SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY
- Highlights of Green Accomplishments:
- Full-Scale Recycling Program
- Composting Pre-Consumer Waste
- Low-Impact Vegan and Vegetarian Food Purchases
- < 1 gpm Pre-rinse Spray Valve to Conserve Water
- Bio-based Disposables
- Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
"We're thrilled that Dupree Catering and Events is the first caterer in Kentucky to become a 2 Star Certified Green Restaurant Caterer®," says Michael Oshman, CEO and Founder of the Green Restaurant Association. "Dupree Catering and Events is showing that caterers across the country can truly take steps to source more sustainable food, conserve energy and water, and reduce waste."
In an effort to become eco-friendly, Dupree Catering and Events joined the Green Restaurant Association in 2010 and was certified in 2012. The two-year process, under the guidance of GRA has created dramatic changes in business practices resulting in 85% of the company’s waste going to recycling and composting, (Determined by an audit conducted by Bluegrass Pride, May 2012).
Throughout the process we have made many small, simple changes that add up to one big difference. Anyone can do this. We hope to be an example for other food service providers by sharing our story. Besides supporting Lexington’s 2020 mission to become a more sustainable city, we have reaped substantial savings in a number of areas including trash disposal costs, utilities and paper goods. Going green is good for business. We were already doing many things that were ecologically sound such as buying much of our produce from local farmers and composting our food waste but we decided to take it much further.
Among the changes made, Dupree Catering and Events now offers attractive alternatives to standard plastic and paper disposable dinnerware. We are now committed to using only bamboo and other compostable dinnerware products, in addition to real china and glassware. We are also offering more delicious vegetarian options since meat production is one of the biggest contributors to a large carbon footprint. There are vegetarians at nearly every event we cater and in accommodating their tastes, we have found meat eaters enjoying more and more vegetarian choices.
Members in the Green Restaurant Association must continue their efforts each year to maintain their status.
About the Green Restaurant Association
The Green Restaurant Association (GRA) is the only official certifier of Green Restaurants® in the country. The national non-profit organization was founded in 1990 to shift the restaurant industry toward ecological sustainability. For 22 years, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and currently works with over 850 restaurants and caterers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With a transparent and turnkey Certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to profit and become more environmentally sustainable. As the industry standard for Greening restaurants, the GRA has the world’s largest database of environmental solutions for the foodservice industry. In 2009, the New York State Restaurant Association announced its official endorsement of the GRA, joining EPA Energy Star for Small Business, and several other national environmental groups. The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.