consciouseating
Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., the parent company of Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes restaurants, estimates that its recycling and composting programs annually save:
n 2,129,400 pounds of waste paper
n 7,452,900 gallons of water
n 3,194,100 cubic yards of landfill space
n 4,365,270 kilowatts of energy
Eating Out? EAT GREEN
Eco-Friendly Restaurants Serve Up Sustainability by Sandra Murphy
E
ating green isn’t limited to salads. It means that sustainable thinking goes into a meal at every stage, from the use of local ingredients and energy savings to recycling and com- posting waste. Delicious food, served thoughtfully, is the goal of today’s envi- ronmentally conscious restaurant. Look first to local mom-and-pop eateries that are doing it right, but there are some chains worth considering, as well. With more than 25 million cups of wake-up java sold each day, coffee shops have a perfect opportunity to start a good day by example. California- based Green Café Network consults
with owners and baristas to reduce the environmental impact of member shops. Efficient equipment, biodegrad- able cups and renewable products for flooring and tables make the coffee house experience more sustainable, especially when buyers select shade- grown, organic, free-trade beans. Starbucks Corporation has taken it all a step further by designing a pre-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) prototype store. It features recycled floor tiles, reduced lighting and lower water usage and air conditioning set three degrees higher than usual.
Souplantation & Sweet Toma-
toes offers fresh-tossed salads, made- from-scratch soups and hot or cold desserts in their 120 restaurants, where vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free items are offered daily. Reclaimed recycla- bles come back as takeout containers, towels and napkins. Materials sent out for recycling include glass, paper, alu- minum and cardboard. Even garbage is given a new role as part of a chain- wide composting program. Tankless water heaters are in while traditional systems are out and cleaning products are all Green Seal certified. At Chipotle Mexican Grill, “It’s not just a burrito, it’s a foil-wrapped, handcrafted, local farm-supporting, food culture-changing cylinder of deliciousness,” states the company’s website. In 2010, Chipotle served about 5 million pounds of local farm produce through its 1,000 mostly North Ameri- can stores. The company-wide 2011 goal is 10 million pounds.
Inside those burritos, 40 percent of the beans are certified organic, resulting in 140,000 fewer pounds of pesticide added to the soil. The romaine lettuce, bell peppers, jalapeño, red onions, oregano and tomatoes come from family-owned farms.
natural awakenings November 2011 43
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