A small group of Sustainable Saratoga volunteers, led by Marlaina Murphy, have put together a sustainability guide for local restaurants. The goal of the project was to create a comprehensive but easy to follow guidebook filled with options for restaurants to consider adopting to make their business more sustainable.

“Local businesses don’t always have resources to research and create sustainability plans that larger corporations have,” says Margie Shepard, co-chair of Sustainable Saratoga’s Zero Waste committee at the time; “This guide brings these small businesses the information they need without requiring them to spend time they might not have to do the research on their own.”

The guide includes information on how to power your business with renewable energy; strategies for reducing energy use; easy ways to reduce food waste; tips to increase recycling and reduce plastic waste production; and much more. The guide also contains specific links for restaurant owners to explore options that are the best fit for their business.

Becoming more sustainable can be good for business too. Surveys show that many consumers care about the sustainability practices of the places they frequent and are willing to pay more for goods and services when the business is environmentally friendly. Another reason for going green – there are often government incentives available for businesses that undergo energy efficiency improvements.

“We hope this guide will be a resource to help restaurants take the first few steps to becoming more sustainable!” says Marlaina, who is now a graduate student at University of Colorado Boulder studying Sustainable Food Systems. She is a Saratoga Springs native, and spent time before grad school implementing sustainable initiatives at her family’s business, Uncommon Grounds. She’s excited to share this guide and assist other restaurants in their sustainability journey.

Click on this link to view the Restaurant Sustainability Guide.

Have questions? Email marlainaNmurphy@gmail.com or zerowaste@sustainablesaratoga.org

Sustainable Saratoga promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources through education, advocacy and action. We are a leader in promoting awareness of environmental issues and what we as a local community can do to minimize our ecological impact while maintaining a high quality of life.