Equally important as putting some thought into what we eat, is being more selective about where we eat. In the summer of 2013, when I left Vancouver to begin the first run across Canada, very few restaurants were practicing recycling AND composting. It really hit home when visiting a wine maker from California told me how shocked he was at this lack of disciple in the B.C. hospitality industry. Granted there were restaurants leading the way in bringing about these important changes, Fable and Forage come to mind, but no where near enough in my mind.
As someone with over 25 years under my belt/apron, I've seen first hand the tremendous amount of waste prevalent in most restaurants. Many years ago, a young and hard working line cook, I would take pride in being able to lift dozens of garbage bags (weighing almost as much as myself), up and over into the huge bins out back each and every night. These commercial waste bins are still being hauled off to the landfills on a regular basis.
I like to think we've made some progress since then and am looking forward to being pleasantly surprised at the scene in Vancouver when I finish the retun run mid December. In the meantime, I'll just cut down on my restaurant visits for this trip and be sure to inquire with the staff about the establishment's recycling and composting efforts.
Action begins with discussion. In this day and age, the paying customers should exercise their rights by asking questions about the behind the scene operations of the businesses they are supporting. Likewise the staff and management of each business should be knowledgeable, (and hopefully proud!) enough to answer those questions.
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