Now May be a Better Time Than Ever to Green Some Restaurants

The restaurant industry has been hit extremely hard in the last few months due to the coronavirus. One estimate shows that around 75% of independent restaurants that have closed due to the pandemic won’t be able to re-open after the crisis is over. The National Restaurant Association projects that the industry will lose $225 Billion in the coming three months and shed 5-7 million employees.

It is a hard reality to face that many of our favorite restaurants, bars, and coffee shops may not be around at the end of this pandemic. The industry will certain return at some point in the future though, new business owners will decide to open back up and others will be able to weather the storm. When the industry is able to begin again, things will certainly change in the day to day operations.

Now is a better time than any other to ensure that when restaurants do open up, better systems are in place that could save restaurants money while being more sustainable. Many things can be done to make restaurants more sustainable that don’t require large amounts of capital. Now is the time to make sustainable practices official and pass regulations that ensure restaurants do their part to reduce the impact of climate change.

Supply chains can move to a more local level to reduce greenhouse emissions resulting from shipping. More vegetarian options on menu’s are cheaper and reduce greenhouse emissions from the dairy industry. Replace appliances and restroom facilities with low energy ones and toilets with water-free systems. Waste reduction techniques like portion control can reduce food waste, resources, and save restaurants money.

 

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