By Brian Kluepfel | Special to AsianWeek
“When I tell restaurant owners I’m from the city, they get nervous, because they think I’m the health inspector,” said Wanda Redic-Bland of Berkeley’s Solid Waste Management division. “Then, when they see me pull on my rubber gloves and start going through their trash, they really get nervous!”
Bland’s role, examining businesses’ trash for composting potential, is part of a multi-organization outreach program called Greening South Asian Restaurants (GSAR). GSAR is a project of Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education (TREE), an Oakland-based environmental group, that seeks to certify Alameda County ethnic restaurants as “green businesses.”
The first phase of the project concluded with 10 restaurants being recognized for their participation. Fittingly, the ceremony took place at Ajanta, a Solano Avenue Indian restaurant and one of the program’s participants. Mary Ortendahl of the county’s Office of Economic Development and a representative of Supervisor Keith Carson’s office handed out window placards and certificates.
Thimmakka’s hope is to alert businesses to programs that can help them save the earth — and save money. Generally, there is a communication breakdown between local governmental agencies and the restaurants because of language difficulties. Although a quarter of Bay Area eateries are family-run ethnic enterprises, pre-GSAR programs provided outreach in only English and Spanish. Thimmakka’s volunteer staff speaks a total of over 20 languages, and thus can bridge the gap.
“The most crucial and trickiest point is asking ‘do you want to participate in this program,’” said Thimmakka president Ritu Primlani. “We have to explain the process and convince them, and these people don’t have a lot of time. Running a small restaurant is a war from when you open the door to when you close at night.”
Primlani takes special pride in her scouting abilities, which have resulted in 90 percent of local businesses that are asked choosing to take part in the green program. “It’s very delicate. I usually go in two or three times just to get a feel for the place,” she said.
Once Primlani has done some initial groundwork and determined an interest, it’s time to get down to the real work, which involves coordinating the schedules of restaurant owners, environmental specialists and auditors for a series of meetings. Then a series of measures are implemented which result in water and electricity savings, as well as redirecting garbage into recycling or composting projects.
“We have to make environmentalism a tactical option,” said Primlani. “It’s not just for rich people. But we show that with a link between environmental groups and the South Asian communities, there are tangible benefits. It’s a win for business and a win for the environment,” she said.
“I care about the environment,” said Chintala Redi, owner of Kamal Palace. “But I am also a businessman, and I will be saving about $6,000 in electricity bills and another $1,000 in garbage pickup costs by participating,” he said.
Redi also credited Primlani for her dedication to the cause. “She comes to the restaurant more often than I do!” he joked.
Although Alameda County has many other certified “green” businesses, including printers, auto mechanics and landscapers, the heavily resource-dependent food service business is rife with opportunity to save. In total, the 14 businesses which participated in GSAR (some have yet to complete the certification process) saved more than $29,000 in the past year.
There are a total of 57 environmental standards which are measured during the certification process. But the results are rather amazing; for example, Buran Thai restaurant now composts 86 percent of its solid waste, and the green restaurants averaged a savings of 473,000 gallons of water.
What many didn’t realize is that the programs don’t cost anything. City of Berkeley recycling bins are free of charge, as are the energy audits done by PG&E during the program. Once watt-saving lights and water-saving faucet attachments are installed, owners see their electric and water bills decline significantly.
Thimmakka plans to expand its outreach into neighboring counties in the next year. By the end of 2003, the number of certified green restaurants in Alameda is expected to double. As a famous television amphibian once sang, it’s not easy being green — but to local businesses, it’s rewarding in more than one way.
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