Smart Ways to Make a Restaurant Greener!

When you think about making your home green you’re considering the fact that you’ll be preserving natural resources and cutting your expenses on various bills. However, if you run a restaurant, you can add a very important benefit to the list of advantages of going green – making profit.

Since going green means, among other things, using more renewable and free resources, you are actually increasing the profit margin by spending less, but that’s not all. The fact that you’ve adopted such a policy means you’ll be much more likely to attract people who support similar ideas and projects and you can most certainly count on them spreading the word about your establishment.

So, what is it that you can do to make your restaurant greener?

Organic garden

If you can afford the space, having your own on-site organic garden with herbs and vegetables that you could use for preparing various delicacies is an excellent idea. Not only would you be able to get cheaper ingredients for your dishes, but you’ll also be certain of their quality and taste.

There are many organizations providing assistance with setting up your own organic garden, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting help from experienced gardeners. Finally, people will be able to see freshly picked vegetables and herbs being used to prepare their means, which might be a true selling point.

Water purification

Instead of using bottled water and creating a lot of waste and dealing with disposal of plastic, you should install a water purification system in your restaurant. Depending on the amount of water used, you need to choose a system which would give you the best value for money. A lot of restaurants are using UV filtration and are quite satisfied with the results, but you should definitely consult an expert before making a purchase. Whatever system you install, make sure you use reusable bottles.

Sustainable food

If there’s seafood on your menu, make sure you only offer sustainable seafood. That means not catching and preparing endangered species or getting involved in any activity that would disturb the natural environment and habitats. On the other hand, there are plenty of fish, particularly smaller ones, that need to be consumed because of their number.

Composting

All food scraps and leftovers must be composted and the same goes for coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and oyster shells. The compost you create can be used in your organic garden, thus completing the full cycle.

Recycling oil

Every restaurant uses a lot of oil for cooking, but not many deal with used oil properly. Try to find a local charity organization which collects used cooking oil and uses it for heating their greenhouses in the winter. By donating something you can’t use anymore, you’ll be doing a good deed and you’ll avoid the problem of waste disposal.

Reducing heating and cooling costs

Depending on the location of your restaurant, you may be faced with huge heating or cooling bills. One of the things you can do to cut down the costs is to follow examples of other similar establishments. For instance, having cafe blind structures installed in Sydney will reduce the need to cool the area during summer or heat it during windy and cool days, while doing the same thing somewhere in Delaware simply won’t have the same effect.

Biodegradable products

With more and more people being interested in takeaway, you might consider offering biodegradable utensils, containers and straws. Such offer is bound to be met with approval among all those who care about our planet.

Wine on tap

Though it may sound less glamorous than having a properly chilled glass bottle on the table, this is a very interesting feature that you might add to your restaurant. Instead of having to deal with bottles, you can serve wine directly from the cask in your courtyard. This could be both environment-friendly and attractive.

As you can see, there are many things you can do to make your restaurant greener. No matter how many of these and similar tips you adopt, you’re definitely doing the right thing and you probably won’t have to wait a long time to reap the benefits.

About the author

Marla

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Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I believe in living green, organically, and natural in every aspect of our lives. My mission is to help educate you on how to live green, help save our environment and to help you and your family live a happier, healthier life!