sands, there are plenty of opportunities to achieve a balance by eating green and Calgary has some of the best.

Higher Ground

1126 Kensington Road Northwest

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(403) 270-3780

www.highergroundcafe.ca

An operation spanning 30 years, Higher Ground is a longstanding institution in Calgary offering organic drinks, fair trade coffee, and a variety of meal options. In addition to being a great place to hang out, they have also been preaching green for some time and include a green mission on their website. 

  

The Coup + Meet Restaurant and Lounge

924 17th Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(403) 541-1041

www.thecoup.ca

Certainly among the restaurants at the vanguard of the green movement, The Coup offers an eclectic menu serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as goodies in their lounge area. In an effort to ensure their clients can eat with a good conscience, The Coup utilizes the following green techniques: powering by wind,  composting raw material, recycling products, offering tax-free take-out to those who bring their own containers, and planting 36 trees each month to offset their waste. Wow - and I hear the food is pretty great too!

Rouge Restaurant

1240 8th Avenue S.E.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(403) 531-2767

www.rougecalgary.com

Rouge represents the fine dining option of the Calgary organic scene. They have a philosophy where the ingredients come first, and that the best and most flavorful ingredients are found locally. As such, they work closely with local farmers and growers to get the best from the land and list on their menu the farms that they have close associations with.

Vue Cafe

 

816 11th Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(403) 263-4346

www.vuecafe.com

Mainly a place to stop for lunch, Vue specializes in panini sandwiches, big salads, and artisanal cheeses all made from organic ingredients. Vue, besides being a full-service lunch café, is also an art gallery and is available for private functions.

Farm Restaurant

 

1006 17th Avenue Southwest

Calgary, Alberta

403-245-2276

www.farm-restaurant.com

In partnership with other local farms, where produce is grown organically and animals are treated ethically, Farm is a place to not only eat but to learn about how what you eat is raised and grown; they are quite literally a farm where everything served comes from right nearby. They offer a la carte options as well as Harvest (table d'hote) menus designed for groups.