Going Green: A Beginner’s Guide

Now that you have decided to take your business or organization green, how do you go about it? This is a common concern among fresh greenies who often mean well, but just do not know how to reach their eco-friendly potential. Making your business a more environmentally-friendly place does not have to be a difficult process, and can be done in a few easy steps. By following this guideline, you can become a "green" business, save money, and take strides towards becoming on of the few Certified Green Commercial Kitchens™ in the nation.

• Save Energy
• Conserve Water
• Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
• Prevent Pollution
• Educate

Save Energy

Saving energy is one of the simplest ways to become "green" while cutting your utility costs at the same time. You can save energy by installing ENERGY STAR® certified appliances, which KaTom proudly offers at affordable prices. You can also save energy by turning off the lights in any area you are not using or shutting down appliances when they are not in use.

Conserve Water

Restaurants tend to use excessive amounts of water for applications such as cooking, cleaning, and washing. By conserving water, you will see a dramatic decrease in your bill and help the environment at the same time. Energy efficient dishwashers and low-flow pre-rinse sprayers are two of the many ways to save energy. You should also limit unnecessary water usage at any opportunity.

Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle

This phrase is well-known for most Americans, and has been used for many years to try to convince others to be more environmentally aware. You should avoid sending waste to the landfill as much as possible. Instead, consider composting items such as food scraps. Set up recycling boxes in your business, one for paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum. Invest in reusable products as often as possible, these will save a great deal of money in the long run.

Prevent Pollution

Preventing pollution is not as daunting of a task as it seems. There are many types of green cleaning products that provide an exceptional cleaning experience, while avoiding the introduction of unnecessary chemicals into the water and air. You can also monitor your energy consumption to help reduce your carbon footprint.

Educate

The final step in continuing the "greening" process is education. Everyone in your business or organization should be educated about the benefits of becoming and maintaining an eco-friendly status. Through proper training and positive examples, you and your employees can make a huge difference.