There are few grocery stores in Los Angeles that live up to my expectations with regard to food quality, eco-focus, and integrity, but one I can firmly stand behind is Whole Foods Market. Their Venice location neighbors Santa Monica and is only a short drive from the infamous Venice boardwalk. It is a unique market with the best hot food bar you will ever find, frequented by young, earthy people shopping for the best in natural and organic food.
Besides their large selection of gluten-free items and organic foods, another positive aspect of the Whole Foods Market (WFM) in Venice is that their building is a LEED® candidate. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the rating system used by the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit organization, to determine how environmentally conscious a particular building is. I really respect buildings that are designed using as little energy as possible, and the Whole Foods Market in Venice rises to the occasion by ventilating their store using systems free of CFC-based refrigerants, which can deplete the ozone, and as well as skylights to minimize the amount of electricity used to light the store. In addition to placing recycling bins around the store, they use only environmentally safe products in their janitorial practices, and very low-toxic paints, sealants, and coatings for in-store labeling.
If you have not visited the WFM Venice store, it would not hurt to swing by and check out all they have to offer. Great food coupled with a hip, good looking crowd—you might never go back to a regular grocery store again!
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