Green Light: Birdbath Bakery in NYC

In our travels, wandermelon likes to spotlight people and places of note, particularly when eco-consciousness is involved. Maury Rubin, owner of City Bakery and secret recipe holder of its off-the-charts hot chocolate, has spawned two, top-to-bottom green pastry shops, both called Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery. The walls are made of wheat, the cups come from corn, the floors favor cork, and the staff’s jackets are styled from hemp and vintage dresses, circa 1950. Scrumptious 100% organic baked goods bear clever titles like the “What’s Your Carbon Footprint?” cookie (an organic butter cookie) or support humanistic  causes like the “Save the Polar Bear Claws” (turnover with apricot jam) that help save real polar bears, since Birdbath donates to NRDC programs upon purchase. Eco-mindfulness make these already tasty treats even sweeter, so hop on your skateboard or pedal that bicycle over to Birdbath.

Locations: Lower Eastside: 223 First Avenue between 13th and 14th Street. West Village: 7th Ave. South at Charles Street.