An Assignment Submitted by
Abstract
It became crucial for all businesses to reduce their carbon footprint in order to improve the quality of the environment and stop global warming. While each type of business affects the environment differently, it is important to assess the carbon footprint of the restaurant on the basis of food products the facility uses. The carbon footprint of a restaurant depends on the utilization of environmentally friendly solutions. It is important to buy environmentally friendly food products and purchase from local suppliers. However, there is another opinion claiming that the impact of a restaurant on the environment depends on the amount of waste disposal. In order to reveal the options for the small restaurant in the Staunton, Virginia, it was decided to explore the availability of the suppliers of eco-friendly products in the region. The solutions in this matter have to be compared to the opposite opinion in the waste recycling sector. These two areas were evaluated and researched.
It is quite difficult to believe, but the restaurant has a huge impact on the environment. When a restaurant is positioning itself as a sustainable and environmentally friendly facility, buying eco-friendly goods in local suppliers may be one of the solutions to this issue. While purchasing local food products and being sure that the suppliers sell high-quality and environmentally friendly products, the restaurant has to make sure the suppliers comply with the sustainable principles of business. The carbon footprint of a small restaurant in Staunton, Virginia depends on the type of products bought for the facility.
Depending on the specialization of a restaurant, it has to buy food products and equipment if such options are available in the area. By using local products, the restaurant decreases the energy spent on logistics and adjustments for products caused by transportation, for example, increased amount of fertilizers. Another advantage to buying local goods is the utilization of seasonal products instead of purchasing, for example, exotic fruits and vegetables. For instance, there are several eco-farms located in Staunton and neighboring cities, like Charis Eco-Farm that proposes environmentally friendly meat and eggs; or “A Better Way” farms that propose eco-friendly dairy (Green People, 2015; A Better Way Farms, 2015).
However, other experts claim that the carbon footprint of a restaurant depends on the proper recycling of waste, as the restaurants tend to produce a large amount of waste. At the same time, if a facility buys products that were chemically manipulated, their disposal will increase the carbon footprint. Consequently, if a restaurant in Staunton buys environmentally friendly products, its waste disposal will not become a problem for the further resolution of this issue. It is considered that the requirement of buying local products is essential, as it reduces resources spent on logistics, processing of food, and technical equipment.
References
A Better Way Farms. (2016). Your local source for milk products! Retrieved from: http://www.abetterwayfarms.com/
Green People. (2016). Charis Eco-Farm. Retrieved from: http://www.greenpeople.org/listing/Charis-Eco-Farm-35382.cfm
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