Green
Open Kitchen’s Recipe for Green
At Open Kitchen, we believe we have a responsibility to help offset the restaurant industry’s ecological footprint and create a more sustainable Earth for future generations of restaurateurs (and non-restaurateurs) to come. To help in this endeavor, we are committed to being an eco-friendly food establishment and creating our own Recipe for Green.
Our Recipe for Green influences every aspect of our business. From food, wine, and pastries to paint, power, and waste hauling, Open Kitchen is committed to local, organic and sustainable environmental practices. Even our disposable items (cups, to-go containers, utensils, etc) are eco-friendly. Some items are made from components such as PLA plastic (a compostable, biodegradable material created from corn). Some items are made from 100% recycled material with over 65% post-consumer content. Other, called Bagasse, are containers are made from sugarcane (stronger than Styrofoam and better for the Earth).
Join us in our commitment to honor the Earth. We are launching our Recipe for Green Program. Each time you contribute to our efforts to be eco-conscious receive a discount!* Here are a few ideas.
Use A Green Container
- Bring your own to-go bag
- Provide your own to-go container
- Provide your own coffee mug
Use Green Transportation
- Walk, skateboard, roller blade or bike to Open Kitchen
- Take the Metro, ride the bus or drive a Hybrid to Open Kitchen
- Become a member of Great Country Farms CSA program and use Open Kitchen as your drop-site.
*Use a “green” container and receive 5% off. Use “green” transportation and receive 5% off. Use both and receive a total of 10% off. Offer valid for bistro dinner (not valid on alcohol). CSA Members receive 5% off.
Since our inception, Open Kitchen has been certified by Virginia Green as a Green Restaurant. This certification requires that we meet certain standards in categories such as energy efficiency, waste reduction/recycling, sustainable food, and chemical/pollution prevention, just to name a few. We are also required to be Styrofoam free and conduct an annual environmental employee education program.
May 2010, we joined with Cork Re-Harvest to recycle all the natural corks from our wine bottles. Just one more step in making the world a better place.
If you have questions or would like more details on our Recipe for Green efforts, please contact Holly Camalier at holly.camalier@openkitchen-dcmetro.com.
Sustainability - refers to a quality and system of life that allows people to meet their current needs without compromising the resources available for future generations to meet their future needs.
Ecological Footprint - a tool for measuring the impact that human activity has on the Earth’s natural environment developed in response to concerns that at our existing consumption rates, our natural resources would develop deficiencies. Current measurements predict that if we continue at our current rate, we would need multiple planets to sustain our population.
The significant problems we face cannot be solved with the same level of thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi