How does your restaurant endorse "Green Energy"?

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So many of us rely on eating out especially when we are rushed. A real concern is how food is prepared. We can be very concerned with our "green" homes and saving energy and trying to find ways to live that do not create problems for the environment. But then go to places that use methods of cooking or mass produced food that undo the efforts we claim to endorse. When was the last time anyof us asked the staff of a restaurant what they do to conserve energy or use alternative sources that are good for all of us?

I admit that I have never asked... I suppose I am too timid of a person for that. Some restaurants use it for advertising though, as a means to attract more customers - they have posters or signs sharing about their "green" efforts. If I see that, the particular restaurant will be on my preference list.

This thread reminds me of hearing of a restaurant that I think was in New York City.

The warm air from the bread ovens was routed to a greenhouse on the roof, where produce was grown. I thought that was a good step in the right direction to get more use out of energy. I guess the restaurant would benefit from fresh produce as well.

Restaurants and businesses frequently engage in the environmental movement in very superficial ways--through appearance changes that don't make any substantial change to their carbon footprint, waste output, etc. In short, there is a lot of 'greenwash' that environmentally-aware consumers have to sift through if you really wanna get the 'green' for your dollar. It is reassuring to hear that other people are as concerned as I am.

The company that I currently work for, Big Green G, is a green verification company for small businesses and restaurants. Currently, we have an entirely web-based system where our clients can log-in and quantify the steps they are taking to become a more sustainable venue in a point-based system. We have worked alongside many colleagues who are experts in some of these fields, and have integrated content from other rating systems so that we could come up with substantial, necessary components and allot the appropriate amount of points for the steps. We divided our ratings into 9 core categories;

1) Energy Saver
2) Water Conservation
3) Recycling
4) Earth Friendly Foods
5) Community Star
6) Sustainable Transportation
7) Green Products
8) Indoor Air Quality
9) Carbon Footprint

so that these clients can be recognized in the areas in which they are taking steps, and can have incentive to keep working to become certified in all 9 categories. The reason I decided to work for BigGreenG was for a lot of the reasons discussed above, and I really think that this system does a good job combating greenwashing in a user-friendly, comprehensive, affordable way. Please, spread the word!!

Big Green G Website

You can also visit/join our Facebook group

Thanks guys!

Check out powersave3400.com They sell the power save 3400 which reduces energy consumption of a building!

One of my favorite "green" restaurants is SuperFine in DUMBO Brooklyn, NY

Really interesting point.

I have worked in hospitality for years. Only One place was green, totally organic and forward thinking.

But don't give staff a hard time when asking these questions, they are hard working low paid workers. It's the owners or the managers you should be trying to influence in a positive way.

Saying that, i don't know how many would be willing to change.

Were i work now we recycle as much as possible. But the food wastage in preparation and left over's is beyond belief.

It should be illegal to waste so much food in a world were people die of starvation in such large proportions. It really is criminal.


NAME & SHAME !!!!

I don't know about you, but I don't want the restaurant to serve me something that went out to someone else and they didn't eat. Of course there is a lot of waste. People should ask for doggie bags to take home their leftovers.
I think restaurants should donate any leftover food that doesn't go out of the kitchen to shelters.
The restaurants around here all recycle. Other than that I'm not sure what they do to be "green".

The last restaurant I worked at, did their share of recycling, and whatever edible food that was left over, went to the homeless shelter one block away.