Green Hands USA: America Volunteers

New Yorkers who like to rock and roll are anticipating the opening of Brooklyn Bowl, a music venue and bowling alley housed in a 23,000-square-foot, century-old former iron foundry. But greenies are also waiting to get a peek at the venue, set to open July 7. Why? Brooklyn Bowl may just be the most environmentally friendly music venue in the country.

As part of its mission to operate in an environmentally responsible way, Brooklyn Bowl was built according to the strict standards of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, which call for, among other things, efficient use of energy and water.

Working hand in hand with GreenOrder, a leading consultancy in sustainability and energy innovation, owners/operators Peter Shapiro and Charley Ryan oversaw all decisions related to the construction of Brooklyn Bowl.

Green design decisions can be seen everywhere, from the stage made entirely of recycled truck tires to the bowler's lounge floor made of reclaimed  cork. The bowling equipment is also environmentally friendly, with pin-spotters that use 75 percent less energy than the industry standard. The venue also built bike racks for more than 30 bicycles, and in another green move, Brooklyn Bowl will be serving beer on tap only; no bottles or cans.