GUIDE TO A APPLIANCES SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT · Small Business Sustainability Report 2013 Survey: - 75% of responders who sell green products/services saw an increase in sales - 49%

APPLIANCES

Why Go Green?

Save Money

Cut bills by reducing waste and energy usage

Receive rebates & incentives

Transparency and Marketing

Consumers are growing increasingly conscientious of where their food comes from. Use the back of your menu or tabletop ads to inform them about your sustainable practices.

Green certifications will get your name on various

databases and lists, attracting more customers.

Make Money Attract New Customers

More and more people are putting a premium on supporting

sustainable businesses

Market yourself as green

In This Guide:

Tips for daily water and energy savings

Appliances: tips for small changes and operation

Waste Reduction & Recycling

Sustainable Food Sourcing

Local Pittsburgh groups who provide services for cooking oil recycling,

composting, and food sourcing.

GUIDE TO A SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT

Be Environmentally Responsible

A Green Restaurant: reduces its energy usage and carbon footprint by

conserving water & power, recycling waste, and sourcing food locally

APPLIANCES

Saving Power Cut your electric bills with these small changes to your appliances:

LED or CFL Lighting (w/ dimmers)

Programmable Thermostat

Efficient Restroom Fans suggested: BROAN-NuTone

Refrigerator: LED bulbs inside Strip curtains Defrost Controls

Get an Energy Audit from your power provider to evaluate potential savings.

Rebates & Incentives Contact your power provider for specific usage or appliance rebates and incentives. Here are some examples of commercial energy programs:

Duquesne Light:

o Watt Choices Program

o Energy Efficiency Program

o For qualifying appliance catalog, (including hot food cabinets, refrigeration, ice makers, etc.):

duquesnelight.com/wattChoices/ default.cfm

West Penn Power o Lighting, Motor Drive, HVAC,

Specialty Equipment Programs. $35 per occupancy sensor $15 per LED exit sign

See: http://www.energysavepa-business.com/index.html

Kitchen Appliances Any WaterSense- or EnergyStar-qualified appliance reduces usage and bills. These two in particular provide substantial savings over time.

Connectionless Steamer can save $2,100 annually (Groen, Vulcan)

High-Efficiency Exhaust Hood center high-heat users (broiler, range, griddle) directly beneath Dayton 6KWK9

Operation and Maintenance Tips

- Use occupancy sensors on lights in storage

rooms, restrooms, and refrigerator

- Run dishwashers and ovens only when full

- Use cold water whenever possible

- Use smallest possible pots, pans, and ovens

- Minimize preheat and idle time

- Yellow flames mean inefficiency. Reduce heat, clean burner, or adjust air shutter

- Refrigerator Maintenance: check & replace gaskets, clean evaporators and coils, check refrigerant charge

- Check for leaks, particularly hot water pipes (which should be insulated!)

ENERGY

AES

Recycle

Cooking Oil Recycling Disposing of used cooking oil is a hassle; have a local group pick it up and process it into a biofuel!

fossilfreefuel.com

Recycling traditional materials (glass, aluminum, paper, etc) can be affordable:

Partner with neighboring restaurants and designate a pickup point with your waste removal company.

City of Pittsburgh Public Recycling drop-offs, also for small businesses

Minimize Disposables Cloth napkins and tablecloths

Wash in front-loading washing machine

Take-out materials Be judicious with how much you give out. Encourage customers to use napkins and silverware at home. Use cardboard instead of Styrofoam.

Try tablets as menus, a new trend signage.biz/tablet or restaurantpad.net

Compost 20% of all food purchased by a restaurant becomes waste, and food in landfills releases high levels of methane. Paper and certain products, such as those certified by Green Seal and EcoLogo, are also compostable. Implement a composting system to reduce waste and turn it into something productive.

Three methods: - On-site in a specialized container - On-site in a traditional pile - Off-site with a local partner (see next pg.)

Saving Water High water usage in restaurants means many opportunities to cut bills. Each of the items listed below has a short payback period and provides significant savings. Water conservation should be part of your first step towards sustainability.

