A Look Behind the Scenes: Founding Farmers Sustainability
Our Farmers Restaurant Group brand, Founding Farmers, believes in the mantra: the planet matters, so find ways to do more good and less harm.
From their first restaurant opening in 2008, the brand concept has filtered through that mantra. One of sustainability. One of commitment to American family farms. One of cooking from scratch. One of collaborating with trusted, like-minded purveyors.
Rooted in these practices, the Founding Farmers teams were thrilled to be recently named one of The 10 Most Sustainable Restaurants in America!
Here’s a look behind the scenes at just some of the sustainable efforts found throughout the Founding Farmers brand of restaurants:
- In-house Recycling & Composting Program keeps 90% of waste out of landfills
- Use of Energy Star qualified appliances and monitors (30% more efficient than conventional models); T8 linear fluorescent lights (use 75% less energy/emit fewer greenhouse gases than incandescents); water purifiers to bottle water to promote water & waste efficiency
- Dishwashers that sanitize with hot water and green cleaning products instead of a chemical to protect indoor air & water quality
- Use of refurbished-recycled materials in furniture, reducing dependence upon non-renewable virgin resources (*fact: MoCo’s Founding Farmers front desk is made from recycled shoeboxes!)
- Occupancy sensors, low-flow faucet aerators, and touch-less faucet sensors and hand dryers are installed in restrooms promoting water, energy, and waste conservation
- Bath tissue, hot cups, beverage napkins, and paper bags made from recycled materials
- Used cooking oil and trap grease are recycled and converted into high-quality biodiesel; also, they offset some greenhouse gas emissions with the purchase of carbon credits through Carbonfund.org
The mission to find ways to do more good and less harm continues. And as the company grows, so will efforts to provide guests with complete, sustainable experiences … and hopefully some inspiration.