2023 Sustainability Resolutions: 6 Ways to Ring in the New Year

1. Minimize Food Waste 

A fantastic way to start your quest to become a more sustainable business is by reducing food waste. You’ll have food scraps, but there are some creative ways to utilize them or shrink the amount your kitchen produces daily.  

Focus on the initial stages of the food by analyzing the ingredients you are purchasing and using. If you have products with quick expiration dates, find more ways to use them or switch to ingredients with long shelf lives. You can also help minimize the amount of food that ends up as waste by participating in composting and recycling programs.  

A used oil recycling program is the easiest way to be more proactive. Where have you been putting your used oil when it leaves your fryer? By partnering with a reputable recycler, you can repurpose your used cooking oil into renewable diesel. 

2. Save Water  

You’ll likely be able to cut down your waste production by examining and analyzing your kitchen and what it produces. Conservation practices can help your pursuit of improved sustainability and your water bill. Is your kitchen implementing the best water-saving procedures?  

You can start with small things like fixing leaky pipes or reusing excess greywater. There is also equipment worth investing in to reduce water use, like low-flow spray nozzles, boiler-less cookers, and water brooms.  

As the new year approaches, look for a few ways to reduce water use.

3. Clean with Green 

Manufacturers load traditional cleaning materials with chemicals that adversely affect us and the environment. However, do not fret. There are safe, green alternatives free of chemicals for cleaning the kitchen. 

These cleaning materials come in sustainable packaging and are biodegradable and toxin-free. Check out this link if you’re looking for helpful resources to find and purchase these products.    

4. Decrease Your Use of Paper 

Minimizing paper use is easier than ever in this digital age. Paper menus are switching to QR codes for viewing the menu on smartphones. Businesses have swapped paper towels for air dryers. Receipts can now be sent directly to the customers digitally instead of on a physical paper copy.

Regarding advertising, paper is no longer the best choice from a sustainable or business perspective. Focus on online and social media advertisements and ditch the paper form. It’s cheaper than paying for print, TV, or radio advertising slots, and social media is an efficient way to advertise.

5. Invest in Sustainable Packaging  

Many packaging materials are not eco-friendly in the food and beverage industry. They can be composed of various chemicals that do not naturally break down in the environment. What are you currently using, and can you switch it out for biodegradable alternatives?

Biodegradable alternatives ensure that these harsh chemicals do not return to the environment. Biodegradable packaging only uses materials that will break down and decompose into the natural elements of the earth.

According to Heritage Paper, there are many options and companies out there. Rather than damaging the environment, you can help prevent the waste that builds up in landfills.  

6. All-Around Sustainable Effort

If you want your sustainability efforts for a better, more sustainable future to be as effective as possible, you’ll also need total commitment from staff. You will have better results if your staff are conscious of your efforts and share your care.

Take the time to educate and train your employees on your sustainability practices. Encourage them to make a difference by incentivizing them. Don’t forget to inform people about the increased efforts to work toward a better, more sustainable world. Your employees should know, and so should your customers.

Use social media and other business advertising platforms to share your initiative and increase sustainability. Consumers favor services and products that are environmentally friendly.

Ready to Meet Those Resolution Goals? 

With the growing emphasis on social responsibility and increased accountability, sustainability should be at the forefront of your 2023 New Year’s resolutions. Hopefully, these tips inspire you to take action and make 2023 an excellent year for the environment and your business.

Here at Darling Ingredients Canada, we work towards achieving a more sustainable future every day. We can help you reduce your carbon footprint and bolster your sustainability efforts through the cohesive use of our service expertise, impressive customer support, and innovative equipment solutions.

Find out how your restaurant or ghost kitchen can benefit from a partnership with us by reaching out to a Darling Ingredients Canada representative today.