These days a Washington menu often reads more like a road map than a food list. The foie gras is from the Hudson Valley; the salmon was caught wild in Alaska; the pork is Pennsylvanian; the goat cheese hails from Coach Farm, N.Y.; and the tomatoes were grown in New Jersey. All this detail might seem extraneous, yet for diners concerned about the environment, knowing where and how food is grown is important – by choosing more locally sourced ingredients you can help reduce the carbon footprint of your meal. It’s okay to enquire about the origin of your food. It’s the first step to making your eating experience greener.
Do you have any specials? Restaurants often use seasonal ingredients in their specials, using produce that’s more likely to be locally grown – which is key to reducing our carbon footprint. At the very least, “if you’re eating what’s in season, it helps to tune your body back,” says Renee Catacalos, publisher and editor of Edible Chesapeake, a quarterly magazine focusing on food grown and produced in the region. But how to know what’s in season? Catacalos suggests visiting the local farmer’s market two to three times per month. “Grocery stores have erased our idea of seasons,” she warns. “In April and May the season is just starting.”Sparkling or still?
In what kind of bottle? The bottled water industry has taken quite a bad rap lately, criticized for using too much energy to produce the plastic
containers and to transport them. “Ask if they have bottled water in recycled glass containers,” says Catacalos. Otherwise, tap is your best option.
Wild caught seafood or farmed?
Not all seafood is equal, says Joey Ritchie Brookhart, senior project manager at Seafood Choices Alliance, a nonprofit international association focusing on ocean-friendly seafood. When ordering fish, provenance is important. Is it wild or farmed? And don’t be afraid to ask for more detail. For wild fish, “the most sustainable approach is the handline or trolling method, which generally does not entail much habitat damage,” she says. For farmed fish, Brookhart suggests looking for specific items like mussels, clams and oysters, or U.S. farm-raised catfish or tilapia
Can I take this home?
With portion sizes ballooning, “we need to
dial back the excess,” Catacalos says. When doggiebagging
leftovers she suggests asking the kitchen
to forgo the Styrofoam box (“it never goes away,”
she says) for a simple piece of recyclable foil. Some
restaurants, like Ted’s Montana Grill (2200
Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va.) make an effort to use
eco-friendly aluminum containers.
In the end, simply asking questions is the
best way to encourage restaurants to think green.
“Asking questions is a tipoff to establishments
that, as a diner, you care,” says Brookhart. “At
least you have highlighted the issues important
to you.”
Have any comments or dining suggestions? Email WL at: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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