Is Your Break Room Ready for Earth Day? Here’s How to Host Eco-Friendly Office Meals
Posted by Sara on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014 with Comments Off on Is Your Break Room Ready for Earth Day? Here’s How to Host Eco-Friendly Office Meals Comments
On Earth Day, everyone tends to feel a little greener! Take advantage of the good vibrations to get your team together and celebrate with an Earth-friendly lunch — going green together during meal breaks can help boost teamwork and a sense of pride in the workplace. Here are a few ways to make sure your break room is ready to host eco-friendly office meals, every day of the year:
Meatless meals with plant-based proteins (like quinoa) are earth-friendly alternatives.
Image source: Flickr user Brook
Serve meatless meals. Choosing plant-based meals isn’t just better for your health: it’s much better for the environment. Estimates put the meat industry as the culprit behind nearly twenty percent of the man-made greenhouse gases emitted each year — considerably higher than what we generate from transportation.
Focus on locally-sourced foods. Restaurants that serve locally-grown fruits and vegetables and locally-raised meat aren’t just capitalizing on a hot foodie trend. Some experts believe that locally-sourced food can be better for the environment, thanks to reduced transportation emissions and preserving local soil balances. Many smaller, local farms may also raise organic produce, which reduces the amount of pesticides in the food supply. When choosing a local eatery for a group takeout order, find one that sources local ingredients when possible.
Be sure to supply real plates and flatware, along with cloth napkins. While paper is better than styrofoam, and compostable is better than paper, reusable beats them all. Plus, the ritual of eating lunch on a real plate with a real fork and a cloth napkin may help you engage in more mindful dining, which can enhance enjoyment and prevent overconsumption.
Buying shade-grown coffee helps protect the environment.
Image source: Flickr user pchow98
Supply shade-grown coffee. Shade-grown coffee (that is, coffee plants grown under the shade of rainforest canopies) is undoubtedly the eco-friendly choice when it comes to buying Latin American beans. Coffee plants grown under a tree canopy preserve the natural habitat of the rainforest, along with the animals, birds, and insects that call it home — and also reduces the need for pesticides. And it’s easy to find shade-grown coffee: most beans that are shade-grown will proudly advertise their green street cred right on the bag.
Give up overhead lights for the day — especially if your office still uses inefficient fluorescent fixtures from decades past. Turn off the overheads and turn on desk lamps equipped with energy-efficient CFL or LED bulbs… or, best of all, open up the blinds and let the sun shine in your lunch room!
Ditch the sugar packets for an eco-friendly canister instead.
Image source: Flickr user 23hours
Reduce individual-serving packaging. Condiment packets, chocolates, mini-bags of chips and snacks, sugar packets, coffee creamers — individually-wrapped servings generate considerably more waste than their “bulk” counterparts. Instead, keep items stored in canisters and containers, and make sure items are easily accessible for employees.
Have an eco-educated coworker host a lunch-and-learn focused on easy ways to go green in the office. Set your computer to go to “sleep mode” when you’re absent for more than a few minutes. Unplug the electronics around your desk on Friday afternoon. Choose one day per week to walk, bike, or take public transit to work. Make a pledge to bring your reusable water bottle or coffee mug every day.
After all, the point of Earth Day is to get everyone involved in making our planet a cleaner, greener place. And with prompt delivery and online ordering from Waiter.com, it’s never been easier (or more efficient) to provide eco-friendly office meals!
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
