Archive for the ‘4000 Waste Mitigation, Handling and Disposa’

Sierra Nevada Brewery (Chico, CA)07.29.08

With the first batches arriving in 1980, the Sierra Nevada Brewery takes its brewing quite seriously, but has a major commitment to sustainable practices as well. What sort of sustainable practices? It’s a laundry list… here are some highlights:

    A 1.4MW solar installation
    Four 250kW fuel cells for heat and electricity
    Almost 98% waste-diversion (recycling)
    Fully integrated heat-recovery systems
    CO2 recovery from fermentation
    50% reduction in water consumption compared to a typical brewing operation

They’ve made it a big enough deal to score a very detailed page at Wikipedia and a visit from Governor Schwarzenegger.

If you can get through all the beer and concert information, there are tidbits to find. Information on the fuel cell system [pdf] is available. There is also an on-topic interview with Ken Grossman.

Posted in 2000 Water, 3300 Heat Management, 3900 On-Site Energy Production, 4200 Recycling, Beverages, Fuel Cell, People, Photovoltaicwith No Comments →

Wasted Food05.18.08

New to the links section, Wasted Food. Catch Jonathan Bloom’s thoughts and findings as he works on a book on food waste in America.

Posted in Organicswith No Comments →

Cork and Knife – Restaurants Tackle Their Own Inconvenient Truth05.07.08

Some restaurant sustainability metrics are assembled by Cork and Knife

The average American meal has a shockingly large carbon footprint, usually traveling 1, 500 miles to the plate and emitting large amounts of CO2 in the process, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Each meal created produces 275 pounds of waste a day, making restaurants the worst aggressors of greenhouse gas emissions in retail industry, says the Boston-based Green Restaurant Association [GRA], a non-profit organization that works to create an ecologically sustainable restaurant industry.

A recent NRA [National Restaurant Association] study shows utility costs are a big line item for restaurateurs, accounting for a median of between 2.3 percent and 3.6 percent of sales, depending on the type of operation.

According to Zagat’s 2007 America’s Top Restaurants, 65 percent of surveyors said they would pay more for food that has been sustainably raised or procured. According to 2007 National Restaurant Association research, 62 percent of adults said they would likely choose a restaurant based on its environmental friendliness.

Discussed in the article, which focuses on the Washington DC market, Chef Todd Gray of Equinox (Washington, DC), Chef Barton Seaver of Hook (Washington, DC), Chef Nora Pouillon Restaurant Nora (Washington, DC), Tom Holland of Juice Joint Café, George Velazquez of Napa 1015, Citronelle (Washington, DC), and Maziar Farivar of Peacock Grand. Also briefly mentioned, Sweetgreen, Le Pain Quotidien and CakeLove and JavaGreen both working with Clean Currents.

Posted in 1000 Food, Sourcing and Supplies, 4200 Recycling, GRA, Local, Seafoodwith 1 Comment →

Recycle corks02.27.08

Some restaurants go through a lot of wine… and a lot of wine can mean a lot of cork. You should think about doing something with them.

Currently lighting up the blogs, Recycle Cork USA in York, Pennsylvania is promoting a “Korks 4 Kids” charity program to collect corks for children’s charities. There isn’t a lot of information on this organization outside the website and the various blogs pointing to it. They’ve been around a little more than a year.

[via Brooklyn Green Team]

Another option is Yemm & Hart in Missouri, which has a longer track record with a slightly different program.

It’s not the newest of ideas, and the rest of the world is at it as well… a couple other examples:

In Ontario, Canada, see Bag-A-Cork.

In Australia, see Friends of the Zoos.

Posted in 4200 Recyclingwith No Comments →

Green Restaurants in the Washington Post (Washington, DC)02.09.08

Tracking the breadcrumbs from the Restaurant Reformer introduction to Nora Pouillon, we find the January 16, 2008 Washington Post article, A Tall Order of Green (Walter Nicholls) discusses Le Pain Quotidien, the first Green Restaurant Association restaurant in the District of Columbia and the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) itself. The DC location is part of a Belgian chain with 28 units across the US. They’re also having trouble finding all the necessary support infrastructure, specifically, a company that will haul away compostable kitchen waste (alert: business opportunity).

Among other environmental effects, the GRA says, the U.S. restaurant industry accounts for one-third of all energy used by retail businesses and is five times as energy-intensive as other retail businesses, including lodging. The group cites studies gathered for Dining Green, a book published by the GRA in 2004, showing that on average, every restaurant meal served produces 1 1/2 pounds of trash. Half of that, the GRA says, is food waste that could be composted.

While not GRA-certified, Chef Nora Pouillon has been in this mode for decades. She is specifically looking for certified organic cotton chef jackets and pants (alert: business opportunity).

Now pursuing GRA-certification, Java Shack in Arlington, VA and Sweetgreen in Georgetown.

Java Shack has managed to cut 1/3rd of its water and 2/3rds of its electric costs. They’ve found a composting option and converted to corn-based coffee cups, but the GRA wants additional steps before certification.

The article also cites Grille Zone in Boston as an example, which manages to produce just half a trash bag of waste while serving an average of 150 customers per day.

Posted in 4000 Waste Mitigation, Handling and Disposa, Chefs, GRA, Media Coverage, Restaurantswith 1 Comment →

Takeout Containers01.30.08

From Elizabeth Gillian over at Chow, an exploration of the “greenness” takeout/takeaway containers.

Posted in 4000 Waste Mitigation, Handling and Disposa, 4500 Packagingwith No Comments →

Presentation Center Welcome Center (Los Gatos, CA) [LEED-NC Gold]01.29.08

A new 10, 170 square-foot straw bale welcome center and dining facility for the Presentation Center includes a kitchen and three dining areas with enough room to serve 200. The facility includes photovoltaics, solar thermal, straw-bale construction, a living roof, graywater use for landscaping, and extensive use of recycled construction materials.

Results include LEED-NC Gold [pdf], 50% reduction in energy consumption and 30% reduction in water consumption.

Tags: ,

Posted in 2700 Greywater, 4200 Recycling, 7100 LEED, Construction, Dining Hall, LEED-Gold, Photovoltaic, Solar Thermalwith No Comments →

AskPablo: Electric Hand Dryer or Paper Towel?01.13.08

Pablo takes a crack at the Electric Hand Dryer or Paper Towel question from a CO2 perspective. Conclusion: pant leg.

Others have taken a spin through this material – the Portland Tribune, Saving Energy (blog). It’s a common question, with lots of manufacturers weighing in on their respective sides. Anyone know of a truly independent study on the matter?

Of course, your local codes may vary. Your pants might too.

Tags:

Posted in 3100 Electricity, 4000 Waste Mitigation, Handling and Disposa, Efficiencywith No Comments →

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