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 URBAN GREEN CONSORTIUM
We
at the BCA believe that sustainability is the future of foodservice and
hospitality. In recent years our industry begun to recognize the
importance of reducing waste, promoting practices that are good for our
health and our planet, and mitigating the environmentally devastating
effects of industrial foodproduction. Sustainability encompasses more
than food; it includes every step from the farm through the supplier
to the kitchen and the plate. Foodservice and hospitality professionals
can affect great change both by re-evaluating their own practices and
providing an example to the rest of the industry.
Any industry professional who wishes to remain viable and competitive must now embrace sustainability as a social responsibility as well as a concrete standard. The
agricultural, hospitality, and foodservice sectors are some of the
largest energy consumers in America. We cannot afford--economically or
environmentally--to continue with business as usual.
Building relationships between suppliers and vendors, creating a base
of best practices, and equipping the future generations of hospitality
and foodservice professionals with a an understanding of what it means
to be truly "green" are the goals of the BCA's environmental efforts.
For these reasons the organization has created the four pillars of
foodservice sustainability under "The Urban Green Consortium".
Design
- Foodservice and hospitality design will need to incorporate all
aspects of green philosophy with an understanding of how LEED-certified
best practices can be applied to appliance engineering, sustainable
decor and landscaping design, and building design. Thoughtful and
innovative planning in design, building, and renovation is essential to
the future of the industry.
Operations
- Foodservice operations need to be dramatically altered to promote
sustainability at every step of production. Managers should think
outside of the box and embrace new strategies for waste control,
recycling, used oil recovery, composting, and bio degradable disposals.
From an operational standpoint, many small adjustments can have an
immense effect on energy costs and waste output.
Energy Efficiency
- The foodservice industry is the largest energy consumer in North
America. A thorough understanding of energy consumption from
foodservice equipment, lighting, HVAC, and water conservation is the
responsibility of every foodservice owner and operator. The country's
future energy usage will heavily depend on the foodservice and
hospitality sector.
Food
Sustainability - The foodservice industry is due for a re-evaluation of
relationships between food production, demand, availability and the resultant
carbon footprint. Large foodservice employers and operators have a chance to
truly influence farmers and processors to alter and improve their practices.
Sustainable agriculture
involves food production methods that are healthy, do not harm the environment,
respect workers, are humane to animals, provide fair wages to farmers, and
support farming communities.
Diet and Nutrition- The BCA believes that the health of
inner-city communities is closely linked to the reach within the foodservice
community. Understanding food choices and their relationship to health and
sickness is a pivotal role for all foodservice professionals. Nutrition and physical education should
work in tandem with the promotion of fresh foods to create healthier communities
with lower rates of heart disease, childhood obesity, and diabetes. Obesity has
reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults
overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major
contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. The health
consequences range from increased risk of premature death, to serious chronic
conditions that reduce the overall quality of life. Of especial concern is the
increasing incidence of child obesity.
Additional Information- New York State Energy Research & Development AuthorityNSYERDA works with the hospitality sector to improve the energy efficiency and profitability of hotels, motels, and commercial kitchens in New York with technical expertise, programs and funding. NYSERDA is continuing to help restaurant owners and managers of non-profits to find ways of reducing energy costs within their commercial kitchens, including capital purchases that reduce their energy and water consumption.Download ArticleHarlem Word: Alex Askew assesses positive changes for healthy food in Harlem.Alex Askew, President of the BCA, shares his thoughts on the state of food access in Harlem and what can be done to increase the availability of healthy food.Download Article
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