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by Resto Guy
- March 16, 2023
It’s becoming increasingly popular to become a more eco-friendly restaurant. This is because restaurants are one of the biggest waste producers in the commercial sector.
As customers become more environmentally aware, they want to ensure they’re eating at restaurants doing the same. The benefits of becoming a sustainable restaurant owner extend to you as well. You can save more money on your bills, reduce your headache of being a burden on the environment, and entice more customers to eat at your restaurant.
However, you might need to learn the steps to become more sustainable. In this blog post, you’ll discover seven ways to become an environmentally aware restaurant.
1. Make Your Dining Area More Sustainable
To make your dining area more sustainable, start with your furniture. Look to see if any woodworkers will produce tables and chairs for your restaurant. Not only are you being environmentally friendly, but you can also promote the talent of others in your area.
Next, consider buying liens, utensils, and napkins in biodegradable materials. For example, you can use bamboo instead of paper napkins. You can also opt for bamboo drinkware and use aircarbon straws to make your dining area sustainable.
2. Use Green Cleaning Products in Your Cleaning Routine
Since most cleaning products have harsh chemicals inside of them, it’s a good idea to start using products that are considered green. This will help you reduce the toxic you release into the environment and sanitize your restaurant.
Also, many people are not a fan of the bleachy smell and don’t like to inhale it. This can cause your customers to leave your restaurant. But, of course, you don’t want this to happen. So, opt for safe green cleaning products with limited aurora.
3. Switch to Using Energy Efficient Appliances
The type of appliance you use for your restaurant will depend on how much energy you use. If you’re trying to become environmentally friendly, you should opt for energy-efficient appliances.
This will help you reduce the energy you use during business hours. Also, while you’re away, you can ensure your appliances are in “sleep mode.”
4. Follow the Three “R’s” Rule
There’s a rule most environmentally aware restaurants follow, and it is the 3 R’s rule. This rule helps restaurant owners reduce waste, reuse items, and recycle materials.
The rule is simple, and you can start by making small changes to how you run things in your restaurant. For example, you can swap regular paper towels and toilet paper for recycled paper.
You can also start recycling your cardboard, glasses, and wood materials. Lastly, you can stop using styrofoam plate ware and opt for biodegradable ones. So see, following this rule isn’t too hard.
5. Produce Your Own Ingredients
Some of the best ingredients can be found in your backyard if you take the time to produce your food items. The fresher the ingredients, the more your customers will enjoy your meals.
Also, since most food items travel across the country, you’ll reduce the carbon footprints by producing your own. You can start creating your garden full of herbs and vegetables on your restaurant’s roof or in the back.
It’s a great way to become more sustainable and show your customers that you care about what they’re putting into their bodies. Your customers will love that you went this far to care about what they eat.
However, it can be hard to start your garden if you don’t have an area to do so. The next best option is to work with your area’s local farmers.
6. Be Smarter About How You Use Water
Research shows that it is estimated that most restaurants use an average of 5,800 gallons of water daily. This equals up to two million gallons of water usage per year.
If you notice your water bill is sky-high, consider some ways to lower it. For one, don’t use running water to unthaw frozen meat.
Doing so is having you keep the water going longer than it should. Instead, allow it to unthaw overnight so it can be used for the next day.
Also, consider making your faucets, toilets, and urinals energy star, as it will allow you to save on the amount of water you use. Lastly, be sure there are no leaks in your equipment, as leaks will cause you to use more water. If you do find a leak, get it fixed as soon as possible to avoid any extra costs down the road.
7. Learn How To Reduce Food Waste
If you want to become more sustainable, you will have to learn how to reduce food waste as a restaurant owner. According to a study, most restaurants waste between 25,000 and 75,000 pounds of food annually.
To help you reduce food waste, start by investing in your technology and using an inventory management tool. This will help you know what’s in stock and what needs to be used.
Also, check your coolers and shelves to know what will expire. So, when your chefs prepare, they can grab the closest thing to its expiration date.
One more crucial step in becoming an environmentally aware restaurant is implementing a robust food waste collection system, ensuring that every scrap of leftover food is diverted from landfills and used to create a more sustainable future.
Lastly, what you don’t use, consider donating it to the local shelter. Donating the food will prevent food waste and help those within the area.
Become More Environmentally Aware With These Tips
With rapid climate change and population, we must do everything we can to be sustainable. You can start by following these tips above for your restaurant. Doing so will help you become more eco-friendly and limit the damage already done to our environment.
