Maplewood’s Special Business District, from Southwest Avenue to Sutton Boulevard, has been designated the first in the country Green Dining District, according to an announcement Tuesday by St. Louis-based Green Dining Alliance.
The designation means that at least 25 percent of the independently-owned restaurants are GDA-certified.
The program recognizes restaurants that demonstrate “a commitment to the environment, through practices and policies that shape the way they do business,” according to the group’s website.
The GDA asks questions such as:
“Do they have a sustainability policy? Will my leftovers be packaged in Styrofoam? Do they get their food from local farms? Do they offer organic, pasture-raised, grass fed options? Will my wine bottle be recycled? Are they careful about how much water and energy they use? Will excess food be donated to area food banks? Do they compost?”
Subscribe to the 40 South News daily newsletter.
Maplewood’s manager of the Special Business District, Rachelle L’Ecuyer, is the GDA’s community champion. It was through her work that the GDA was able to partner with the Maplewood SBD.
Eight Maplewood restaurants are participating and more are expected to join through the summer and fall, according to the GDA.
“St. Louisans can choose Maplewood with sustainable dining in mind, and explore a whole new form of local, eco-tourism,” the GDA website states.
Read the full article on the Green Dining Alliance website.
Awesome!