There's nothing like treating yourself to a meal out, but unfortunately with every restaurant-cooked spag bol, pizza or goat's cheese salad with balsamic drizzle you indulge in, comes a side helping of environmental damage

And when you imagine all the energy it takes to light the building, keep the ovens hot and power the constantly burning hobs, not to mention the waste produced by mass cooking, it's no surprise that the restaurant industry, run the wrong way, is an eco arch-enemy.

Progressive concept
Cue the carbon-neutral restaurant. A novel idea spearheaded by Barney Haughton, an ex-teacher-turned-food-enthusiast and now pioneering chef of two restaurants: Quartier Vert - an established and successful organic restaurant - and his new project Bordeaux Quay, which sits by the water on the smart Harbourside of Bristol.

It's an ambitious pledge, but not content with merely creating the world's first sustainable restaurant, which is 16,000 sq ft and seats 127 people, Barney offers a deli bakery and an onsite cookery school to 'tell the story of food to the next generation'. Cooking, Barney is constantly heard preaching, should be a staple of the National Curriculum.

As important to him as education, is taking responsibility for the planet, and he means business; rainwater is collected from the roof and used to flush the toilets and wash the dishes. Carpets, hand towels and napkins are all made from recycled, organic or 'fairtrade' materials. There is no air-conditioning, and warmth in the winter is provided by a miraculous harnessing system, which makes use of residual heat from the kitchen.

Clear conscience
But that's not to forget the food, of course. This is, after all, a modestly-priced place aimed at the discerning food enthusiast who doesn't mind paying a little more for quality and a clear conscience. The menu offers European cuisine made from local produce (minimising carbon-omitting food miles).

I had the delicious earthy goat's cheese salad to start, followed by tender veal with braised tomatoes & white wine, and creme brulee with tasty damson compote. It's a cliche, but organic food really does taste richer, better and more nutritious.

And, as I sat in the vast light and airy space of Bordeaux Quay, munching on my locally produced lovingly prepared organic feast, chatting to an organic farmer whose thriving business contributes to the organic trade's five per cent (and growing) stake in all food produce in the UK, I couldn't help but feel nice and smug that I was part of something good.

Making a difference
And it means more than throwing money at the church to relieve Catholic guilt (an analogy Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser uses for carbon-neutralising your flights). It feels like contributing to a structural change where we're learning to accept the limitations of the earth and how to live within its means.

What's left to resolve is that a quick, tasty pizza is still cheaper than organic and ethically-produced veal, served with contamination-free seasonal vegetables on a conflict-free plate. Over to the government on that one.