I've been thinking a lot lately about how each of us can lessen our impact on our home, planet earth. One way that hasn't received much press is choosing to dine green. So I did some research.....

Texas has only four establishments that are working towards their certification as green restaurants. Of those four, one is in Austin, the Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom. The others are the Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant in Big Bend National Park, Remington's Restaurant in Plano, and Southfork Ranch in Parker.

I wanted to find out what it took to be a green dining establishment and why the owners of Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom made it a priority to go green. I contacted Melanie McAfee; she and her husband Mark have owned Barr Mansion since 1981. Melanie told me that she and Mark developed a green philosophy for several reasons. The primary reason was Melanie's research into the food business. She said, "The more I learned about the food chain the closer I was drawn to the organic model". Additionally, the more she learned about the food business the less she wanted to eat food from regular suppliers. At one point Melanie admitted, "The food business lost its spark for me". She knew something had to change. She realized that the biggest impact she could make on the food industry was with her purchasing dollars. She reported that "somewhere along the way I heard about Nora’s n Washington, D.C. which is America's first certified organic restaurant. Melanie used Nora's as her inspiration to take Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom green.

Melanie is still on her quest to attain the GRA's certification and she's getting very close. She buys everything organic now and the Whole Foods Market in downtown Austin has made this task much easier. She told me they can't purchase anything from the conventional wholesalers so they must depend on local suppliers and the internet to source all their ingredients. Melanie said, "This has been a long and tedious project". The Green Restaurant Association is helping Melanie with the final step in the process; making sure that all the cleaning and sanitation products meet the standards.

Melanie said, “After going through all this, I can certainly say I can't imagine any other way. Our lives have been deepened and enriched to know so many people who are trying so hard to save the planet. We have become active, engaged citizens which we were not before. I try to talk organic food everywhere I go...I truly feel that you are what you eat and that our nations many, many health problems are a result of our food choices. I think it is important that people in the food business have a responsibility to learn about all this and educate others. We are the ones who are constantly thinking and shopping for food...it is up to us to lead the way”.

This spring when the grounds at Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom are blanketed in wildflowers, Melanie and Mark hope to celebrate being the first certified organic food establishment on the Third Coast!

What can you do to lessen your impact on earth? Well, just as Melanie decided to use her purchasing power as a restaurant owner to nudge the food industry in the green direction; as consumers you can decide to dine green. Now admittedly that is a challenge, but we can encourage the managers or owners of our favorite eating establishments to explore the possibility of going green. Right now the GRA’s biggest member is Coffee Bean & Tea a West Coast chain. Wouldn't it be cool if a year from now Austin, Texas had more green eating establishments than any other city in the country? Today you can go to the GRA website and download a suggestion card to leave with the owner or manager of your favorite eating establishments. It's worth a try, isn't it?

The Green Restaurant Association was founded in 1990 by Michael Oshman. He wanted to help restaurant owners transform their establishments into eco-friendly, sustainable businesses. Mr. Oshman's main goal is to help members of the GRA reach full certification. A quick glance at the eleven environmental guidelines each restaurant must meet to gain certification proves that it isn't easy to be green in the food industry.

Environmental Guidelines
1. Energy Efficiency & Conservation
Energy efficient technologies and conservation practices exist for lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, food service appliances, office equipment, and transportation.

2. Water Efficiency & Conservation
Water efficient technologies and conservation practices exist for foodservice appliances, equipment, and landscaping.

3. Recycling & Composting
Recycling services exist for many waste products such as glass, plastic, metal, cardboard, mixed paper, grease, ink & toner cartridges. Food waste can be diverted from landfills and made into nutrient-rich soil through the use of a composting service or an on-site system.

4. Sustainable Food
Sustainable food products support the long-term maintenance of ecosystems and agriculture for future generations. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering. Locally grown foods reduce the amount of pollution associated with transportation primarily by fossil fuels. Plant-based foods require fewer natural resources and create less pollution per calorie consumed.

5. Pollution Prevention
Pollution prevention is achieved through source reduction, reuse, or improving operational practices.

6. Recycled, Tree-Free, Biodegradable & Organic Products
Recycled products are made from materials that are collected from post-consumer or post-industrial waste sources. Tree-free products are made from alternative plant sources such as hemp or kenaf. Biodegradable products are capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria. Organic products are grown without the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering.

7. Chlorine-Free Paper Products
Chlorine-free paper products are unbleached or whitened with alternatives such as hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, and ozone. The term Process Chlorine-Free (PCF) identifies recycled paper that is unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine compounds. The term Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) identifies virgin paper that is unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine compounds. The term Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) identifies paper that is bleached without the use of elemental chlorine (but may use chlorine compounds).

8. Non-Toxic Cleaning & Chemical Products
Non-toxic cleaning and chemical products are biodegradable, free of hazardous ingredients, and are safe for people, animals and the environment when used properly.

9. Green Power
Electricity and power is available from renewable resources such as wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro and biomass. These energy sources cause dramatically less air pollution and environmental damage compared to fossil fuel, nuclear, and large-scale hydroelectric energy sources.

10. Green Building & Construction
Green design and construction practices significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment, occupants, and the local community.

11. Employee Education
Staff will receive GRA's book, Dining Green: A Guide to Creating Environmentally Sustainable Restaurants and Kitchens, which explains the environmental impact of the restaurant industry and a path toward ecological sustainability. Restaurants also receive signs for recycling, energy & water conservation, and to remind staff of the 4 Environmental Steps for the year.