Taranta's Jose Duarte saves cash by going green.

Photo: Courtesy of Taranta

In this economy, restaurant owners who are considering ways to make their establishments more eco-friendly may have apprehensions about the cost of such changes. Fortunately, a few restaurants around the country are proving that going green doesn’t necessarily mean less green in the pocket.

Eco-friendly building materials can actually help improve the bottom line. Restaurants like Plumed Horse in Saratoga, CA, and Jason’s Deli in Beaumont and Austin, TX, have been mindful of energy efficiency by installing solar panels. While the installation of the panels can be expensive, the cost is offset by rebate offers and future savings – in fact, Jason’s Deli saw its energy costs decrease by nearly 10% after installing solar panels.

The same can be said for energy-efficient lightbulbs, utilized by restaurants like Magnolia Bistro in Burlington, VT, and Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge, MA. Though they cost more than regular bulbs, one energy-efficient bulb can save around $30 or more per month in electricity costs.

One restaurant that’s taking eco-friendly practices to new heights – and reaping big savings as a result – is Boston’s Taranta. Chef-owner Jose Duarte says restaurants will find that being green “makes total business sense,” which he proved when he replaced paper towels with an energy efficient hand-dryer and wound up saving $1,300 each year.

He also installed low-flow pre-rinse spray valves for dishwashers, which save hundreds of gallons of water each day and up to $1,000 per year. Finally, by installing his own bottling and carbonation system for water, as opposed to using bottled water, Duarte hopes to save thousands of dollars a year in addition to limiting waste.

Taranta provides updates on its green changes on its blog, offering helpful tips and suggestions for restaurant owners with similar goals. Duarte also points out that the benefits of an eco-friendly approach go way beyond economics, saying it “not only saves you money, but also helps you reduce your carbon footprint, makes employees feel good about their job and assures loyal customers for the future.”

– Asha Chaudhuri