You can go broke being cost-conscious! That's the moral we are drawing from the ongoing efforts of GustOrganics restaurant, which, as we noted when it opened, is doing just about everything you could ask of a certified-organic, green restaurant. But there's been a price to pay for all this greenness; a cost paid in lots and lots of money.

According to a press release from the restaurant, “An energy efficient grill costs four times as much as a regular grill. Wind power energy, which GustOrganics uses through a new Con Edision conservation project, is more expensive than regular electricity. Organic yeast costs $17.95 a pound compared to regular yeast at $3.95 a pound.” Meanwhile, the place is still maintaining competitive prices, such as $4.95 pizzas and $12 steak sandwiches. Sustainability at its best! Who knows how long it can go on for? And yet, the place deserves praise for its quixotic quest to serve Gaia and gastronomy simultaneously. Like New York diners, Mother Nature can be a tough customer.

Related: Home of the Whopper Becomes City's First Certified-Organic Restaurant