Local Boston restaurants choose to green their businesses.
By Ashley Cefalo
12/9/10
Whether you are interested in fine dining, a cup a coffee or something quick for lunch, small local businesses are now finding ways to green their business and set an example for others in an industry with an extremely high turnover rate.
Flour Bakery and Cafe is just one Boston-based small business that is dedicated to providing quality food while staying with the current green trend.
Located in Boston's South End, Flour was certified two years ago by the Green Restaurant Association, also located in Boston. Corey Johnson, Flour chef, said one of the biggest reasons for becoming green certified was because it felt like the right thing to do.
"We are a very busy place and generate a lot of paper and organic waste and through becoming certified we can do our part for the environment and our community by making sure that what waste we do have goes to the right place and not into a landfill," Johnson said.
Being green doesn't just mean helping the environment. Many agree that it makes good business sense. Johnson says that among changes since going green, Flour as a whole has seen a significant drop in operating costs. "By taking energy-saving steps with our electric and water use, we are using less and saving more," Johnson said.
Flour also has made changes with their waste disposal by splitting up the waste into compost and recycling programs, which has resulted in lower waste removal costs each month.
Jim Solomon, owner of The Fireplace in Brookline said since his business became green certified, he's also seen many cost reductions. "I realized about a 45 percent return on my investment in one year and cut approximately $1,200 off my annual operating costs," Solomon said.
But being green isn't always easy. Boston-based restaurant chain Boloco, known for its burritos and green agenda, experienced trouble with its compostable take-away materials about two years ago said, Sara Rogers, Boloco's social media and marketing head.
Then, the Boston chain announced the introduction of their 100 percent compostable bamboo bowls. Not only do these compostable bowls cut back on waste, they can also help diners cut back on calories, said John Pepper, Boloco's CEO. Rogers said the original compostable bowls were not sized correctly to hold an accurate portion of food. The bowls also leaked. So Boloco is working to find new compostable bowl products that hold the company's popular burrito bowl menu item, Rogers said.
A recent PRNewswire article stated that, "78 percent of people polled said they'd be more excited to work for a certified green restaurant than a restaurant that doesn't have a certification.
Solomon, said he is not only pleased with the financial decisions he had made going green but that his association with the GRA and The Fireplace's green certification has inspired employee morale.
Rogers said "Boloco University" holds sessions each month educating its employees about different aspects of the business. In January, the company is dedicating an entire session to "greening Boloco" where employees can learn more about the green aspects of Boloco and how to explain it to customers.
"Educating our employees on the green aspect of our business is something we're working on and something we have implemented here at Boloco," Rogers said.
Boloco was the first restaurant chain certified by the Boston-based Green Restaurant Association, back in March of 2008. By using cups made out of corn and other compostable materials, the company is dedicated to making sure that it stays green. No matter where a business stands on the green spectrum, many can agree that being green sets an example for its customers and other businesses
"I believe it shows that community and anyone that visits Flour Bakery that we are not only passionate about the food and services that we provide but also realize what sort of impact we may have on the environment and that we are taking proper steps to lessen that impact," Johnson said. Rogers also noted that customers notice Boloco's green agenda.
"We get feedback on a fairly regular basis from customers praising our green practices, in particular composting and recycling. We also got a fair amount of criticism from guests who were upset we changed our bowls back to recyclable bowls from compostable," Rogers said.
Frequent Boloco customer and mother of two, Erin Lopez appreciates the fact that the Boston based chain is setting a green example and taking it seriously. "When I take my girls there for lunch, I know that they are getting a healthy meal but I also like supporting a place that put environmental needs first. It shows that businesses aren't just out to make money," Lopez said.
Johnson said Flour Bakery and Cafe are still receiving praise from a lot of its customers for being green certified, two years after making the move . "Customers feel that by coming to Flour they are supporting the same cause we are," Johnson said.
With high costs and high turnover rates, the restaurant and food service business may be looking to green as the future of the business. "Everyone is realizing the true costs of running a restaurant," Johnson said.
"Package waste, food waste, a lot of electricity and water is needed and if through programs like the GRA we can learn how to be more responsible with the products we use and services we offer I believe being more eco-conscious will become a standard practice."
Check that off the list of things I was cnofuesd about.
I know many who only frequent "green" restaurants, good to see you can help the environment and turn a profit at the same time.