Besides airplane-quality coffee, every New York City bodega I’ve ever been in have a few other things in common: power-hungry refrigeration, grills that are always hot, and shelves stocked with food delivered to the city from who-knows where in gas-guzzling trucks that belch pollution. Though they’ll all make you a sinful fat-person breakfast sandwich*, they’re not doing much for the environment.

Which is why last night’s opening for an environmentally friendly deli raised eyebrows. BoHo Bodega, situated for the next week or so at 220 LaFayette in SoHo, isn’t your typical convenience store. Besides being constructed out of recycled material – the lights (pictured) were giant cans of tomatoes in a previous life – the pop-up shop sells products made with a light environmental toll**.

Like any deli in Manhattan, the place filled up quickly last night. But unlike any deli in Manhattan, last night it housed a deejay and featured a four-song opera performance (???) along with models wearing what I’m going to call creative headwear.

During its week-long life cycle, the bodega will also advocate a green lifestyle by organizing events. Tonight, farmers’ market program Greenmarket will be on-site to talk about sustainable agriculture. Friday will feature a talk about recycling in New York and, oddly, a CD release party. There are other events, too, before they (presumably) tear the thing down on Sunday. Photo opp!

Blog ReadyMade actually talked to Mia Sakai, part of the duo that created the awesome spectacle, so go there for the specifics. Agent16’s Jenean Chapman, writer Allison Kade, and Paint The Town Red’s Matt Caldecutt marveled with me.