Green Eggs

In This Member Letter:

*Festival Vendor Registration *STL Green Drinks *Recent Recerts *Money Savers *Eggs

Dear Friend,

Eggs are all the talk these days as prices have more than doubled over the past year. We'll look at some alternative sources and why now is the time to consider implementing local eggs and plant-based eggs into your menu. February can be a bitterly cold month, so we'll discuss some of the many benefits of thermal glass for doors and windows. This is also a good time to double check your programmable thermostats to make sure you are lowering the temperature between 3-5 degrees during off hours. Being proactive in managing your thermostats can reduce your heating bill. We have some new recertifications to showcase! STL Green Drinks will be at a new GDA certification hotspot for sushi, and St. Louis Earth Day Festival is coming up. If you haven't registered as a food vendor, click the link below. Don't procrastinate any longer - registration ends February 28th!

- Ben Daugherty (GDA Program Manager)

St. Louis Earth Day Festival
Food Vendor Registration Open

St. Louis Earth Day Festival 2023

The St. Louis Earth Day Festival, April 22-23 at the Muny Grounds, is a community tradition to learn about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses and organizations. This is a great opportunity to connect with local area non-profits that share Earth Day values, as well as showcasing local entertainment and local Green Dining Alliance restaurants. The 2022 festival brought in 15,000 attendees!

This is a great event to showcase your commitment to sustainable dining, increase sales, and grow your customer base.

Don't procrastinate registering any longer - registration ends February 28!

Click the button below to sign up today!

Food Vendor Registration - St. Louis Earth Day Festival

StL Green Drinks

Support local, green dining and join in the conversations of fellow environmentalists and sustainable living advocates. The second Wednesday of each month will feature a new GDA-certified establishment for happy hour. STL Green Drinks will be hosting their February happy hour at GDA-certified Wasabi Sushi Bar in the Cortex Business District.

When: Wednesday, February 8th (6-8pm)

Location: Wasabi Sushi Bar Cortex (4239 Duncan Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110)

*Contact Ben@earthday-365.org if you would be interested in hosting a Green Drinks happy hour in 2023. Expected guest counts are typically 20-30 guests.

Congratulations to Recent Recertified Members of the Green Dining Alliance!

Downtown

St. Charles

Soulard

Money $aver$

Thermal Windows + Doors

Double-pane windows consist of two sheets of glass, separated by a space bar, with a hermetically-sealed space in between them. This space can be filled with gas or air which are both poor conductors of thermal energy meaning hot/cold air can't escape or get in easily between the two layers of glass. This creates excellent insulation. Choosing to invest in thermal windows and doors can benefit your business in the following ways:

lower heating and cooling bills
noise reduction
higher building occupancy rates
government tax rebates
adding security glazing can protect against vandalism, smash-and-grab theft, looting, and storm damage

Visit this website for more information on thermal windows and doors.

Plastic Waste Reduction Grant

earthday365 is working with the Product Stewardship Institute to reduce plastic waste in restaurants. $500 reimbursable grants are available for GDA members to use towards replacing disposable products with reusable products, or switching from disposable plastic to compostable or post-consumer products. Examples include switching from plastic to reusable or bamboo straws at Retreat Gastropub. Pizza Head uses reusable hotel lids along with labels to cut back on plastic wrap referenced in the photos below. If you feel you could utilize this opportunity please contact me at ben@earthday-365.org.

Walking on Egg Shells

Eggcellent Alternatives

Eggs are one of the most delicious and versatile food items in the kitchen. Whether you use them for breakfast, baking, sauces, cocktails, in ramen, or on top of a burger, eggs are essential. With the rising cost of eggs, it's time to look at where you're sourcing your eggs from. Businesses that are sourcing local sustainable eggs haven't felt the price hike that much. Pricing is now more comparable to mass produced commodity brands sold through major distributors. Remember to always ask your distributor if they are able to source local sustainable eggs or plant-based options vs CAFOs. This helps support local businesses, support circular economies, and is much better for the environment. 90% of eggs raised in the US are coming from CAFOs which are detrimental to public health, animal health, CAFO workers, water quality, air quality, and soil quality. Buy locally sourced sustainable eggs, your customers' taste buds will thank you. When the price points are comparable, there's no reason not to. Beware of greenwashing terms like cage-free or farm fresh. Eggs labeled pasture-raised are the most sustainable. Below is a list of local alternative sources for eggs and some vegan egg options as well.

Buttonwood Farms

Ben Roberts-Heritage Farms (offered through Kuna)

Howie Farms

Known & Grown certified farms

JUST Egg (vegan)

Do you have any suggestions on locally sourced sustainable eggs or plant-based products? Let me know! Email ben@earthday-365.org