Today, 80% of consumers consider themselves environmentally concerned. And, in a nation where restaurants use 7 times more energy than any other commercial building, they darn well should be.
According to the National Restaurant Association, “environmental sustainability” will be a hot trend in 2016, with eateries taking action to reduce their carbon footprints. And, after switching to the GreenBox (of course ☺), there are all sorts of ways - big and small - to go green.
These are just a few of our favorites.
1. Local Lovin’
Love thy neighbor, source locally! When you purchase from a farmer’s market or other local vendor, you’re investing back into the community - and saving big on fuel, too.
Here in NYC, pizzerias have it made. Thanks to Gotham Greens, a 15,000 square foot greenhouse sits atop Brooklyn’s Whole Foods, where over 100 tons of leafy greens are harvested annually. GreenBox users Two Boots and Emily both take advantage of this urban rooftop garden, layering their artisan pies with fresh basil, arugula and “rooftop red” tomatoes 365 days per year.
2. Durable Décor
Why have regular chairs when you can rock recycled ones? Yes, that’s a thing - and we’re all about it. At Manhattan’s Pizza by Certe, the countertops are crafted from recycled bottles and the architectural millwork has been sourced from wheat. Even their walls, ceiling panels and cabinets are made from reclaimed materials. Certe’s “vertical garden” is a showstopper, growing fresh basil during the warmer months. We know, we know. These guys bring Certified 3-Star Green Restaurant to a whole new level. And we love ‘em for it.
3. Earthy Equipment
When it comes to sustainability, small changes add up. According to Pizza Today, a restaurant can cut 10% of its total electric bill just by switching to LED light bulbs. If you’re hoping to preserve water, incorporating flow-restricted faucets is the way to go, saving up to 73,000 gallons of water per year.
But, if you’re lookin’ to go green all the way, Neapolitan Express is the fleet to beat. The first mobile restaurant powered entirely by natural energy, their planet-friendly practices drew the attention of former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg. Their brick and mortar location - the very first pizzeria on Wall Street - just wouldn’t be complete without a solar-paneled roof & community garden.
In a world of conscious consumers, how will you make a difference?
50% of produce grown is discarded before it’s ever eaten. That’s $165 billion dollars worth of wasted food each year.
Today, Brooklyn-born Gotham Greens has set out to change that, making a tangible difference in the most unconventional – yet extraordinarily innovative – of ways. Since 2010, Gotham has been transforming unused urban rooftop space into blooming communities of pesticide-free produce. And this is just the beginning.
By tapping into the city’s most underutilized resource, Gotham Greens is revolutionizing the way we think about urban farming. To date, three New York rooftops are home to the nation’s most technologically sophisticated rooftop greenhouses.
Their flagship greenhouse sits atop a Greenpoint, Brooklyn Whole Foods, boasting over 15,000 square feet, and growing over 100 tons of leafy greens annually. The produce is harvested before breakfast, and is downstairs ready for purchase by lunch. “Farm-fresh” has officially taken on a new meaning.
Passionate growers with fervor for sustainable agriculture, the greens team purveys the freshest produce in the most viable way. Climate-controlled greenhouses allow for harvesting 365 days a year. And the kicker? Their produce never travels more than 7 miles.
GreenBox users Two Boots and Emily Pizza are taking advantage of this remarkable resource, adorning their pizzas with Gotham’s basil, arugula, and “rooftop reds” (their juicy medley of cherry, grape and cocktail tomatoes).
Gotham sums up their philosophy in the most perfect way: “We see green fields where others see rooftops. Most of all, we know that the crunch of fresh, local sustainably grown food, sets off a chain reaction of good things in the world.”
The mission behind Gotham Greens is so close to our hearts, in fact, that we’ve practically forgotten that they beat us out for the top spot in the 2009 Green Business Competition (we took second place!). It was a well-deserved win ☺.
Like all of the best ideas, Gotham Greens was born in the Big Apple. And while we’re just waiting on the day when all of the nation’s cities catch up, we will revel in the fact that the basil on our pie was harvested this afternoon, and New Yorkers are the only ones who can say so.
+(RGB)+4pt+(BLOG).png)
