How can restaurants "green" their businesses? First bring their operations into compliance with all environmental regulations, then adopt pollution prevention and resource conservation practices. The program checklists offer a variety of options for meeting program standards. Here are some examples of what you can do.
Top 10 Green Restaurant Practices
Conserve Energy and Water
- Use low flow pre-rinse spray nozzles at the dish machine. (Your water company may provide free low flow pre-rinse nozzles.)
- Use Energy Star compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of incandescent bulbs in store-rooms, break rooms, offices, wall sconces, kitchen exhaust hoods and walk-in refrigerators.
- Use ultra low-flow toilets and flow restrictors on restroom faucets.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Buy products in returnable, reusable or recyclable containers.
- Recycle food*, cardboard, paper, glass, metal and plastics. (*food waste, along with waxed cardboard, paper napkins, paper beverage cartons and wooden crates can be picked up for off-site composting in many parts of the Bay Area.)
- Buy recycled-content paper products whenever possible, including hand towels, napkins, office and food service uses.
- Use take-out containers that can be composted (paper) or recycled (#1 and #2 plastics, aluminum) instead of styrofoam.
Pollution Prevention
- Properly maintain grease traps and kitchen hoods to prevent overflows and emissions to the sewer and storm drain systems.
- Keep outdoor waste storage, parking and sidewalks free of litter, grease spills and other potential pollutants. Use sweeping and spot cleaning for most clean ups. If washing is needed, use a cleaning method that keeps cleaning water out of storm drains.
- Use organically or sustainably produced foods in the kitchen.
