In Honor of World Recycling Day, Support These Eco-friendly Hospitality Companies
By: Jack Beck (CAS ’21, SHA minor)
This Friday, we celebrate National Recycling Day to remind ourselves of the importance of going green and living an eco-friendly lifestyle. When making choices that are good for the planet, it’s important to think not only of what we do but also who we support. Plenty of companies in the hospitality industry are making great strides in practicing sustainability, and there’s no better way to show that you value these practices than by being a loyal customer. Here’s a spotlight on who in the hospitality industry is going green.
Mexican Fast-Casual chain Chipotle is all about minimizing waste; leftovers are donated and old kitchen equipment is resold rather than trashed. Using organic and locally sourced produce whenever possible lets Chipotle live up their model of “Food with Integrity.”
Rising sandwich brand Jimmy Johns promises to always use local and environmentally-aware businesses for everything in their restaurants, from ingredients to the construction of new locations. They also use recycled material in 50% of their paper and cardboard!
Locally, Taranta is a North End staple with a Peruvian twist whose kitchen promises to promote sustainable cooking practices and use unique ingredients with minimal environmental impact while still tasting delicious.
In the hotel industry, no chain does a better job of staying green than Hyatt. By 2020, the brand has vowed to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse emissions, and water usage in their hotels by as much as possible.
Kimpton Hotels also do a great job staying green. Through charity donations to nonprofits celebrating diversity and waste reduction practices, this chain became the first hotel brand to be certified by the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.
Airline travel still has a long way to go to get where it needs to be in terms of sustainability, but Delta is leading the way in terms of minimizing its negative impact on the planet. In addition to removing all single-use plastic from their flights, Delta puts millions of dollars into eco-friendly carbon offsets every year.
Of course, this list is just a small sample size of the countless eco-friendly companies out there. Unfortunately, for every business with sustainable practices, there are others who value profits over the world around them. If you truly care about the health of the planet, be sure to stay informed about the sources and ethics of the products you use.