Hickenlooper says restaurants, city need to go green before DNC
By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 10, 2008 at 7:39 p.m.
Updated January 10, 2008 at 7:43 p.m.
Mayor John Hickenlooper went before the group of people he used to be a part of — restaurant owners — and made his pitch Thursday for them to get green before the Democratic National Convention.
“I’m not too humble to reach out and beg your support,” he said. “To promise you it will be worth your while, that the payback will be dramatically beyond whatever investment you make and, if we work on this together, we’ll end up with putting on something people will talk about for decades and decades.”
The plea was made before about 150 in the restaurant industry who gathered downtown for a workshop on ways to make their businesses more environmentally-friendly by the time the convention rolls around Aug. 25-28.
Many came to the workshop with ideas already in use — from Ted’s Montana Grill offering free downtown parking to employees at their corporate office if their vehicle gets more than 35 miles per gallon to Odell Brewing Company using wind to power its plant in Fort Collins.
Some suggestions came courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency, including replacing spray valves that blast three gallons of water per minute to low-flow spray valves that use 1.6 gallons per minute. That change alone could save the restaurant $1,400 per year.
“Going green is good for your bottom line,” said Chip Blair, owner of Beau Jo’s Pizza. “You will save money.”
It’s all a part of the emphasis on making the convention the greenest in history. Each arm of the convention has made a strong effort. The Democratic National Convention Committee hired a first-ever director of greening and the Denver 2008 Host Committee helped sponsor Thursday’s event.
The mayor was the centerpiece of the workshop, however.
While everyone dined on a green, leafy, organic lunch, Hickenlooper drilled home the environmental angle. He said the city was already in full-tilt — getting xeriscaping outside the Convention Center and around the Auraria Parkway and having low-flow toilets at the Convention Center.
He also said the city wants the estimated 35,000 delegates and media that will descend upon Denver to walk or ride bicycles as much as possible. Hickenlooper said thousands of bicycles will be made available during the convention week.
The city will also have on its website a calculator so individuals can calculate their carbon footprint.
Hickenlooper also went beyond the environment, calling on restaurant owners to offer healthier items on the menu and suggesting each of those items would be branded with a DNC Lean and Green logo.
“We’re going to certainly lean on you all to have healthy and green options on your menu to try and promote this,” he said. “I know a lot of you do that already, but we’ll promote it even harder.”
But Pete Meersman, president of the Colorado Restaurant Association, said market demand pushes what shows up on menus.
“We don’t think we’re in the business of educating customers,” Meersman said. “We are in the business of reflecting their needs.”
Meersman, who helped put on the training event, said most restaurants already offer healthy choices and that the menu trends are going that way because of the nation’s recent worries about obesity.
And lest anyone think it’s a partisan issue, Meersman said officials with the Republican National Convention called to ask about putting on a similar training event in St. Paul.
“Obesity isn’t a partisan issue,” Meersman said.
Hickenlooper, who spoke for about 20 minutes, said the decision to make Denver greener will have long-lasting economic impacts. He said in addition to saving costs due to water and energy consumption, the vision of Denver being environmentally friendly will mean more conventions coming to the city long after the DNC has left town.
But he also said it will take time to get everyone on board.
“I think greening the DNC and greening Denver will require more collaboration and more dedication than anything I’ve been involved with since I’ve been mayor,” he said. “And certainly more than anything we’ve done with the restaurant industry.”
What some businesses are already doing to be green as well as EPA suggestions
Odell Brewing Company
-Runs bottling plant during off-peak hours
-Delivery trucks run on biodiesel fuel
Beau Jo’s Pizza
-Solar power used at restaurants in Idaho Springs and Boulder
-Biodegradable to-go containers
Ted’s Montana Grill
-For employees working downtown at corporate headquarters, company will pay public transportation costs for employees
-If employee vehicle gets more than 35 miles per gallon, company pays for parking
EPA Suggestions at workshop
-Install boilerless steamer because no water, sewer or vent hookups are needed
-Install waterless urinals
-Serve drinking water in bars and at restaurant only on request
-Regularly check for and repair all leaks
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January 10, 2008
8:43 p.m.
