Image courtesy of khunaspix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by Kristin Hillery
When it comes to helping the environment, it’s the little things that really do count. And the more of those little things you can do at your restaurant, the better. (We’ve mentioned before that 8 out of 10 U.S. consumers are willing to pay more to eat at environmentally-friendly restaurants.)
Composting is one of those little things, but don’t let it fool you — its impact is huge. You can either set up separate bins around your kitchen for food waste — doing this will quickly become second-nature to the staff — that get emptied into a large compost bin outside, managed by a composting company. Or, if your local health department allows it and you have the space, you can set up your own compost pile. Either way, take a look at some of the benefits composting offers:
1. Composting helps cut down on trash. We all know that sometimes Trash Day doesn’t happen often enough — restaurant dumpsters can fill up fast, especially during busy season or when there are private parties or off-site catering jobs. Sending the majority of your waste to the compost bin is an excellent way to avoid an overflowing, disgusting dumpster.
2. Composting improves soil by returning valuable nutrients to it. Your local farmers will thank you.
3. You’ll likely be ahead of the curve. Many cities like San Francisco and Seattle already require restaurants to compost their waste, and more cities are hopping aboard this important trend.
4. Bragging rights. Most of your customers will likely appreciate the fact that you’re environmentally conscious.
5. Reduced trash fees. It’s possible you may save money on garbage disposal fees since you’ll have significantly less of it. If you have restaurants next to you or close by, consider talking to them about splitting the cost of organic waste pick-up.
For more tips and tricks, head to Modernize.com.
