In the restaurant industry, wastefulness is all in a day's work. Huge amounts of trash, Styrofoam, and plastic have been part of their operating systems for many years. However, in recent years, the industry is finally beginning to realize that it is time to green up their act. And now, the industry with one of the biggest carbon footprints is slowly making steps to become more green.
Going green doesn't have to be hard, and there are many ways to go about it. Reducing water and electricity consumption is very easy and it doesn't cost any money. In fact, it saves money. Some simple ways to help cut down on water usage are to install flow restrictors on sinks and get low-flow toilets. Flow restrictors limit the amount of water used and can cut down your consumption by thousands, even millions, of gallons. Cutting down on electricity might be a bit more expensive to get going, but it will save you tons of dough in the long run. Furnishing your kitchen with Energy Star appliances (steamers, refrigerators, ovens, broilers, fryers, etc.).) is a great place to start. Many Energy Star appliances use about half as much energy as older models.
Another thing that is fairly simple is to separate the recycling into three different categories: cardboard, glass, and cans. Separating them is important because they are recycled differently and many recycling centers don't separate them correctly.
This last way to go green isn't just about the restaurant, it also involves the customers. Styrofoam to-go containers have ruled the industry and polluted our planet for as long as most of us can remember, but there are now other options! Many restaurants have chosen to go green with their to-go containers by replacing plastic and Styrofoam with more eco-friendly options. Many companies are now helping restaurants go green with their disposable tableware that is compostable and able to biodegrade in a proper composting facility. One material that compostable tableware is commonly made of is bagasse. Bagasse is a byproduct of the sugarcane refining process. It is pretty much what is left after all the liquid is squeezed out of sugarcane.
The United Sates has nearly one million restaurants. The average restaurant produces 100,000 pounds of trash per year. It would make a huge difference even if the only change restaurants made was from Styrofoam to compostable to-go containers. Going green is now easier than ever, and there is no time like the present. Happy greening!