Is Your Café Environmentally-Responsible?
By Waylon Lewis on Aug 3, 2008 inin blog, conscious consumerism, sustainability |
One of our favorite local/independent cafés offers cork sleeves for those in too much of a rush to get for-here [applause]. Another one forbids folks to talk on cell-phone while in line [applause], which may not be eco per se, but we’re all for it. Another offers all compostable to-go stuff—and compost, paper recycle, and commingled container recycle bins—and even did a greenish build-out of the former Dunkin’ Donuts site they took over. Another offers fair-trade yummy coffee and healthy fare (still a rarity in cafes)—and it even offers our elephant staff gift certificates in partial exchange for one of our Mindful Guide listings, so our team can stay energized even while…selling ads. And finally, our favorite tea-focused cafe (which also supports ele) sells yummy, vegan (two words you don’t always see together) snacks, organic teas, offers organic milk and has a skylight in the men’s bathroom so you don’t need to turn the light on during the day—a minor, but thoughtful energy-saver.
Still, most cafés don’t offer compostable to-go ware, just bleached paper cups that have an active life of 3 minutes and a landfill life of 3 years. Many blast heat in the winter with the door open, and AC in the summer with doors wide open. Many don’t have recycle and compost bins where the public can access them. Many wrap their non-organic white flourful goodies in saran wrap, and only offer the nu-cu-lar microwave as a way to heat up frozen burritos and such.
What does your café do that’s eco-commendable? Comment below, if so inspired–the link will help direct some of ele’s traffic to their site, a small token of good karma for their actions.
- 365 views
Share on Facebook
Bookmark on del.icio.us
If you like this, you might like these other posts...
- Comment: Who’s Your Favorite Local Organic Fast-Food?
- When recycling won’t cut it, Re-use and Re-purpose Old Items for Vintage, Creative Cool Points.
- Holy Tomato! [Wholemato Review via Caroline Treadway]
- Batman’s Dark Night: We’re not the only ones to make lotsa tpyos.
- Mindful Festival Life: Back from Rothbury
Hey Way,
I like the way you offered the links in your article … didn’t mention any cafes and coffee or tea shops by name, but mentioned what they do, and allowed us to follow your red links to find out who they are (I guessed most of ‘em before using the links … guess I’ve seen you and your staff around town quite a bit over the years).
Anyhoo, I think it’s fine to let people know that cell phone use in line isn’t welcome in a cafe … people make do if they want to be in the cafe. A few rules aren’t so bad, though the INVITATION to do what’s good for the environment seems more welcoming and less finger-wagging.
Down with plastic wrap and not providing compostable to-go containers … and up with doing the latter then providing a receptacle for compostable waste. We can change our habits and dig out of the environmental black hole we’ve created.
Gabrielle | Oct 12, 2008 | Reply
For those cafes who want to get on the eco tip: ecoproducts.com is the best source I know of for compostable to-go ware, etc.
admin | Jul 4, 2008 | Reply
Rather than making up a bunch of rules which usually put people off, such as turning off cell phones, it is much better to live by example. Rather than telling people what to do, how about posting information about what you do. For example, “We use renewable resources and recycle?” Some times, with good intentions, we find ourselves becoming bossy old know it alls making a lot of rules. Coming across like that, we are labeled crazy. Now is the time to boast about the good things we do and quit demanding people to do the right thing for the environment. Lets set a good example.
Jennifer | Jul 3, 2008 | Reply