Did you know that the U.S. restaurant industry produces about 100 billion pounds of trash a year and consumes 1/3rd of all the electricity in the retail sector? The impact that restaurants have on our planet is significant, but there are a variety of ways that restaurateurs can promote sustainable practices at their restaurant.
The GRA has created a list of some Green Resolutions that restaurants can implement in 2019. What is your green resolution for the year? We’d love to hear!
Some ideas for restaurants…
Tell one fellow restaurateur about the GRA
Replace conventional light bulbs with LEDs in restrooms
Choose to replace one conventional food item with a sustainable alternative, highlight it on the menu, and see if it impacts customers’ choices
Request more sustainable food options and more transparency from distributors
Set a waste diversion goal (compost all produce, request a waste audit from your hauler, consider food donations)
Quarterly recycling/composting staff education sessions
Install a bike rack on-site to encourage alternate forms of transportation
Install lighting or HVAC motion sensors
Create incentives for customers to use reusable take-out containers, mugs, etc.
Incorporate a “Head-to-Tail” goal when creating menu items – try to utilize all parts of your food products on the menu
Add one vegetarian main dish to your menu
Educate customers on your environmental steps with a focus on transparency
Eliminate one disposable or single use product
Phase out bottled water
Remove chemical sanitizer if you have a dual-temp dishwasher
Swap out spray valves for a higher efficiency models
Fix leaky pipes, faucets, and toilets
Incentivize carpool/bike/public transit for staff
We hope you have a wonderful and green New Year! Have any other ideas? Feel free to share in the comments section below.