Suggest removal
Theoldguy writes:
Hot Doggies. The cat's out of the bag! Hickie wants Denver to be a show place for the Green Fairy when his buddies get to town. How utterly delightful. I'd love to be the one to poop in is lunch box.
January 10, 2008
9:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
rj1967 writes:
"The city wants the estimated 35,000 delegates and media that will descend upon Denver to walk or ride bicycles as much as possible."
Hmmm, what are the odds of Wolf Blitzer, Chris Matthews, or Bill O'reilly riding a bicycle??
January 11, 2008
9:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
ddj6264 writes:
OK Mayor ~ Low flow water ~ fine, unless it won't rinse the shampoo out of your hair. And what about some of the southern delegates? If there's no place in town to go for some fatback and greens, it just won't seem right, somehow. You've got to consider everyone, unless your intention is just to educate the plebians and impress other people in certain quarters, instead of accomodating.
January 11, 2008
7:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
slamky writes:
This is crap! Why should we, or anyone, cater to those who murder unborn babies.
DemocRATS = Al Qaida
January 13, 2008
9:17 a.m.
Suggest removal
SteveM writes:
I hope the EPA provided better suggestions for 'greening' of the restaurants than those listed in this article. Just in case the selected EPA member for the task, however, did not deliver here are some actual steps toward greening for Restaurants and others alike who are so inclined to save money if not the environment. [And, as an aside, whether you believe in the green movement or not, why on earth with oil predicted to rise to $200 a barrel by the end of the year, wouldn't all Republicans and Conservatives be in favor of saving energy and reducing our dependence on foreign oil which is 'ruining' our economy?]
Each of these ideas is good for the bottom line AND the environment--go figure.
1) Take the spoon out of the standard place setting. Sure, it looks nice, but 9/10 spoons go unused during most meals. Supply them when asked just like glasses of water that need not be delivered except upon request. The idea is that every dish that isn't dirtied, never needs to be wasted saving water, energy, and detergent pollution.
2) Get rid of napkin dispensers. Instead, give customers napkins with their order. If they need more, request more, but people tend to take more from dispensers than they need (often due to dispenser malfunctions more than anything) which then get thrown away.
3) Cut the amount of ice in drinks by 1/3. Sure, ice seems like a great idea as it dilutes the beverage costs. But the energy costs in making ice far outweigh the profits derived from using excessive ice.
4) Pack the walk-in freezers and refrigerators just as we are advised ot do so at home. The more space filled with stuff other than air the better at reducing the energy and therefore cost of keeping things cold or frozen. Jugs of frozen water, if nothing else, do the trick.
5) Replace as many incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents as possible.
January 13, 2008
9:18 a.m.
Suggest removal
SteveM writes:
6) Reduce portion sizes but offer free 'second helpings' to those that request it.
7) Do not refill water glasses without asking if a customer wants more first.
8) Reduce reliance on styrafoam containers. Waxpaper-lined foil bags are the best solution, or, alternatively, Tupperware®-style containers that the guests can re-use at home many hundreds of times are better, though more expensive, options. This is one area where a higher cost up front does greater long-term benefits in the future. Patrons could, instead, be encouraged to start bringing their own take-home containers as a matter of course.
9) Do not give out straws or cup lids unless a customer requests them.
10) Install double doors or revolving doors on all entrances to reduce air exchange inside with outside. This reduces costs of heating and cooling in winter and summer. It also increases comfort as patrons nearest the entrance during winter are not constantly blasted with arctic air. If neither is possible, follow the ways of restaurants in Chicago that purchase a tent-like structure with a door flap which they install on the front during the winter season. It's makeshift to be sure, but it's effect is instantly observable.