Hollywood has honed a bloodhound’s smell for the next trend, and with the new age of stratospheric gas prices and disturbing global warming statistics, green has officially been declared the new black. Now, in the trendy Cahuenga Corridor, L.A.’s first eco-friendly lounge will open its doors to a new world that no longer dismisses environmental awareness as out-of-touch and soft-headed. Ecco Ultra Lounge, housed in the remnants of the former Tokio nightclub, has thought of everything green, featuring eco-friendly cement, free valet parking for Hybrids, and a solar-paneled roof.
“We’re building something around an eco-friendly concept, in a retro-style futuristic way,” says promoter Danny B. “It’s perfect timing, considering all the damage going on in the world. We’re also saving a lot of money with the energy-saving additions. It’s also just the cool thing to do.”
Ecco marks the first local nightclub dedicated to minimizing its carbon footprint, but Danny B is optimistic that he’s more of a pioneer than an iconoclast. “This trend is just starting in a lot of businesses,” he notes. “But it’s growing more popular, and I think that’s just going to be the way it is. Everyone has to be more aware of this [global-warming] stuff from now on.”
Danny B admits that when he initially signed on to promote Ecco, he was more of a technical person who enjoyed tailoring the club’s atmosphere. “David [Stratten] is more of the environmental guy. He’s Canadian,” he adds, laughing.
Stratten agrees. “Canada has always been a little more environmentally-friendly. Everyone recycles and composts. Making Ecco eco-friendly was a no-brainer for me.”
The partnership between long-time club promoter Danny B and Stratten has manifested itself in Ecco’s sleek, stylish outlay that has streamlined style with environmental responsibility. Illuminated by LED lights (cutting-edge additions tailored by Disco Designers) the bulbs use 85% less energy than normal electric systems to light up Ecco’s retro-chic interior, and are powered by exterior solar panels.
Ever the gadget-lover, Danny B enthuses, “They’re the coolest lights in the world. Lighting systems suck up a lot of power, too, so we’re saving a lot of money by using them.” He also believes that L.A. is primed for a green facelift. “It’s like the Prius: when those cars first came out, people made fun of them, and it wasn’t that cool to have them. And now they’re everywhere. In Southern California, you see them all over the highways now. People on talk shows are discussing the oil prices, and our lifestyles are really beginning to affect people.”
Vegetarians and locavores will also appreciate Ecco’s organic menu that Stratten describes as “focusing a lot on organic salads and free-range, organic meats. Most of the food will be bought from markets nearby.”
When asked about the challenges facing venues that strive to go green, Stratten demurs. “We’re just trying to make as big of a change as we possibly can. The challenge is just to maximize how much an impact we actually have. We know this isn’t going to change the world—it’s more symbolic that this kind of thing can be done by more people. It’s encouraging that so many people are excited about it.”
Ecco’s endeavors recently caught the attention of Discovery Channel executives who were launching a new show called Alter-Eco, where HBO’s Entourage star, Adrian Grenier, and three other cast members help venues become more eco-friendly. Ecco’s premiere will be the season’s finale.
“It’s been great working with Adrian because he’s so genuinely into the environment,” says Danny B. “It has such a wide appeal, and it’s terrific that he’s involved with this.”
“The whole Alter-Eco team been such a great help,” Statten joins in. “They got us everything from eco-friendly plywood, dry wall, paint, you name it. They’re a big part of what we’re doing.”
Both promoters agree that turning Ecco into an eco-friendly institution has compelled them to reassess their own lifestyle decisions. “I realize, especially living in North America, we use 40 times more energy per capita than somebody in India,” Stratten says. “We really are a wasteful society, and we take so much for granted. Ecco has made us aware of the significance of trying to do something, no matter how small, because it’s important.”
Ecco ULtra Lounge
1640 N Cahuenga Blvd
www.EccoHollywood.com