The new trend of greening your kitchen has been sweeping the culinary sweet spots of the country prompted by the efforts of the Green Restaurant Association, based out of Sharon, Mass.
“The association helps restaurants figure out how to be more environmentally responsible and ultimately secure its certification. Among the steps it encourages: using energy-saving light bulbs, water- and energy-conservation programs, and napkins made from unbleached paper. It insists that its certified restaurants do not use polystyrene foam products.”
While some restaurants are content simply buying organic products from sustainable farms a large portion are still
searching not only “for safer cleaners, but also new ways to compost kitchen waste and save electricity.”
Owner of the posh New York restaurant Savoy, Peter Hoffman has implemented various new environmentally friendly strategies and products in an attempt to green his kitchen. These have included everything from the use of biodegradable cleaning products to using environmentally friendly containers made from materials like corn or sugar cane fibers.
The Green Restaurant Association is working to certify a total of 300 restaurants with their environmentally friendly stamp of approval by early next spring. Founder, Michael Oshman explains that while most restaurant owners would love to convert over to more environmentally friendly and safe products, the majority are easily deterred by the cost. The Green Restaurant Association addresses these concerns by attempting to demonstrate to owners “how extra spending in one area can be offset by saving in others. Installing additional insulation on a water heater or buying compact fluorescent light bulbs can save a third in energy costs after the initial investment is paid off, which can come as soon as a couple months. Those savings can help with the added costs of buying more food locally and using takeout containers that are not made from plastics.”
Personally, I can’t help but think that while sustainable cooking may appear to be a costly endeavor to some, the effects of toxic materials and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on society and the environment may be even a bit more ‘pricey’ in the long run.
