Greening Up
Restaurant Co-op IDs eco-friendly eateries
Rick Bayless speaks in support of Guaranteed Green at the program's announcement Wednesday.
Eating “green” doesn't just mean veggies.
The Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op announced today the launch of Guaranteed Green, which labels restaurants as officially eco-friendly.
In this case, going green means sustainable food purchasing, clean serviceware, and resourceful management of energy, water, waste and air quality.
“A meal is truly wholesome it is prepared and served in a sustainable envrionemnt,” said Rick Bayless, chef and owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobompo (and the upcoming Xoco). “Guaranteed Green will let out customers know we care about the planet as much as we care about our food.”
Any licensed food service establishment can become a part of Guaranteed Green by earning approval from the Green Restaurant Association or Green Seal.
Of the over 200 restaurants that are part of The Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op, 24 Chicago restaurants have already agreed to become Guaranteed Green certified.
“It’s hard to go green in the restaurant business, and it’s even harder for customers to know if they’re dining in a place that really is doing its part to minimize the impact it has on the earth,” said Dan Rosenthal, co-founder of Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op. “With Guaranteed Green, finding an environmentally friendly restaurant in Chicago is literally as easy as reading the label."
