The last year has been a challenge to many environmental groups, both in St. Louis and nationwide, but here at the GDA, we like to stay positive and focus on the many good things that 2017 has brought us. Below is a summary of what has been our best year yet – we hope you enjoy it, and we hope you have a wonderful end to the year!
In 2017, the Green Dining Alliance has grown to 105 certified restaurants. Over the last year, our member restaurants have kept over 2, 310 TONS of recyclable and compostable material out of the landfill, reduced their carbon footprint through energy efficient strategies, reduced their use of harsh chemicals, and sourced more local and sustainable food options. We are so proud and impressed by their hard work, especially their committment to never, ever using styrofoam (which is, unfortunately, much cheaper than every other option for to-go boxes – that is why it is so ubiquitous at restaurants).
We enjoyed significant help from two interns, Ellen Sulser and Aspen Steiner – and we were lucky enough to keep Aspen for a new position at the GDA, Communications Coordinator. Aspen has revamped our gift certificate contest, helped with blogposts, and has vigilantly posted on social media for us every day, helping free up more time for certifying restaurants, researching products and services, and getting more involved in the community.
GDA Communications Coordinator Aspen Steiner has been a huge help to the GDA.
The GDA ramped up our community involvement in 2017 – we participated in the OneSTL Sustainability Summit’s Food Working Group to set regional goals for St. Louis, we presented about the trouble with Styrofoam for Rosatti-Kain High School, gave a presentation at KDHX’s stage on how Keystone Species change communities, presented about sustainable dining for Washington University’s Sustainability Action Team’s Brown Bag Lunch, and joined forces with the intrepid Sunni Hutton at Dutchtown South Community Corporation’s So Fresh, So Clean, So Creative project to help eradicate Styrofoam from their service area in Dutchtown and the Cherokee neighborhoods. We also have led several Green Dining District tours of Maplewood and The Loop, thanks to Citizens for Modern Transit’s Ten Toes Express and Missouri Botanical Garden’s Earthways Center, with more tours to come in the Spring of 2018.
We partnered with the US Green Building Council for a Benchmarking Jam for our member restaurants where we learned about different incentive programs for energy efficient lighting and equipment, got tips for reducing operational energy costs, and received professional help benchmarking energy use.
We’ve certified and recertified dozens of restaurants this year, including several Five Star restaurants like Whittemore House on Washington University’s campus. Sustianability Coordinator Clara Steyer wrote an incredibly sweet and informative piece on Whittemore House’s certification – click here to check it out!
Jenn and Chef Grace at the newly certified 5 star GDA restaurant Whittemore House. Photo credit: Clara Steyer
The Program Manager for the GDA, Jenn DeRose, had the pleasure of signing up for the 2017-2018 Green Schools Quest with US Green Building Council as a mentor – she was paired with Carver Elementary for a project titled “Carver’s Efforts to Reduce our Waste-Line: From Crumbs to Compost.” Read about her adventures in mentoring Carver Elementary’s sustainability efforts here.
One of Carver Elementary’s proud Green Team member.
Our annual Taste of Green fundraiser was a total success, with tons of attendees enjoying delicious food from some of our favorite GDA members, dancing to music curated by KDHX DJs Victoria Bamn and Orlandez Lewis, and taking hilarious photos in the Fish Eye Fun photo booth!
Of course, the GDA was heavily represented at the annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival‘s Earth Day Cafe, with more Green Dining Alliance certified food vendors then ever, selling more vegetarian and vegan options – something attendees can expect to even more of in 2018. We stress the importance of providing vegetarian and vegan options, since meatless meals have a much lighter environmental impact than meaty meals.
We have started laying the groundwork for new Green Dining Districts in two neighborhoods – check back in 2018 to see which ones make the cut!
The GDA introduced a new member program to help us raise money (we’re a nonprofit after all) and build support: the Green Dining Club. Green Dining Club members receive our incredibly useful bamboo cutlery, discounts at select restaurants, and updates from Program Manager Jenn DeRose about restaurant and sustainability news. Click here to join!
Our beautiful, useful, and sustainable bamboo cutlery comes with a $45 annual Green Dining Club membership or alone for $15!
Overall, 2017 has been the best year yet for the GDA – but our future is even brighter. We wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and styrofoam-free 2018!
