Corner Booth Blog | TundraFMP Restaurant Supply, News & Equipment Blog
Improving your restaurant’s energy efficiency and sustainability practices has two rewards: reduced costs and great PR opportunities. Studies have shown that consumers are increasingly aware of “green” issues and that they care about them, even in a down economy. That means you can connect with your customers and build brand loyalty while streamlining your operation at the same time. These articles will help you take advantage of green opportunities and shed some light on what’s coming down the pike in the near future:
1. Stop Giving Waste Fryer Oil Away! – More than likely someone is recycling your waste fryer oil for you. Hopefully you’re not paying for that service. Soon, though, you’ll want to keep that oil to yourself and generate your own electricity. Learn why in this post.
2. Chefs Make Their Own Honey – From vegetables to honey, chefs are making a lot of ingredients themselves these days, and saving a lot of food miles in the process.
3. How Chipotle Went Platinum– A Chipotle franchise in Gurnee Mills, IL recently won Platinum energy efficiency from LEED. Learn more about the program in this post.
4. Have You Joined The NRA’s Conserve Initiative?– The National Restaurant Association’s Conserve Initiative is and effort to bring more of the food service industry into the energy efficiency fold. Learn more in this post.
5. Can We Bring Bluefin Tuna Back From The Brink? – The bluefin has been fished nearly to extinction, but an Australian fisherman has figured out how to bring them back from the brink. Learn more in this post.
6. Is Your Kitchen Ventilation Sucking Up Money? – That hood in your kitchen uses A LOT of energy. Learn how to make sure it’s running as efficiently as possible in this post.
7. The Conflict Between Local Food And Local Government – “Urban farming,” the increasingly popular practice of planting vegetables in vacant lots and rooftops in urban environments, sometimes comes into conflict with municipal ordinances. Learn how that conflict is shaping up in one California town.
Greg – love the post and your continued thoughts in energy efficiency and restaurants.
We’ve found exhaust hoods in particular to be a huge energy drain. Not only are they a major consumer of electricity, they’re pulling cooled air out in the summer or heated air out in the winter, making your HVAC systems work that much harder. This is a vicious cycle, so smart use of these systems can have a big impact on savings.
It’s also surprising how often we observe major loads (like exhaust hoods) left on at night. Typically, managing a small number of circuits more effectively can result in hundreds of dollars per month in re-captured profits for a restaurant. We’ve posted a few other tips on saving money and energy in restaurants – http://bit.ly/L6q84q
Regards,
-Jay Fiske
Thanks Jay! You also have some great info on your blog about energy efficiency in restaurants. How’d you like to do a guest post?
Thanks, Greg – I would be honored. Let’s coordinate a topic and a time – I will send you a note via your “contact me” form.