Epa Opens Green Cafeteria
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened a new, environmentally friendly cafeteria at the agency’s Washington DC headquarters.
The state of the art facility will incorporate the latest best practices in “green” cafeteria facilities. Among other things, the cafeteria will feature the use of recyclable products and materials, furnishings and carpet manufactured from post consumer recycled materials, green cleaning products, and energy efficient lighting.
As part of its normal operation, the cafeteria vendor, SoDexHo, will offer a menu featuring foods from sustainable sources, such as organic fruits and vegetables and shade grown coffee.
The cafeteria includes a new “video wall,” which will serve as a source for news, information and entertainment in the cafeteria.
The opening of the updated cafeteria at EPA’s Washington DC headquarters follows the opening last year of a green cafeteria at the agency’s Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina. That facility includes permanent china and stainless steel service ware to reduce waste, and offers discounts to employees who bring their own reusable coffee mugs.
Disposable cafeteria ware at the RTP facility is starch based, making it biodegradable and compostable. The starch based material also requires less energy to produce than paper or polystyrene containers.
Paper napkins offered at the facility are made from unbleached, recycled paper. And aluminum and glass containers used at the cafeteria are then recycled.
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.
