Eating 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 composting waste. Delicious food, served thoughtfully, is the goal of today’s environmentally 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, biodegradable 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 Tomatoes 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 recyclables come back as takeout containers, towels and napkins. Materials sent out for recycling include glass, paper, aluminum 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, hand-crafted, 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 American 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. California patrons also enjoy locally grown lemons and avocados.

Chipotle produce typically travels no more than 300 miles to its distribution centers. Short travel time means less fuel burned and fewer greenhouse gases plus fresher, more nutritious food on the plate than what less eco-conscious restaurants provide.

“The environment is the basis of our business; we try to be green in everything,” explains Mike Vroman, a store manager in the St. Louis area. So, for example, “Most of the beef we serve in this area is either from Missouri or Kansas. Even our uniforms are 100 percent organic cotton.”

Because restaurants draw their highest levels of electricity when community demand peaks, Chipotle installed solar panels on 75 of its Texas restaurants, while a wind turbine provides electricity at the Gurnee, Illinois site, reducing midday drain on the grid. The Gurnee site is the first restaurant ever to receive the superior Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating.

Is it possible to operate a restaurant without a dishwasher, range, hood or oven? Yes, if bowls, straws, cutlery, chopsticks and cups are made from corn or potato starch. Freshii meals are created in biodegradable, all natural, food-safe bags. Custom made, the bags leave a carbon footprint five to seven times smaller than the most energy-efficient dishwasher. Everything taken from the store will readily biodegrade or is easy to recycle.

Even store size is a factor. Freshii founder Matthew Corrin notes, “As we grow, our stores are built smaller, to use less materials, to use greener materials, to consume less energy, to take less from this Earth.” Some Freshii stores are super-efficient, encompassing just 150 square feet.

If a burger, fries and shake dinner evokes guilty pleasure, EVOS removes both the guilt and grease, leaving only pleasurable flavor. The restaurant’s trademark Airfries are better for more than just folks’ arteries. “Our potatoes are air-fried at a high temperature,” explains Jackie Macaluso, community ambassador for EVOS, “so we have no used and reused vats of grease to discard.”

EVOS generates one-third of its restaurant energy needs via wind turbines. For each store, it’s the annual equivalent of taking eight cars off the road or planting 32 acres of trees.

Less noticeable eco-bonuses include zero-VOC paint and flooring, made from sustainable, eco-friendly, raw materials like wood flour, linseed oil, rosin, jute fiber and limestone. The company’s Southeast U.S. locations work to raise awareness that even comfort foods can be greener, healthier and still taste good, and to teach children about healthier eating habits.

Of course, there’s usually a Subway Restaurant around the corner. Long committed to serving fresh food fast, the company recently announced its new LEED-certified eco-edition. With 35,000 franchises in 98 countries, small changes add up to big blessings for the Earth.

By cutting the volume of pickle and pepper brine used, Subway annually saves 739,000 gallons of water and 130,000 pounds of plastic, plus reduces shipping miles by delivering the same amount of product in fewer trucks. Just eliminating the paper interleaf between cheese slices saves 450,000 pounds of waste paper a year; the restaurant’s overall goal is zero landfill waste.

The most important thing we can do to go green is to eat green every day. It serves up the most bang for the buck in healthy sustainability.

Sandra Murphy is a freelance writer at [email protected].
 

Signs of an Eco-Friendly Restaurant

Making the environment a priority doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Owners and managers can green up any local restaurant, and customers will appreciate the results. Following are some good first steps.

• Recycle everything possible—paper, aluminum, plastics and glass.
• Collect food waste to give to local gardeners to compost.
• Switch from foam carryout containers and bags to Earth-friendly products made from biodegradable vegetable starch; also consider transitioning to recycled napkins.
• Use eco-friendly cleaning supplies that are healthy for staff and customers.
• Install low-flow aerators on sink faucets and low-flow conversion kits on toilets to reduce water usage.
• Anytime equipment needs to be replaced, choose a greener model, from light bulbs to refrigerators, which will save on energy bills.
• Remember, going green is a process.

For more information, visit the Green Restaurant Association’s DineGreen.com.