How To Become A Green Certified Restaurant With Reclaimed Wood
Unlike the past, today’s consumers often choose a business making sustainability efforts. Many business are flipping the switch and doing more and more things that are environmentally responsible.
Anything that a business does or sells that prevents pollution, conserves water and energy, and reuses and recycles will be considered “green.” It can also include having a green supplier for items.
The Green Restaurant Association will certify a business depending on how environmentally sustainable it is. They inspect these 7 things:
Water efficiency
Waste reduction
Durable goods and buildings materials that are sustainable
Energy saving
Foods that are sustainable
Environmentally friendly disposables and reusables.
Reducing chemical pollution
How To Go Green With Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood, which is considered green because it is processed by reusing and recycling would fall under “durable goods and building materials that are sustainable.” Along with other sustainable efforts, reclaimed wood would require a re-design of your restaurant by doing things such as:
Setting up beautiful dining tables made out of reclaimed wood as well as booths and chairs.
Get a new floor installed made out of reclaimed wood, or bamboo which is also considered eco-friendly
Wine bottles can be racked on an elegant rack made out of reclaimed wood.
More extreme, but extremely worth it, redesign your bar out of reclaimed wood or get reclaimed wood walls installed.
Other Ways To Go Green
Restaurants require serving drinks, which can include serving bottled things like beer and wine. Instead, to be sustainable, your restaurant can use cardboard wine boxes and canned beer, along with having beer on tap. Of course, some customers may be delicate about this, but having material that states your restaurant is a sustainable business will put them at ease.
Things like takeout containers and straws should be made from compost, which is a process that recycles organic material. Food waste should be composted. For this you can use compost bins that can be then collected by compost companies. Building a relationship with a compost company will definitely benefit your restaurant in the long run.
If you want go above and beyond, and put your customers in awe, you can get solar panels installed and make an effort in using Energy Star products.
Converting to a green restaurant isn’t easy nor cheap, but it will pay off. A restaurant fully-loaded with reclaimed wood along with energy saving and the use of compost products could help you be a niche restaurant of your own, and attract customers just because they feel they are helping the earth as well.
