This Restaurant Hasn't Taken Out The Trash In Nearly Two Years

[LynneSin]

This Restaurant Hasn't Taken Out The Trash In Nearly Two Years

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/zero-waste-restaurant_n_5215019.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

A restaurant owner in Chicago who hasn't emptied the trash in nearly two years has a simple explanation: There isn't anything to take out.

Justin Vrany, 36, had the goal of being a "zero waste" restaurant in mind from the day he first opened his quick-service eatery, Sandwich Me In.

Two years in, Vraney's remarkable efforts are the subject of a new short film, above, produced by NationSwell.

Since Sandwich Me In opened its doors, its entire waste output is equivalent to what a restaurant of similar volume produces in just an hour, Vraney told HuffPost. The bulk of the trash Vraney has dealt with didn't even come from the restaurant, but largely from customers carrying in items like plastic-lined paper Starbucks cups.

[1000words]

1. Impressive

Thanks for posting.

Rec'd

[underpants]

2. Pretty amazing

[Tansy_Gold]

3. This is cool. Totally cool.

Impressive as hell.

and

[drm604]

4. Interesting, but...

Around 1:40 he is seen closing the lid on a styrofoam container which presumably is food for a patron to take out of the store. If so, then it's not totally accurate to call the restaurant zero waste since they're sending things out of the store which others then throw out.

It's still impressive, just not truly zero waste.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. I think some people recycle those styrofoam thingamajigies. I'll bet someone brought it to him to

fill up with food he/she ordered.

[hunter]

10. Restaurants around here have paper containers like that.

Plastic foam take-out containers have been banned in many California cities.

[Ms. Toad]

18. Most styrofoam containers are #6 -

which is included in the plastics our recycler takes (1-7)

[progressoid]

20. We can only do 1-5

Used to be just 1&2. Either way, our trash level is WAY down.

[Ms. Toad]

23. I was surprised -

and didn't really believe my spouse when she told me we could recycle 6s & 7s. For the longest time we could only do 1-4, and had to collect all our 5s to take to a separate facility.

We've been doing source separation for so many years (25-ish) that I no longer have any pre-recycling trash level to compare it to. We've had less than 5 gallons a week forever - often less than 2. And - now that our trash hauler accepts source separated items (so we don't have to haul everything to separate recycling facilities), they give us extra recycling bins.

[drm604]

24. But there's no guarantee that the customer will recycle it.

So it's not truly zero waste as there are surely some who will just throw it in the trash, and also some who will throw leftovers and bones in the trash. If it goes out the door with a customer, the restaurant has no control after that.

I'm not criticizing, just pointing out that it doesn't seem to be truly zero waste.

[Ms. Toad]

25. I was just responding to the general disparagement about styrofoam

based on the presumption that it is inherently evil from a recycling standpoint. While that mostly used to be true, styrofoam is now more recyclable than many of the waxy/greasy paper containers - since that is one thing every recycler I've worked with rejects. Styrofoam can be rinsed & recycled.

[NV Whino]

13. There are containers like than made from corn

Totally recyclable. My local hospital uses them. Utensils made of the same stuff. Gets a little dicey with hot soup, but otherwise terrific.

[Ratty]

15. I hope you read up on corn-based plastic

You can't just toss them into the compost heat. Most require a few months in an industrial composting unit under elevated heat. It's still better than petroleum-based plastic I grant you. But it's still not an ideal solution. Best to use truly recyclable materials and cut waste as much as possible.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Living-Green/2008/0711/earthtalk-how-green-is-corn-based-plastic

[NV Whino]

27. Thanks for the info

Had not read up on corn based plastic. But based on the hot soup experience, I wonder if this stuff is a different formula.

