Make Your Mark: Earth Day 2015

bKLmZCtMark your calendars. Earth Day is: April 22.

As this year marks the 45th anniversary of this global environmental movement, it’s a great time to make your mark in support of Earth Day by having your staff and even guests get in on the movement.

The Earth Day Network (EDN) reports that it works with 22,000 organizations in 192 countries on various Earth Day campaigns such as:

  • Climate Voters Education (promotes climate change initiatives)
  • Billion Acts of Green® (secures a sustainable future)
  • The Canopy Project (protects & preserves our natural lands)
  • Green Schools (provides educators with green practices information/resources to funnel down to our children)

If motivated, taking action is simple. There are a multitude of ways to mobilize staff, guests, and community to get involved and promote positive environmental changes.

Grow. Support a sustainable future: grow vegetables on a rooftop garden, fresh herbs in potted plants, install a lovely, live green wall within a covered outside patio or designated area within your restaurant. *NOTE: featuring these vegetables/herbs in a fresh-from-the-garden, meatless section on your menu will also help the cause. As according to United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates, the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating climate change worldwide. Amazingly, that number is reported to be more than the entire transportation sector output.

Reduce. Reduce your company’s ecological footprint by finding realistic, ongoing ways to improve your commitment to the environment. From composting and reducing energy consumption by investing in energy efficient appliances, installing solar panels, and adjusting your water heater to utilizing recyclable products whenever possible, and the like.

Fundraise. One dollar = one tree. That simple. Hold an auction for items such as cooking lessons with your chef, a complimentary five-course meal for four, a catered party for 20, etc. in order to raise funds for EDN’s The Canopy Project. Where trees are planted in impoverished areas (i.e. Haiti, Uganda, Brazil, Mexico, urban U.S. areas), to help those communities reverse the impacts of land degradation and provide food, energy, and income, and also help filter the air to ward off the effects of climate change.

Commit. Your Earth Day commitment doesn’t have to end on April 23rd. Keep your initiatives alive throughout the year (i.e. keep gardens flourishing, regularly purchase local sustainable produce and ingredients to feature on menus, lower your ecological footprint by making changes to your restaurant’s output, etc), and set a great example for staff and guests alike.

For more ideas on what you and your community can do to support this important movement, go to Earth Day take action/campaigns.

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Earth Day practical practices: potted plants @ Farmers Fishers Bakers