It’s Not Easy Being Green — Or Is It?

The old excuses as to why foodservice operations are not kinder to the environment no longer hold water. And getting started is a lot easier than one might think.

By Joseph Carbonara, Editor-in-Chief -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 9/1/2007

Joseph Carbonara

Growing up watching Sesame Street, one of my favorite characters was Kermit the Frog. I am not sure if it was his snazzy raincoat or the way he burst onto the screen ("Hi, Ho, Kermit the Frog here!") that always caught my eye. But Kermit pointed out that the life of a Muppet is not all seashells and balloons when he sang "It's Not Easy Being Green." And that's a refrain many in the foodservice industry have sung for years regarding the topic of sustainability.

Having not crossed paths with Kermit in some time, I can't report back as to whether being green has become any easier for him. But I do know that as a whole, society appears more open to green initiatives than ever before, particularly in the foodservice industry. Being green has never been easier for foodservice operators and their supply chain partners. Plus, becoming environmentally friendly makes good business sense.

For example, energy-efficient equipment can enhance an operation's financial performance by lowering operating costs through less consumption of gas, water and electricity. "Being fiscally responsible and economically responsible: When the two intersect, it's a win-win," says Chris Giarraputo of B.R. Guests Restaurants.

Naturally, one still needs to temper their desire to do right by the environment with a dose of practicality. Products bought and specified need to meet the demands of the task at hand. "You can't make your buy decision based solely on the efficiency aspect," Giarraputo says. This is because, he adds, regardless of efficiency, equipment that's not durable enough to handle high volumes of production will ultimately need to be replaced more often over time. "Ultimately, having to replace an item more frequently is the most wasteful practice," Giarraputo says.

Common misnomers used to be that operating a Green Restaurant cost too much and getting quality products proved to be a challenge. But that's no longer the case, points out Ben Prentice of the Boston-based Grille Zone. "The fact that there are organizations out there that can assist you, means there's almost no reason for you not to do this," Prentice says.

One such organization, the Green Restaurant Association, helps operators go green by analyzing operations, generating a list of four environmentally friendly steps to take, and discussing available green products. In addition, later this year, the National Restaurant Association plans to launch an online program that it hopes will serve as a central resource for the foodservice industry.

Deciding whether to specify environ mentally friendly products is fast becoming less of an option and more of a standard operating procedure for consultants, dealers and manufacturers. "It's a mandate that we have given our designers," says Barry Skown, director of restaurant feasibility for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. "We tell them this is the direction we want them to go when specifying equipment for a particular project."

But Skown points out, eventually operators will expand their scope beyond products the supply chain delivers to their door. "We are looking at all of our vendors to determine the best suppliers out there and the most environmentally friendly ones," Skown says.

As you can see, individual members of the foodservice industry have plenty of opportunity to make their operations a little greener. And I am sure that somewhere that's bringing a smile to my old pal Kermit.

Joseph M. Carbonara, Editor in Chief