GreenUP! offers simple steps for dining out sustainably.
Sustainable dining is high on consumers’ agendas. If you’re one such consumer, here are a few simple and practical ways you can be part of the solution while still enjoying a great meal, both at the table and on your way out the door.
Select restaurants committed to sustainability. Choose to dine at restaurants owned by locals who embrace a philosophy of environmental stewardship. The good news is that many restaurant owners now are taking the time to tell their sustainability stories on their websites and social media platforms, making it easier for diners to find them.
Some proprietors of eateries have elected to earn Green Business Certification, a program based on the principles of reducing waste, conserving energy, and promoting sustainable food sourcing. Supporting a restaurant with an owner who has gone through the process of gaining this certification is a good choice.
Ask the right questions. Look for menu items that include fresh, seasonal, locally produced ingredients, including beer and wine. Ask sourcing questions: Does the restaurant’s menu mention food-and-beverage origins or specific farms the owner partners with or buys from regularly? Local ingredients are generally more sustainable because they have been transported fewer miles, and less energy was used in growing and storing them.
Be adventurous! Try plant-based meals, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Dine in. Instead of ordering takeout, choose to dine inside a restaurant that offers in-house service and uses reusable plates, cups, utensils, and cloth napkins — and drink your beverage without a plastic straw. This stops waste before it starts, leaving nothing to dispose of at the end of your meal.
Reduce food waste. Say no to the buffet and think about splitting an appetizer or entrée with a dining partner. Take leftovers home in your own reusable container, or ask the restaurant owner, manager, or server if they have a composting option. Food waste is the No. 1 landfill material, so it’s important to order only what you can finish.
Reuse and reduce! Say no to taking unnecessary plastic bags, containers, cutlery, straws, cups, and condiment packets with your takeout food order. Restaurants are increasingly allowing customers to bring their own reusable bags, containers, utensils, tumblers, and cloth napkins; this eliminates single-use waste, which is destined for the landfill or ends up polluting our watershed.
Spread the word. Finally, share your experiences at green restaurants with friends, on social media, and on review sites to encourage others to follow suit. Green dining choices help to sustain a healthy ecosystem and contribute to a vibrant community.
Linda Miller is co-founder of Reusable Reno, a volunteer coalition committed to raising awareness about the single-use plastic waste problem and working together with our community to implement solutions. For details, visit Reusablereno.org.
RESOURCES
Green Dining Nevada is a consortium of individuals and businesses that help to promote sustainable dining practices throughout Nevada. The organization’s leaders and participants believe in the importance of individual and communal responsibility when working toward a better, greener, and more sustainable future. And they believe the most significant change comes when we start with our local green dining community. For details, visit Greendiningnv.com and join the movement!
