This is a guest post by Greg Christian, Chicago’s Conscious Caterer™ and pioneer of the Organic School Project. Greg has been catering fresh, gourmet cuisine for the past 16 years. In addition to providing healthy, sustainable cuisine, Greg Christian is committed to on and off-site composting and recycling. His newly launched “Greening of Events” service program practices water conservation, offers re-usable living botanical centrepieces and donates un-served foods to local food banks.
What you can do to entertain green at home
As consumers become more aware of their environmental impact, they are rightfully looking for simple ways to reduce. Below are some ideas for consumers to make a difference when hosting parties!
1. Consider buying local food directly from farmers. It takes a little more planning and you will need to be a little more flexible about what you are going to serve as it will need to depend on what is available at the market. Go to the farmers market and put together a local vegetable tray and now you can buy all kinds of meat and cheeses there. If you can talk to the farmer, pick up a story about the farm that you can share with your guests at the party.
2. Another good place to start being green is using real plates and glasses even if the plates don’t match, use real plates and dishes – instead of disposable.
3. Buy local beverages at the grocery store, you can get locally made beers, wines and often sodas.
4. Pay attention to everything you buy – the more we go away from plastic bottles the better.
5. Recycle and compost. You don’t have to be a gardener to compost, I bring my compost to work or donate it to a neighbour who gardens. If this seems far out, ask yourself where is “away” when you throw things in the garbage. Ask yourself, “how can I have less waste at this party than the one before?” Remember there is no “away.”
6. Do the best you can and have fun!
Tips for catered events outside the home
If you are looking to book a catered event, such as a green wedding, retirement party, bar mitzvah, etc. and need to hire a local caterer, florist, or book a venue, the questions to ask are:
1. Can you buy local foods for my event? Then just be silent and let them answer. If the sales person says no, ask to see the chef, don’t ask –“do you”- ask “can you or would buy local food for my event?” One of the gifts chefs have is that we are creative folks, the reason food comes out good is because we are creative and we have made this 1000 of times, ask them to use their creativity to use local for your event. It is a yes or no.
2. Often there are criteria like parking, capacity, locations of bathrooms and bars etc. that are on your list to help you choose a caterer, hotel, restaurant. Add do you recycle, do you compost, buy local, have a social responsibility or sustainability guidelines for your company that I could see, to your list of criteria.
3. Ask your florist if they reuse floral arrangements. Can they donate your flowers to a retirement home after your event? If you are not using a florist, ask your caterer if they can make edible table arrangements.
Ask in a nice way. You want to ask these questions honouring all the people you are questioning. Don’t come at this righteously. Be in your heart. If you are not in your heart you are in the way.
About the Organic Schools Project: Launched in 2005, OSP is a non-profit organization that provides youth with a mindful foundation for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle through school-based wellness programming initiatives. OSP strives to combat youth health epidemics, such as childhood obesity, early on-set type II diabetes and asthma, through a holistic approach to education and food service systemic change.