According to the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), an average restaurant uses about 300,00 gallons of water, and produces 150,000 tons of garbage a year. Plus, the entire American restaurant industry, which is approximately 900,00 restaurants, consumes the most electricity in the commercial sector.
This is a lot to handle. What happens to all the garbage produced? Well obviously it goes to the landfill. Instead of moving forward, we are moving backwards in the movement to be green and the worst part is, much of the population does not understand this.
Luckily, the GRA provides a convenient and cost-effective way for restaurants, manufacturers, distributers and consumers to become more environmentally responsible. GRA rates restaurants on the bases of:
- water efficiency
- waste reduction and recycling
- sustainable furnishings and building materials
- sustainable food
- energy conservation
- disposables
- chemical and pollution reduction
By asking around and searching online, I was able to find some great restaurants in the Dupont Circle area that are GRA certified:
1512 Connecticut NW
Washington, DC 20036
1247 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
2132 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
I've also been told that they are quite delicious! Can't wait to check them out! Hopefully my small college budget will be able to handle it.
I personally take pride in the fact that I am not a gangrenous entity and thus display no external verdant pigment thank you very much.
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