The Bar Journal

Considering the contemporary international calls to environmental awareness, what eco-friendly practices can be adopted within hospitality? How can restaurants, hotels and bars help sustain the earth with a healthy balance? 

Sustainability truth 

Let’s be honest: the production, distribution and consumption of any food and beverage items create a terrible carbon footprint on the planet that governments, businesses and people cannot ignore anymore. And what do CO2 emissions mean if not worsening the Climate Change that is destroying our planet? 

Conscious of this and other ecological problems such as deforestation, loss of fertile agricultural soil (it went down by a third since the 1970s!), lack of biodiversity, extinction of animal and plant species (up to 1 million right now), we, as individuals are all called upon to act, to make the right choices. 

Sustainable Drinking

We had the chance to chat with Stephanie Jordan, founder of Avallen Calvados, which has been awarded the title of the most sustainable brand in the world. We asked her: how do you see the planet in the next decade?  

Stephanie Jordan – Avallen Calvados Founder 

“There are a few things to establish: the concept of sustainability is maintaining! We talk about positive action and forward-thinking instead of ‘sit back and relax. Feel that you are part of a solution making the right choices, doing good that will have a positive change. 

The next years depend on us: it’s about self-preservation and community, protecting people that are more vulnerable. Just to save the planet!” 

The bar industry is clearly showing a more justice and ecological approach, prioritizing recycled materials, nontoxic glues, eco-friendly inks and labels for the production and distribution of goods. At the same time, we must all pay attention to the everyday sustainable practices: 

• Choose green energies: use continuously renewable sources of energy and natural lights. Producers should opt for new eco-friendly technologies like the “New Belgium Brewing” which offers the first certified carbon neutral beer in the US!
• Zero-waste: use materials responsibly (for example, squeeze limes twice before throwing them in the compost bin: organic waste helps reduce global warming!)
• Refill and reuse your bottles, avoiding plastic whenever possible!
• Source locally to reduce gas emissions and to find better quality products. 
• Select Eco-friendly Packagings: adopt containers constituted by organic material like mushroom, seaweed or cornstarch. Use shopping bags and table cloths made of organic fabrics (hemp, organic or recycled cotton, tapioca, palm leaves…), which can biodegrade in around 100 days compared to the 10,000 years of a plastic bag!
• Consider ecoSPIRITS technology as a possible future for the distribution of big spirits quantities: a fully-reusable, tamper-proof and shock-proof container of 4.5 L can substitute the 6-bottles box cutting waste and costs for spirits businesses.
• Plant Trees: at the bar and at your place, take care of the environment where you live and of the people you are sharing your energies with! 

And why not, have a pleasant experience enjoying an Avellen & Tonic? It is sustainable!

Salute!

Italspirits Team

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