6 Ways to Reopen Your Restaurant Sustainably During COVID-19
A lot has changed due to COVID-19, but one thing has not – the need to do everything we can to help protect the environment. With restaurants, offices and hotels adhering to many enhanced safety measures, it may be tempting to switch back to single-use plastics. We want to assure you that maintaining eco-friendly reusables, remains just as safe of an option as single-use. In fact, our planet needs us to stick to reusables now more than ever before.
First things first, are reusables safe? A recent statement signed by over 125 health experts, assures us that “reusable systems can be used safely by employing basic hygiene.” This means, as long as reusables are properly sanitized (i.e. sanitizing Vero Bottles in the dishwasher in between uses as outlined here) they are just as safe to use as single-use plastic items.
If reusables are safe, why has there been a push for single-use? As stated by John Hocevar, ocean campaign director at Greenpeace, “The plastic industry seized on the pandemic as an opportunity to try to convince people that single-use plastic is necessary to keep us safe, and that reusables are dirty and dangerous. The fact that neither of these things is supported by the best available science was irrelevant.”
We know that reopening your office, restaurant or hotel safely comes with many challenges. Mitigating these challenges while practicing sustainable and eco-friendly habits can feel duanting, but they often provide many other operational financial benefits as well. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of ways you can be safe, sanitary and eco-friendly during the pandemic.
1. QR Code Menus
We know some areas are requiring disposable menus. Instead of opting for single-use, provide customers with a QR code to access your menu or any additional information you’d like to provide.
2. Opt-In Plastic Utensils for Takeout and Delivery Orders
Takeout and delivery can be tricky. To minimize single-use items, only provide utensils to customers when they are requested.
3. Avoid Plastic To-Go Bags
For smaller takeout orders, don’t provide customers with to-go bags. Usually, small orders can be carried out in their packaging. When to-go backs are necessary, make sure to provide bags made of recyclable or compostable materials.
4. When Necessary, Use Compostable Single-Use Items
We know sometimes there’s no way to avoid single-use packaging for takeout and delivery orders. Make sure to use packaging made of compostable materials, that way the environmental impact is as small as possible. As for in-person diners, only hand out to-go packaging when requested for leftovers rather than offering them preemptively to diners.
5. Avoid Food Waste
Managing food waste is a great way to remain eco-friendly. Good ways to do this are donating leftover goods, composting in-house, and repurposing food scraps.
6. Go Touchless, While Providing Still & Sparkling Water Sustainably!
At Vero Water, we are excited to announce our new touchless still and sparkling water dispenser. Using our touchless water cooler allows your guests and employees to drink the best tasting still and sparkling water in the most sanitary way possible, all while eliminating single-use plastic bottles, cutting costs and streamlining operations. Learn more about our new touchless water system here. Or contact us today.
About VERO WATER®
Vero Water is a healthy lifestyle choice for Inspired Living. VERO WATER® is a leading provider of luxury still and sparkling water to the hospitality industry, served to over 75 million consumers a year, coast-to-coast in the United States and in 12 countries around the world. Vero offers exceptionally great tasting still and sparkling water that is an affordable alternative to bottled water for consumers, more sustainable for the environment, and a more profitable brand for the hospitality industry versus traditional bottled water brands. Vero's proprietary purification and bottling process enables clients to purify, chill, fill and serve Vero still and sparkling water on-premise and on-demand. Served perfectly chilled from a luxury branded Eco-Bottle with every pour, Vero's signature taste is pure and crisp - noted by a distinctively luxurious mouthfeel and a light and refreshing finish. The exceptional water taste and quality, combined with the unparalleled level of concierge service provided to its clients, has propelled Vero Water into many of the most acclaimed restaurants worldwide, firmly establishing it as the leading luxury eco-friendly water brand proudly served by the most demanding and successful chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, cruise lines and brands in the hospitality industry.