Environmentally-friendly restaurants are in high-demand, and for good reasons. For one, operating an eco-friendly restaurant is a great way to cater to the increasing pool of customers who are going green themselves by supporting sustainable businesses. Additionally, adopting environmentally-friendly business practices can drastically reduce your restaurant’s carbon footprint, and help you conserve resources which can save money.
If you are thinking about greening-up your restaurant, the following eco-friendly restaurant ideas will start you off on the right foot to treading more lightly on the planet – and your wallet.
How to Go Green in Your Restaurant
1. Recycle – But Also Reuse and Reduce
Nowadays, recycling can be done practically anywhere, so many restaurant owners already recycle. However, some still don’t try to reduce their waste or recycling volume by reusing containers, or even purchasing products that have already been recycled. If you want to be more eco-conscious, think about adding recycling stations to all areas of your restaurant where they are easily accessible, so no one forgets to reduce their trash waste. These can be set up near server stations, the bar, the kitchen and your office. Another good idea is to purchase products that are made from recycled materials such as kitchen and bar mats, takeout containers, toilet paper, paper towels, and reusable glass bottles or cups for your staff members to drink from while they are working.
2. Buy Local Foods
Choosing where to buy your food is incredibly important when going green in your restaurant. If you make a trip to the farmer’s market to purchase a bulk of seasonally-sound foods, it will reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions from shipping food across the state, country, or the world. Larger, factory farms in our current global food system use a lot of energy and produce one-third of all greenhouse gases, so it is best to opt for local food whenever possible. Not only will buying local limit your environmental footprint, but it also ensures that the money you’re spending supports the local community. A win-win!
3. Go Green While You Clean
Did you know that most conventional cleaning products you use in your restaurant contain ingredients that can’t biodegrade? This means that if you use that industrial-strength cleaner, you could be polluting the water supply and the air you and your customers breathe. Thankfully, there are healthy, eco-friendly cleaning products available that can cut through dirt, grease, and grime but also break down easily. Whenever possible, try to purchase green cleaning products that contain Green Seal-certified chemicals.
4. Be Efficient with Energy
Does your restaurant typically have a high energy bill? If so, you may want to take a close look at your kitchen appliances. The food industry uses $10 billion in energy each year, much of which is wasted by appliances that are not properly maintained or energy-efficient. While food preparation usually accounts for the largest percentage of restaurant energy bills, you can still reduce your energy costs by purchasing energy-efficient equipment marked with an Energy Star label. Buying new, green appliances for your restaurant will save you some dough on your future energy bills, and help reduce energy waste.
5. Install a Restaurant Water Filtration System
Another great sustainable solution that will make your restaurant greener is to purchase a restaurant water filtration system or filtered water dispenser. An in-house restaurant water filtration system can cut back on waste and dispense chilled sparkling water for your customers to enjoy on-demand.
Go Green with Natura Restaurant Water Filtration Systems
Natura restaurant water filtration systems are installed in hundreds of the finest restaurants in the United States. We make it easy for your business to go green with our wide range of eco-friendly water dispensers. Our products match the needs of restaurants large and small – and the needs of our planet.