NAPA VALLEY, CALIF.—Napa Valley’s Silverado Resort has expanded its recycling program to include food scraps and grass clippings. The resort had already been recycling items such as plastic and paper. After six months of testing the program, the resort reports significant results: a reduction in generic garbage of almost 50 percent and a 50 percent savings on composting costs.
The brainchild of long-time executive chef Peter Pahk, the program reflects the resort’s evolving and comprehensive approach to sustainability in all aspects of the resort’s operation—from farm to waste stream. The new recycling initiative is made possible with the help of Napa Valley Recycling.
“We do everything we can to reduce waste—from buying products from local producers to offering meat and seafood that is harvested using the most sustainable practices available,” Pahk said. “Recycling food scraps is fairly new, and it is a logistical challenge, so we are absolutely delighted the program is showing such encouraging results after only six months.”
Other Sustainability Initiatives
Several years ago, the resort implemented a Foodservice Energy Awareness Program to teach all of the resort’s foodservice employees to participate in energy conservation, green procurement and waste reduction. The resort made news in 2001 by introducing an aggressive seafood policy that promoted the use of sustainable seafood and discontinued serving species of threatened seafood.
“It is clear that our efforts are working,” Pahk said. “Our employees watch for and suggest new and innovative ways to reduce waste. By encouraging all employees to take ownership of our environmental programs, we have become more successful than I would have imagined when we started truly emphasizing sustainability years ago.”
Silverado Resort was the first resort in Napa Valley to become a member of the Chef’s Collaborative, a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine. The resort’s operator, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, was the first U.S. hospitality company to be granted the “Chain of Custody” certification from the Marine Stewardship Council. This important certification guarantees all wild Alaska salmon menu items can be traced to their source, assuring customers that fisheries have met the Marine Stewardship Council’s stringent environmental standards.
The resort’s environmental programs extend far beyond foodservice operations. For example, guestrooms are supplied with rapidly renewable paper products and housekeepers use sustainable cleaning solutions and separate and recycle all guestroom garbage. Additionally, the resort uses a state-of-the-art water-saving irrigation system to maintain its two championship golf courses.
Go to the Silverado Resort.
