Best of Green Dining in 2012
By Charlotte Maher Charlotte Maher is the Communications Associate for the Green Restaurant Association, a national non-profit that has been helping restaurants become environmentally sustainable since 1990. For inquiries, please contact media@dinegreen.com.
As 2012 comes to a close, the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) celebrates the ongoing green accomplishments of Certified Green Restaurants® across the country. These achievements in sustainability made 2012 a year for dining green! Composting Programs
Over the past year, composting has become a more common practice in the food service industry, offering both economical and environmental benefits. Near-Zero Waste™ Restaurants have eliminated their total landfill input by 95% through recycling and composting programs, reducing their waste-hauler costs in the process. The composting process of recycling organic waste back into our food system enriches soil and minimizes pollution. For these reasons, composting has been mandated in cities and states across the country, including San Francisco, Vermont and Massachusetts. The GRA requires Certified Green Restaurants® in areas with competitive composting services to implement composting programs, including those in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington DC, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and St. Louis.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Incandescent light bulbs are being banned in the U.S., and many restaurants have been adjusting to this recent legislation by implementing more energy-efficient lighting solutions. For example, the Green Sage in South Asheville, NC updated 90% of its lighting to LEDs, earning 16.2 GreenPoints™ towards becoming a 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant®. Recent innovations in the evolving LED technology have made LEDs even more conducive to restaurant environments, such as the 10W Award-Winning LED Bulb from Philips Lighting, the recipient of the LPrize® from the U.S. Department of Energy. This innovative 60W equivalent LED bulb offers a dimmable lighting quality that lasts for 25,000 hours – all while saving restaurants up to 83% of their lighting-related energy costs. Realizing that efficient lighting means efficient business, restaurants have not only made progress to replace incandescent bulbs, but will also continue updating their lighting solutions for years to come.
Alternative Fuel
New technology has made it possible for restaurants to turn used grease into energy. Given the benefits of this growing market, the GRA updated its Endorsement Standards to include companies that either convert 100% of used grease into biodiesel, electricity or Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO), or haul the grease product to a company that does. Certified Green Restaurants® in Asheville, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, southern and central Connecticut, Washington DC, Los Angeles, southwest Montana, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Spokane are required to convert grease to energy
through waste-haulers, or by implementing an on-site pumping station, such as SpringBoard Biodiesel’s BioPro EX device. This safe and easyto-use appliance automatically converts grease to biodiesel, which burns 78% cleaner than regular diesel, according to the EPA. With devices such as the BioPro EX, it has never been easier for restaurants to convert their grease in a clean, reliable way.
Transparency Tools
The GRA understands the importance of transparency, and acts as an outside source to verify the environmental accomplishments of Certified Green Restaurants® across the country. After all, 94% of people want any green claims to be vetted by a third-party organization as being true. The GRA’s online tools provide customers with Green Labels that outline the specific steps each restaurant has taken to become more sustainable across their operations. Find Certified Green Restaurants® and view their Green Labels by visiting: http://dinegreen.com/ customers/default.asp
Green Dining Trends for 2013
As the new year approaches, the Green Restaurant Association anticipates exciting green opportunities for restaurants across the country in coming months. These exciting trends offer new ways that restaurants can satisfy sustainable-minded consumers who prefer to dine green.
Water Conservation
As much of the Midwest is suffering a severe drought, water conservation is certain to be a big priority in 2013. Both restaurants and manufacturers will continue to adapt to the repercussions of the drought, and take steps to reduce the 300 billion gallons of water used annually within the country’s restaurant industry. For example, while the least efficient Spray Valve sold today is 1.6 gallons-per-minute, many Certified Green Restaurants® have installed Spray Valves that flow 1.2, 1.0 or even 0.6 gallons-perminute, an incredible step to conserve water. More restaurants will integrate these simple devices to improve water-efficiency in the coming year. Additionally, restaurants will be more particular about purchasing water-efficient equipment, such as dishwashers. And while this is not the norm yet, there are even Certified Green Restaurants® that recycle greywater, previously used in sinks, showers, baths and washer machines, for use in their irrigation and plumbing practices. As water becomes scarcer and more expensive, conservation will evolve from a point of interest to a place of need, and many restaurants understand that this is a trend that will continue.
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Electric Car Charging Stations
With the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf evolving the car market, modern highways have never seen so many electric vehicle drivers, and this number is only increasing. Now, diners can charge their batteries while enjoying a meal at Certified Green Restaurants® across the country. From the corporate cafeterias on Microsoft’s Redmond Campus to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Steakhouse in Chicago, there are Certified Green Restaurants® that already provide electric vehicle charging stations. On the edge of this technology, before charging stations are everywhere or vehicle batteries last longer, restaurants that meet this growing demand for electric car charging stations will attract more business.
Schools and Universities
Colleges across the country understand the importance of offering environmentally sustainable dining options on campus. In the past year, Boston University’s Union Court earned the title of “The Greenest Food Court in the Country,” while dining services for Northeastern University, Harvard Business School and Bates College have become Certified Green Restaurants®. In California, UCLA and San Diego State University are taking steps to green their dining services. Research by the Princeton Review shows that 66% of college applicants and parents “would find information about a college’s dedication to the environment useful in their college selection process,” and as a result, more food courts and cafeterias are expected to become Certified Green Restaurants® in the next year than ever before.
Hotels and Resorts
Hotels large and small are taking steps to become more sustainable, including greening their dining options. Last fall, the InterContinental Hotel Group committed to certifying all of their restaurants through the GRA, and the renowned hotel chain recently achieved this tremendous accomplishment. Additionally, Doubletree and Wyndham hotels have also made exceptional environmental progress by earning certification for their dining services as well. Within the next year, more boutique hotels and large chains will be offering environmentally sustainable dining options that are vetted by a third party. At that point, their visitors can be confident that they’re dining green! It is an exciting time for Certified Green Restaurants®! 2013 will demonstrate even more environmental progress across our nation’s restaurant industry.
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