by Brett Blumenthal

Ironically, Tavern on the Green isn’t that green.  Ever wonder if your favorite restaurant is attempting to be green…whether they are using organic ingredients…whether they recycle?  Look no further.  The Green Restaurant Association is answering your call.  The organization is a non-profit organization that aims to ‘certify’ restaurants as being green.  What does that mean?  The association looks at several factors to assess if the restaurant is certifiable around green practices.  These categories include:

1. Energy Efficiency and Conservation
2. Water Efficiency and Conservation
3. Recycling & Composting
4. Sustainable Food
5. Pollution Prevention
6. Recycled, Tree-Free, Biodegradable & Organic Products
7. Chlorine-Free Paper Products
8. Non-Toxic Cleaning & Chemical Products
9. Green Power
10. Green Building & Construction
11. Employee Education

You can go on the site and actually search by city, state and even zip-code to see what restaurants are certified in your area.  So next time you are wondering how ‘green’ your favorite restaurant is, check out www.dinegreen.com.