Friday, August 7, 2009

Zero Waste Catering in Colorado’s Front Range


The next time you plan an event, keep two key words in mind – Zero Waste. Weddings, parties, corporate trainings, and other special events can produce an abundance of trash. When it comes to catering there are several things you can do to reduce your impact on the environment. Look for the phrase “Zero Waste” when searching for a caterer or event venue. Zero Waste efforts take a holistic, multi-faceted approach to resource conservation:

Zero Waste Catering
• Reduce consumption
• Minimize waste
• Maximize recycling
• Use biodegradable products
• Encourage sustainability

A Zero Waste Caterer will come to an event equipped with biodegradable forks, knives, plates, and cups – with a trash bag for these items. They will serve condiments in bulk (bottles and bowls, not plastic packets), serve appropriate food portions with minimal leftovers, and use wooden stir sticks rather than plastic.  If a catering company must use plastic, they should look for plastics #1 and #2, and try to avoid plastics #3 - #7.

A caterer like Sublime Catering – serving Colorado’s Front Range – take environmental responsibility a step further, with Zero Waste signage, proper disposal of biodegradable and recyclable materials, keeping fuel consumption down when possible (including carpooling), and buying locally  – all of which add up to a smaller carbon footprint.

According to Sublime Catering’s Chef and Owner Chris Bybee, “We love to work with green companies and organizations who want their events to be Zero Waste. More and more people are looking to make a big impact when it comes to cuisine, but a small impact when it comes to the environment. In everything we do, we take a Zero Waste approach.”

Here are just a few of Sublime Catering’s clients who ask for Zero Waste at their events: Boulder Green Builders Guild (BGBG), Center for Resource Conservation, City of Boulder, City of Firestone, Energy & Environmental Security Initiative, Energy Logic, Namaste Solar, and the University of Colorado.

Boulder // Denver // Longmont

Gourmet Locavores - The Sublime Art of Local Cuisine


There was a time, not too long ago, when people didn’t care where their food was grown, how it was grown, or even how far it had to travel before it reached their tables. Now, there’s a growing local food movement that’s changing all of that. Food isn’t just food anymore – we want fresh, delicious produce grown by local farmers. We want to know where our cuts of meat, our gourmet cheeses, and our fresh eggs come from – and how the animals are treated.  Simply put, we are becoming locavores, people who prefer to eat locally grown and prepared food.

The local food movement makes sense on many levels – it supports the economic, social, and environmental health of a community.  Now, there can be a direct relationship between the producers of food and the consumer. Without the middleman (driven by profit) community agriculture places a greater emphasis on the quality of food, its freshness, and how it’s produced (often organic and more sustainable). Local food also travels a shorter distance, so there are fewer fossil fuels and non-renewable resources used in transportation.

Quality chefs and caterers like Sublime Catering in Colorado specialize in local food. Sublime works with local farmers and businesses to create delicious, healthy cuisine that feeds the body and soul.

“You just can’t beat the freshness of local food,” said Chris Bybee, chef and owner of Sublime Catering. “We always look for the best ingredients for the season, food that’s grown by farmers in the Front Range community, or produced by a local company with a passion for great taste.”

If you are planning a big event in Colorado, think about going local – where the catering is Sublime. 


Web Links for Front Range Locavores

Sublime Catering

Farmers Market

Boulder
Longmont