Green Jersey

Now-giant store sticks by its green ideals

A natural foods store in Princeton — that recently expanded to 8,000 square feet — is working toward environmental friendliness and LEED certification.

The Whole Earth Center at 360 Nassau St. annexed the flower shop next door and spent 14 months on a renovation, according to the Princeton Packet. All parts of the store have since reopened, except for the cafe, which should open within the week.

The tables in the cafe are made up of old Whole Earth cafe tables (the bases) and locally harvested wood that has been recycled and reused. Glass from the windows of the shop next door was re-cut and reused in a bank of insulated double-glazed windows.

From the Packet:

In keeping with the philosophy that has guided Whole Earth since its inception on the original Earth Day in 1970 — emphasizing recycling, reuse, organic foods, local products and business partners — the center’s board of trustees pledged to divert as much of the project’s byproducts from landfills as possible, recycling them, as well as reusing a variety of fixtures and materials in the renovation itself.

Solar panels were installed so the store would be energy self-sufficient. Low environmental impact materials, such as low volatile organic compound paint and efficient fluorescent lights, were used.

By and large, big buildings are less eco-friendly than their smaller counterparts, consuming more resources and causing more emissions. There are ways to make up for size — LEED offers guidelines that can help big buildings compensate.