Comments (0) Best Planet-Friendly Place to Answer Nature's Call - 2008
Chaco Canyon Cafe
Chaco Canyon, the U District cafe specializing in organic, raw, and vegan fare, has a great bathroom. No, really, think about it: How many times do you go into a restaurant's bathroom and say "Wow, this john's fantastic!" And not only does it look nice inside—all dimly lit and calming—but it's also quite possibly the "greenest" bathroom in the city. Owner Chris Maykut was kind enough to give me the rundown: The walls were painted soothing colors with the lowest-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint on the market; it's been insulated with recycled denim, not fiberglass; dual-flush toilets save about 14,000 gallons of water per year; low-energy hand dryers prevent paper-towel waste; and, of course, the t.p.'s 100 percent recycled. Maykut also plans to begin using Ballard Organics soap (which, coincidentally, is currently manufactured in Chaco's old location, one block east). "I wanted to make sure people knew we weren't a scummy joint, but a nice, clean cafe," he says. Mission accomplished.—Brian J. Barr
