When the Dairy Bar was renovated last year, the focus was on sustainability.
The compactor is solar powered, the to-go containers and disposable cutlery are made from bio-plastics, and about 90 percent of the waste is recycled on location, making the Dairy Bar a zero waste facility.
These are just some of the reasons that contributed to the Dairy Bar becoming part of the Green Alliance, said Sarah Brown, director of the Green Alliance.
The Green Alliance is an organization out of Portsmouth, NH whose mission is to promote and increase the profits of businesses that are environmentally friendly. It is also meant to educate and influence the public to think about the goods that they buy, said Brown.
“The Dairy Bar is very interesting and unique,” Brown said. “They have done great things with green-efficiency and the surrounding communities need to know it and be inspired by it.”
Becoming a member of the Green Alliance means that customers of the Dairy Bar can use the Green Alliance discount card, or green card, which gives them 10 percent off their purchase. UNH students, who already receive a 10 percent discount with dining dollars, will receive a 15 percent discount with the card. Green Alliance cards cost $35 annually and can either be purchased online at greenalliance.biz or at the Dairy Bar.
Currently, 70 businesses are a part of the Green Alliance in the seacoast region, which Brown said is incredible due to today’s economic climate.
“It’s an incredible testament to the businesses and the people who want to make a difference,” she said.
Brown said the Green Alliance is not only for businesses; individual community members can join, as well. There are currently about 800 individual members who are green card holders in the seacoast area. It’s all about the community members and businesses working together to help the environment, Brown said.
“We want to shine a spotlight on the businesses that are doing good things,” Brown said. “The community should reward those businesses and get a discount for supporting those businesses.”
When a business joins the Green Alliance, they agree to go through a full green analysis that covers all aspects of the business. There is a 60 question evaluation on sustainability, a number based report card, and a green story, in which the business writes a one page narrative about what they are doing differently.
The Dairy Bar hasn’t gone through this two-month process yet and is in line to be evaluated, although the discount is already being offered to green card holders.
Brett Pasinella, program coordinator of the University Office of Sustainability’s Biodiversity Education Initiative and Climate Education Initiative, said he believes the Dairy Bar will pass evaluation easily.
“I think it will be a success,” Pasinella said. “Dining really put all of its sustainability effort into the Dairy Bar.”
In September, Pasinella was chosen to become a member of the advisory board of the Green Alliance that assists in setting up the analysis process that businesses go through.
“This is a whole new thing for me,” Pasinella said. “I know people at the Green Alliance and I’m familiar with the program. I look forward to working with them.”
Rick MacDonald, who worked on the agreement between the Dairy Bar and the Green Alliance, said the partnership is just another step in the ultimate goal of sustainability for the business.
“The Dairy Bar was always intended to be a sustainable business,” MacDonald said. “The Green Alliance seemed like a good way to keep that moving. So, we went to them and began a partnership.”
Brown said she was immediately impressed with the Dairy Bar and UNH Dining, in general because of their commitment to sustainability.
“As much as possible, UNH Dining encourages local food products,” Brown said. “75 percent of the food they serve [at the dairy bar] is local, which is very impressive. For a restaurant, that’s a very big deal because you have to go out of your way to do so.”
Other reasons behind the Dairy Bar’s excellent green efficiency, Brown said, include uniforms made from organic cotton and countertops made from recycled glass. Even the location is a factor, Brown said.
“It’s right by the train station which is great,” Brown said. “It can capitalize on transportation as well.”
Out of the 70 businesses that are members of the Green Alliance, 13 of them are restaurants. Brown thinks that other restaurants can look at the Dairy Bar and be inspired.
“Other business owners need to be aware,” Brown said. “They can learn a lot from a place like the Dairy Bar and make their own changes.”
MacDonald said he hopes people will look at the Dairy Bar as an example and that it will bring in many new customers.
“That’s really what we’re hoping,” MacDonald said. “We want to get the word out for people to come to the Dairy Bar.”
Dairy Bar joins the Green Alliance
Published: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009 21:11
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