Pre-rinse Spray Nozzles suggested: T&S B-0107/8-C

Ice Machine (w/ timer) Manitowoc

Faucet Aerators Neoperl

Sensor Faucets (restroom) Speakman S-9010

Low-Flow Toilets & Urinals Toto

watersense.com

W A S T E

AES

Cooking Oil Recycling

These groups will help you get rid of your used cooking oil by processing it into a biofuel!

They’ll pick it up at your restaurant for free—and Buffalo Biodiesel will even pay you for it

when their supplies are low.

AG Recycle will pick up your composted materials free of charge! All you have to do is

separate compost into a bin while prepping food and clearing plates.

A local leader in recycling, Zero Waste Pittsburgh will advise on purchasing

compostable paper materials (napkins, bathroom, etc.), help dispose of hard-to-

recycle waste, and help you make your recycling system efficient.

Recycling in restaurants can be done jointly. With their many clients,

contact Sequoia Waste Solutions to help aggregate and negotiate contracts

with your waste removal company.

Recycling

City of Pittsburgh Recycling drop-offs for the public & small businesses:

Knoxville – Bausman St. West End – beside Herschel Field

East Liberty – N. Dallas/Hamilton Ave. Strip District – 31st St.

Hazelwood – Melanchton Ave. Point Breeze – Construction Junction

W A S T E

AES

Buy Local Consumers are valuing locally sourced food more and more. Local ingredients are often free range or organic.

Fresher ingredients

Customer familiarity with food source

Support local economy

Organic: food grown or raised without certain pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, sewage sludge, GMOs, irradiation, or additives. Less chemicals means better for consumption and the environment. Be sure it’s certified with the green and white USDA Organic seal.

Buy & Ship Sustainably Refer to PA Buy Fresh Buy Local and

Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance members lists to find farm and restaurant partners in the area

Refer to the

Seafood Watch Guides (regional and/or national) for sustainable seafood purchase

Order food jointly with a neighboring restaurant

Ship using reusable or recyclable packaging

Menu Center your menu around sustainable ingredients. Change dishes based on seasonal availability of produce, and make these dishes your menu’s focal point:

Highlight with a small symbol

Have a ‘Specials’ menu insert featuring dishes made with sustainable ingredients

F O O D

Area Farms and Organizations

Going green is becoming a competitive requirement. Intuit 2020 Report projects that sustainability will soon be an imperative for small businesses.

‘Green’ is going from novelty to necessity.

Younger generations value green products and

businesses. 80% of Americans identify

themselves as environmentally conscious. 81%

of young Americans would switch brands or

businesses to support a good cause. Be the

sustainable option for consumers looking to

dine out.

“Since becoming (GRA) Certified, we've been highlighted in several local newspapers and blogs, and our customers are thrilled with our efforts and Certification status.

We consider it win-win!” – Amy Edelman, Night Kitchen Bakery (PA) (dinegreen.com)

THE FUTURE IS GREEN

Small Business Sustainability Report 2013 Survey:

- 75% of responders who sell green products/services

saw an increase in sales

- 49% said that customers didn’t just want to buy green

products and services; customers preferred a

business because of new green, beneficial practices.

- 79% strongly agreed that offering green products and

services gave their business a competitive advantage

Sustainability: the ‘Third Button’

When price and product are comparable for consumers as they decide on where to dine,

sustainability can be the third factor that makes your restaurant their choice.

About Us

The Duquesne University Center for Green Industries and Sustainable Business growth offers no-cost confidential consulting services for small businesses within the sustainable sectors and to traditional businesses seeking to increase sustainability in their operations while increasing profitability.

www.duq.edu/greenbiz [email protected]

(412) 396-5725

2002-2011: the organic food segment grew 298%

(while overall food market grew 33%)

Increase Employee Productivity: Most restaurant

employees are between 20-30, and want to work for

green businesses.

Consumers want to feel as if they’ve done something good for the environment when they dine out.