[Ratty]

30. I wondered that when I read your post

It could be. That'd be great.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. It takes a lot of thinking to accomplish this. nt

[progressoid]

6. Was that a styrofoam to go container at 1:42?

[Bluenorthwest]

12. It was most likely the compostable, non styrofoam clamshells I see a lot around here

they make a full spectrum of 'to go' packaging that is made from renewables and which is fully compostable.
Random example from intertubes:
http://greenpaperproducts.com/biodegradable-clamshells.aspx

[progressoid]

21. Hope so.

I hate getting those styrofoam containers but we don't eat out much anymore.

[LynneSin]

28. We have the same things at work and they are not styroform

They're like a heavy duty cardboard like product that is recyclable.

[tridim]

8. Thinking about the trash I used to take out at Applebees.

It was basically non-stop from open to close.

This is pretty incredible.

[groundloop]

9. Dang, I thought this was gonna' be a song about Alice (and her restaurant).

[Rex]

11. Very impressive!

I am amazed!

[snappyturtle]

14. Awesome! I'm a recycler...just makes me feel good! So nice to see this

gentleman's efforts on such a grand scale. K&R Good find...thanks.

[DeSwiss]

16. Excellent!

- K&R

[Aerows]

17. Color me dubious

but I see a host of issues, here.

1) Food comes minimally packaged. What is it packaged in? Do the onions arrive in the bed of a pickup and get pulled out of the soil so the soil can be used again?

2) If you use glassware or ceramics, what do you wash them with? Is it water? Processing waste water to freshwater consumes energy.

3) A dishwasher consumes energy to sterilize dishes.

I'm not saying that it isn't an awesome effort, because IT IS. But to characterize it as zero waste or more wholesome than other options is rather silly unless they are growing the lettuce and vegetables in a compost heap behind the building.

[Moonwalk]

19. Why "Silly"?

I don't know the answers—you'd have to ask this guy directly. BUT...

1) Food comes minimally packaged. What is it packaged in? Do the onions arrive in the bed of a pickup and get pulled out of the soil so the soil can be used again?

Maybe. Maybe everything comes in packaging that is re-used, like boxes of onions that go back to the onion farm, and boxes of eggs that go back to the egg farm. Would that take care of that issue for you?

2) If you use glassware or ceramics, what do you wash them with? Is it water? Processing waste water to freshwater consumes energy.
3) A dishwasher consumes energy to sterilize dishes.

The article and video says the restaurant uses RENEWABLE energy. I've no idea what that means, but if he had solar panels or wind turbines creating the energy for sterilizing dishes etc, would that satisfy that issue for you?

[quote]But to characterize it as zero waste or more wholesome than other options is rather silly unless they are growing the lettuce and vegetables in a compost heap behind the building.[/quote]

They DO compost all the leftovers and, as the article says, scraps also go to feed the chickens that they then use in the restaurant. So, they may, indeed, be sending back the compost to the local farmers to use to grow the food they then serve and compost...If they are, then why shouldn't they characterize it as zero waste and/or more wholesome than other options. Why is this "silly"?

[Aerows]

22. Okay.

I'm still reeling from the hits I took yesterday in the tornado thread, and thought I could post an opinion about something different.

I guess I'm not welcome here anymore.

[Moonwalk]

31. I wasn't trying to attack you, and I'm sorry if it came across that way....

You're certainly entitled to any opinion, but I was (1) wondering if this opinion might be changed if the objections you named were satisfied (as I said, I've no idea of the particulars of the restaurant. Perhaps your objections would not be satisfied. But I'm curious to know if satisfying them would change your view). (2) I was confused as to why you thought the term "zero waste," etc. "silly." It doesn't seem silly to me, but maybe I'm missing something here. What am I not seeing that you're seeing which informed that opinion?

[Vashta Nerada]

26. I wish all of those "all you can eat buffet" places would follow this example.

It's astounding at how much food goes to waste in those places.

[LynneSin]

29. I refuse to eat at those bacteria buffets

Food that is sold that cheaply usually means corners are cut not only in the quality of food they buy but how it is prepared. To make those buffet places viable financially I don't want to think about the food quality and waste.