Green Daily

As a pretty green-conscious consumer, I often feel guilty going out to eat. It's one of my favorite indulgences. But the disposable cups and lack of organic ingredients plus the harsh chemicals often used to clean up after the public are contributing more damage to the environment than I can bear to think about if I want to be able to keep my meal down.

So as I was perusing my morning paper recently, I was thrilled to learn that some restaurants are making big changes. I read in the recent Washington Post story that the Green Restaurant Association doles out certification to food service businesses nationwide. According to the association's web site, the certification is based on established standards, such as recycling. Certification also requires a commitment to attaining certain guidelines such as water conservation, serving food in biodegradable disposable containers and using organic ingredients. The Boston-based association offers consultation on green practices as well as an online store at which business owners can shop for eco-conscious products.



As it turns out, a few restaurants in my own back yard are aboard the bandwagon, changing practices in hopes of pulling in eco-conscious customers. The Washington Post reports that Le Pain Quotidien, which opened last spring, boasts a 39-seat communal dining table fashioned out of reclaimed wood from vintage Belgian train cars; cleaning products used on the floor and kitchen counters are nontoxic and non-polluting; the to-go cups are made of corn and the spoons of potato starch (they will disintegrate within 30 to 90 days in a commercial compost site rather than sit in a landfill); and the baked goods are made with organic flour and butter.

[via the Washington Post]

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