Omahri Allamby

Dr. Smith

Eng 201

4/6/2023

How can we keep Restaurants in the VI environmentally green and sustainable?

Introduction

Many people in VI have taken steps to make their business environmentally friendly, but

many restaurants on the island have the potential to do better and I believe we can help them.

However, restaurants in the VI do not focus on the environment and they use cheapest products

to save money. Consequently, these cheap products are not safe for the environment and are

harming the beauty of our island. Nonetheless, I have taken to find tips that can help restaurants

to be environmentally healthy and green. In the VI food industry, restaurants can make strides to

be greens and sustainable by utilizing recycle bins, using green friendly products in their

business, and using locally grown products.

Recycling Tools

Restaurants can make a significant by incorporating recycling tools into their operations.

One of the most important tools for restaurants to use are recycling bins. In addition, they are

designed to pick up a large number of different debris that can be recycled. Moreover, recycle

bins are great for the VI restaurant because it shows “sustainable practices and encouraging

healthy lifestyles are among the many ways to show the community you care”. (“Culture,

Social Responsibility and Ethics for a Restaurant”)

 Another important tool restaurants should consider is a compost bin. For example, the

compost bin allows restaurants to divert food waste and other organic materials from their

establishment and turn it into nutrient rich soil. Furthermore if restaurants in the VI had compost

bin, they would be able to grow food on nutritious soil and use it for their ingredients. Moreover,

by implementing these recycling tools, restaurants can not only reduce their environmental

impact but also promote green sustainability to their customers.

Environmentally Healthy Products

VI restaurants can make a significant contribution to the environment by choosing

environmentally healthy products to use in their operations. For instance, some examples of

environmentally healthy products for food industries include LED lights, PLA plastic, or

biodegradable packaging. ((“Ways Your Restaurant Can Go Green This Year”) & (“11 Tips to

Make Your Restaurant Eco-Friendly”) Instead of using appliances that take up a lot of energy

switch to power saving utilities to save money and power. Moreover, biodegradable packaging

like paper-based packaging will be much better for the VI due to many of our reefs and sea-life.

These products will be beneficial because it will stop destroying these environments with debris.

Lastly, using PLA plastic, which is made by renewable resources such as corn or sugar cane, is

also great for the environment because it will breakdown if people decide to liter. (“What Is

PLA, This Biosourced and Biodegradable Plastic? | Carbiolice”)

 VI restaurants should utilize local vendors for numerous of reasons. Firstly, local vendors

typically offer fresher and higher quality ingredients compared to those that have been

transported from far away. Not mention, that VI is a long way from the mainland where they get

all of the food products. Food has a use by date before spoilage and it takes weeks for food to get

to the VI. Instead, by using local farm vendors restaurants can support local economy, get fresher

ingredients, improve their image with the community, build a network of trust with local

supplier, and add interest to their menus through seasonal items. (Dinsmore)

Locally Grown Products

Fresh, regionally grown produce can be found in various farmers' markets. Additionally,

they frequently include small-scale farmers whose produce is healthier for consumers because

they employ sustainable and organic farming techniques. Not only, will fresh locally grown

product be good for be beneficial for restaurants in the VI, but it would be great for the

community itself.* For example, when restaurants support local farmers they will in turn be

helping the community by giving the farmers more revenue and credibility. If this happens

restaurants the. VI would be saving a lot of money and would be able top order less product from

off the island.

One way the CSA or community supported agriculture can help is by gathering the local vendors

to help provide produce for restaurants. CSA initiatives let customers sign up for a regular share

of fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables from a nearby farm. Restaurants in the VI would be able

to collaborate with CSA initiatives to find local, seasonal produce for their menu items.

Furthermore, they would initiatives would also convince restaurants to be more creative with

their menu items and to have a diverse menu. Restaurants can collaborate with CSA initiatives to

find local, seasonal produce for their menu items.

To add on, restaurants may get fresh, hormone-free milk, cheese, and yogurt from local

dairy farmers, which is better for customers. However the only issue about dairy farms would be

that the VI currently does not have a dairy farm. Regardless this a problem that can be overcome

with money from the government and healthy ingredients for restaurants can be found in

abundance at health food stores. Moreover, shops like this frequently stock a large range of

supplements, superfoods, and other health-related products in addition to organic and non-GMO

goods. This would be very beneficial for the VI due to people having a large number of health

problems and if restaurants can get their ingredients from healthy sources it would be beneficial

to the community. They frequently stock a large range of supplements, superfoods, and other

health-related products in addition to organic and non-GMO goods.

 Restaurants may get fresh, sustainable seafood from local suppliers, which is better for

patron health. They frequently buy their seafood from nearby fishermen who employ sustainable

fishing methods, making it a healthier and more morally responsible choice.

Conclusion

Many people in VI have taken steps to make their business environmentally friendly, but

many restaurants on the island have the potential to do better and I believe we can help them. In

the VI food industry, businesses can make strides to be greens sustainable businesses by utilizing

recycle bins, using green friendly products in their business, and using locally grown products.
Work Cited

“Ways Your Restaurant Can Go Green This Year.” WebstaurantStore,

www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1870/ways-your-restaurant-can-go-green.html.

“11 Tips to Make Your Restaurant Eco-Friendly.” 11 Tips to Make Your Restaurant Eco-
Friendly, www.cuboh.com/blog/11-eco-friendly-practices-for-your-restaurant.

“Culture, Social Responsibility and Ethics for a Restaurant.” Small Business -

Chron.com, smallbusiness.chron.com/culture-social-responsibility-ethics-restaurant-75641.html.

Dinsmore, Krista. “5 Benefits of Using Local Suppliers for Restaurants.” 5 Benefits of

Using Local Suppliers for Restaurants, www.sculpturehospitality.com/blog/5-reasons-why-
restaurants-will-benefit-now-from-using-local-suppliers.

“The Positive Impacts of Implementing a Successful Waste Management Program for

Your Restaurant | Busch Systems Blog.” Busch Systems Blog, 20 May 2020,
www.buschsystems.com/blog/blogs/the-positive-impacts-of-implementing-a-successful-waste-
management-program-for-your-restaurant.

“What Is PLA, This Biosourced and Biodegradable Plastic? | Carbiolice.” Carbiolice, 2

Apr. 2021, www.carbiolice.com/en/news/pla-bioplastic.