As Leonardo DiCaprio said, Oscar in hand, “climate change is real, it is happening right now.” It’s hard to avoid the growing issue of how the environment is changing. You hear it on the news, read about it on the internet, or even notice the changes in the weather.
With global warming becoming more apparent, people are starting to wonder whether there are ways to prevent the negative impact we have on the environment. Some restaurants all around Boston are taking the initiative to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.
1. Boloco
Photo by Katie Zizmor
Sure, Boloco is already great because of it’s ridiculously good burritos and smoothies. However, did you know that their mission is to “better the lives and futures of our peoples?” One way they do this is by using bamboo bowls and corn cups all while composting, recycling, and reusing building materials. They serve naturally-raised meats and organic tofu. Boloco recognizes how important the environment is and they are dedicated to saving it one burrito at a time.
#SpoonTip: Two words: nutella milkshake.
2. Sweetgreen
Photo by Shereen Abubakr
Along with providing healthy yet crave-worthy salads, Sweetgreen also goes above and beyond to operate in a sustainable fashion. They support farmers nearby by partnering with them to provide local, organic, and fresh ingredients. Driving this idea even further, they build their restaurants with reclaimed hickory, barn board pine, and bowling alley tables to preserve the natural structure of their buildings. They even have a blog where they share news and ideas related to sustainability.
3. Blue State Coffee
Photo courtesy of @bluestatecoffee on Instagram
Blue State, among other things, is a good spot for study sessions and catching up with a friend over coffee. This coffee shop was created with the intention to help the community and guide business through their ideals. They’re dedicated to making a difference for communities, customers, coffee farmers, and the environment. They source every coffee bean ethically from these farmers while building trusting relationships across the supply chain. While conducting business, they stay devoted to minimizing their environmental impact through sustainable practices.
4. Blue Glass Cafe
Photo courtesy of @deluxelifefitness on Instagram
Admittedly, this cafe is less known than the other options but just as sustainable. They are committed to serving local, seasonal, and organic produce year round in addition to organic, hormone-free meat. Blue Glass’s packing and materials are all made from renewable resources and they even have eco-effective systems that convert waste or raw materials into renewable resources. In the middle of the restaurant, they have two health bars that feature an extensive salad bar with organic, fresh options. There’s also a sandwich bar where you can custom order delicious panini’s and a very tempting sushi station.
5. Flour Bakery and Cafe
Photo by Katie Zizmor
The only thing better than indulging in delicious and freshly baked dessert is doing so from an environmentally responsible bakery. Treat yourself to tarts, pies, cookies, cakes, breakfast, and sandwiches or even take the cooking classes they offer. Flour Bakery is currently the only establishment in Massachusetts rated 2 stars in the Green Restaurant Association and are almost at 3. They’ve already made changes in how they process food and trash and are currently working on taking a stance in how they source their food.
6. Clover Food Lab
Photo courtesy of @foodulous on Instagram
Clover Food Lab strives to be a simple, yet sustainable and quality driven fast food restaurant. With an average serve time of just under 3.5 minutes, Clover ensures fresh and locally sourced food with a menu that changes day-to-day. They have a constantly changing menu because they recognize that what’s in season changes on a daily basis. Clover believes strongly in serving quality over quantity, so if an ingredient is out of season and not at top quality, they instead choose a better option for that time of year instead of settling. Conveniently located with restaurants and food trucks all around Boston, Clover Food Lab is definitely worth checking out.
Climate change is happening right now, and it’ll take a collective effort to stop it before it gets worse. Don’t take this beautiful planet we live on for granted; even just supporting restaurants with sustainable practices contributes towards the bettering of our environment.