Across every industry, carbon footprint reduction and sustainable practices are becoming unquestionable. The hospitality industry is no exception as an increasing number of restaurants are adopting eco-friendly standards. Customers today prefer to dine in establishments that are committed to sustainability.
Restaurants produce a lot of waste and this contributes a lot to environmental degradation. Restaurant sustainability isn’t just good for the planet, it’s great for the business and economy too. Many entrepreneurs and aspirants are committing to transforming their restaurant designs into sustainable ones. This is why they consult hospitality professionals who can help them in making their business eco-friendly.
Keep reading further to learn how you can reduce your carbon footprint in restaurants.
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Top 6 ways to reduce carbon footprint in restaurants
Achieving sustainability for your restaurant business is a long-term and continuous commitment. There are things to improve your sustainability like food sourcing, waste management, eco-friendly practices, and energy efficiency. Other practices include using seasonal supplies from local regions.
1. Use sustainable suppliers
One of the most efficient ways to reduce your restaurant’s carbon footprint is to do business with sustainable suppliers. Sustainable food sourcing is one of the most challenging tasks for F&B business owners. Food that is grown locally is highly sustainable for restaurants. Food that has traveled long distances to reach you has a much larger carbon footprint. Sourcing produce from sustainable suppliers minimizes negative environmental impact.
Besides that, it also adds positively to the local economy and supports local farmers. However, business owners don’t have the time and connections to enlist eco-friendly suppliers. This is why businesses get in touch with restaurant consultants to connect you with sustainable suppliers. You can contact hospitality companies in Abu Dhabi to help you make your restaurant eco-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint.
2. Use reusable utensils
Another useful practice in making your restaurant sustainable is to utilize reusable utensils. Using paper-based and plastic utensils contributes a lot to waste. All the paper and plastic that gets discarded greatly increases the carbon footprint. In the case of paper utensils, trees are chopped down frequently to meet the demands.
However, you can resolve this issue very easily. You can utilize reusable metal-based eating utensils. You can use forks, spoons, knives, and kitchen items made from silver and steel. You can also use glass utensils for pouring beverages and water. In addition, you can use ceramic plates that have a long operational life. All the mentioned utensils are highly reusable and can be utilized again with a simple washing cycle.
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3. Use energy efficient devices
One of the biggest contributors to carbon footprint is devices that use very high energy. The more a device draws power from the electrical grid, the more it will damage the environment. Many nations burn hydrocarbon fuels to generate electricity. However, the more hydrocarbons are burned, the more polluted the environment.
However, you can resolve this issue by reducing the usage of high-energy consumption devices. You can use LEDs and energy-saving bulbs for lighting. You can also procure energy efficient ovens, mixers, broilers, and cookers. You can also buy automatic kitchen equipment that turns off automatically once the operation is completed. When you use energy-efficient devices in your restaurant, you can hugely reduce your carbon footprint.
4. Conserve Water
Water is a very precious element on our planet. Water usage in hospitality businesses contributes to one of the largest in the commercial industry. Water is often wasted in huge amounts when preparing food and washing dishes. The staff even forget about open valves and get busy with other serving activities. However, this is highly damaging to the planet and the future generations.
You can save water at your establishment with some effective practices. You can install low-pressure faucets and showers, including fixing any leakages. You can also install a water-saving dishwasher. In addition, you can pre-rinse kitchen utensils and plates before placing them in the dishwasher. Another practical approach is to serve water to customers in glasses instead of keeping full jugs and pitchers.
5. Waste Management
It is understandable that a restaurant produces high amounts of waste. It can be in the form of packaging, receipts, or food disposal. The best practice to dispose of non-food waste is to send them to recycling plants. This way you are certain that the waste doesn’t end up on the streets.
For food wastage, you can distribute what’s considered consumable to the needy. If the food left over is of high quality, the staff can consume it during breaks. Besides that, instead of throwing food in bins, you can compost it. Quality-grade food compost can act as fertilizer and can be used by farmers to grow vegetables.
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6. Use Renewable Energy sources
One of the greatest contributors to carbon footprint on planet Earth is non-renewable energy resources. Hydrocarbon resources when burnt to produce energy release high amounts of CO2 and other toxic elements in the environment. Besides that, uranium used in power reactors is highly radioactive and can intensely pollute the environment.
However, you can reduce environmental damage by using renewable energy resources. These sources include wind, water, sun, and biomass. The most practical approach is to use solar energy to power your restaurant. Business owners can contact restaurant consultants to connect with reputable solar energy installers for their electrical needs. You can consult hospitality companies in Abu Dhabi to shift your restaurant towards renewable energy and reduce your carbon footprint.
Promote sustainable practices at your restaurant!
One of the best ways to reduce carbon footprint is to promote sustainable practices at your restaurant. This involves limiting energy consumption and reducing wastage. You can hire a hospitality expert to guide you on further ways to reduce the carbon footprint at your restaurant.
