Sustainable Practices for Restaurants: How to Go Green and Save Money

In today's marketplace, showing that your restaurant is becoming environmentally conscious or going green isn't just a social issue, it's a form of marketing and can actually save you money. In this video, I'm going to share with you sustainable practices for restaurants: how to go green and save money. 

The key areas for sustainability are:

• Energy
• Waste
• Water
• Transportation

Now, full disclosure I'm a restaurant expert; I'm not a sustainability expert. With that being said, I do want to share with you four simple sustainable practices that can help you go green and save money. 

#1 Energy conservation. Install LED lights which use 75% less energy than traditional incandescent lights. Replace old equipment with energy efficient models which consume less power and water. Turn off equipment when you're not using it or during the off hours to minimize your energy consumption. Install motion sensors to control your lights or even your HVAC system.

#2 Waste reduction. Implement a composting program for your food waste, which can be used for gardening or donated to a local farm. Use reusable containers, utensils and dishes instead of disposable ones. Set up a recycling program for paper, plastic, glass and metal products. Now this one I'm about a 50/50 on: use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. Why am I 50/50? It has to match your concept and be congruent with who you are. Also, sometimes renting the cloth napkins, if you're not buying and washing them yourself, can be more expensive than paper.  

#3 Water conservation. Install low-flow faucets and toilets to reduce your water consumption. Fix leaks immediately to save you up to thousands of gallons a year in water. Use drought resistant plants for your landscaping. Collect rainwater and use it for gardening and cleaning.

#4 Transportation. Encourage your staff to use public transportation or carpool to work. Implement delivery services that use eco-friendly transportation such as bikes or electric vehicles. Use local or regional suppliers to minimize transportation related emissions

The benefits of incorporating sustainable practices are many:

1. Attract more eco-conscious consumers who are increasingly seeking out restaurants that are environmentally friendly. This builds your business.
2. Save money on energy, water and disposal costs.
3. Boost your brand's image and differentiate yourself from all the other restaurants and other competitors.
4. Comply with regulations and laws that require businesses to reduce the environmental impact.

These are just a few examples of sustainable practices for restaurants that can help you go green and save money. Reduce your restaurant’s environmental impact, improve your bottom line and appeal to a growing customer base that values sustainability. The choice is yours!

Be sure to visit my YouTube channel for more helpful restaurant management video tips.