I Just Gotta Tell Ya
- Last Year almost 30% of all meals were eaten away from home
- 40% of food dollars were ‘eaten’ away from home
- The restaurant industry consumes 1/3 of all retail electricity use
- Demand for organic foods is growing at 25% per year
- Average restaurant can generate up to 150,000 pounds of garbage per year
What to do? Check out the Green Restaurant Association-The Green Restaurant Association℠ (GRA), a national non-profit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. The GRA’s model provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the U.S. economy, to become more environmentally sustainable.
The GRA Green Ratings assign points in the following areas:
- Energy
- Water
- Waste
- Disposables
- Chemical and pollution reduction
- Sustainable food
- Sustainable furnishings and building materials
In Order to be Classified as a ‘Green Restaurant’- they must fulfill the following:
- Accumulate at least 100 points
- Meet minimum points in each category
- Full Scale recycling program
- Free of Styrofoam
- Annual Education Program
They also award Stars (4 Stars is the best) An example of how they award points:
- Ultra high-efficiency toilets (uses 1.0 gallon per flush) = 3 points
- High-efficiency toilets (1.28 gallons per flush) = 2 points
- Dual flush handle toilet (up to 1.6 gallons per flush) = 1 point
- Composting toilet = 4.25 points
- Waterless urinals = 4.25 points
Other Resources
Green Restaurants Consultants
- Thimmakka-