Lush green mountains, running rivers, picturesque landscapes have an appeal that none of the manmade artifacts can match. So, the idea that we, humans, are guilty of leading these beautiful creations to their demise is heart-wrenching. With the evidence piling against the human race for the exploitation of mother earth, many people and brands have become aware of their crimes against the planet that provides life to us. The conscious people and brands have taken initiatives to ensure sustainable development, which may assist future generations to prosper.

Though, this is a start, it is by no means sufficient. At Ice Group Hospitality, we encourage companies to opt for better alternatives in their product offerings to ensure a better future for generations to come.

What does it mean to be eco-friendly?

Eco-friendly individuals and brands use services and products which put less pressure on the environment. This includes:

• Preferring biodegradable products over non-biodegradable ones.
• Choosing energy-efficient products and methods which allow minimum consumption of resources for maximum result.
• Not being wasteful of the available resources
• Eliminating plastic
• Conserving energy
• Religiously following the 3R’s (Reduce, reuse, and recycle)
  
  

How to make your brand environment friendly?

Here is a list of things that restaurants can do to make their brand more eco-friendly

With products:

1. Use reusable products whenever possible: Cutlery, trays, and other equipment which you may need to use in the kitchen should be reusable. Whenever the customer is dining at the restaurant, use cups, trays, plates that you can wash and then reuse.

2. Recyclable products: It is not possible to give out expensive cutlery without raising the price significantly. To keep the restaurant economical while helping the ecological balance, opt for cardboard trays, decomposable cups, and other such products. Avoid plastic bags, plastic forks, and other non-biodegradable products which will harm the planet.

3. Reduce: Being wasteful is always injurious to the environment and budget. So, the reduction of unnecessary usage of products is mandatory for all businesses which would like to contribute to the environment.

4. Invest in cleaning products: The products you get to clean the in-house cutlery and other utensils can be segregated into ecologically sound and unsound choices. Invest some time to figure out what is what. If you are already in operations, you can choose to educate yourself about the products you are using. Dedicate some time to search for alternatives and order the eco-friendly batches henceforth.

5. Local products: International items might have an appeal, but locally available products are more beneficial for you and the earth. Local products do not need thousands of miles of travelling. So, your cost and carbon emissions both go down when you opt for locally produced products.
   
   

With operations

1. Washing: Washing with hands takes a lot of time and wastes water. Use dishwashers that are efficient in terms of water use. Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface, but usable water is significantly less. Sections of the world are already facing water scarcity if not complete droughts. The small step of installing an efficient dishwasher can impact water bill and crisis.

2. Energy-efficient equipment: When it comes to electronics, it is crucial that you use products that use energy sparsely. The idea here is that lesser energy consumption will enable your business to operate at a lower cost while putting less pressure on the environment.

3. Perishable goods: Restaurants will always have the trouble of perishable goods. Expiration dates are there for a reason, and you should monitor them carefully. Using products in the order of their expiration date will help avoid wastage. Also, distributing the extra food among the less fortunate will assist you in creating an environment that is welcoming.

Benefits of using eco-friendly products for businesses (especially restaurants) are listed below:

• Clear conscious: Creating an eco-friendly brand will give you a clear conscious. You are doing your bit for the world. Given the fact that you are still reading, it goes on to show that you care. Anyone who cares will feel better once s/he does something to assist in our planet earth.

• Mass appeal: There is a mass appeal to being eco-friendly. Believers of the cause will even pay extra to contribute to the environment. That opens your restaurant to some caring customers who have a reason to be loyal.

• Marketing: Your brand can truthfully say that they are putting in efforts to make earth more livable in these trying times. Going green gives you an edge over your competitors because it works as a selling point for your brand.

Initiatives (Do your bit)

An establishing business can start by buying eco-friendly products, but even if you are established as a business and still would like to change your image and working processes, the best day to start is today. Do your bit to help make a future that resembles the utopian era more than the dystopian one.