Bars are very much a central part of our culture. They help make up the fabric of our social activities; we flock to them to celebrate important milestones or simply spend time with friends. A location that plays such a distinct role in our society can’t just be a place where beer is served, and as such, it also has some responsibilities to its community.
An increasing number of these responsibilities revolve around sustainability. We are at a point in time when our actions can significantly impact the onset of the irreversible effects of climate change. This urgent need to make changes means that bar owners are having to seriously consider how their activities can be adjusted in ways that both provide a space for customers to relax with a beer, but also make certain that the potential for environmental damage is kept to a minimum. Not to mention that consumers themselves are prioritizing businesses that demonstrate care for the planet.
While this is certainly a big responsibility, that doesn’t mean to say these changes need to be complex. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can easily incorporate sustainability into your bar practices.
Energy Efficiency
One of the most immediately achievable ways to adopt sustainability is through your bar’s energy consumption. You’re likely to have noticed that this is one of the more significant overheads in your business — there are a lot of internal, and occasionally external, elements that need near-constant energy. As such, it is a good focus for some early, impactful energy sustainability protocols.
Start with reviewing what technology you can swap out for more energy-efficient versions. There are a variety of ways your business can adopt sustainability here, but one of the simplest and cheapest is exchanging your regular lights for light-emitting diode (LED) alternatives. However, reviewing the availability of renewable energy sources can be an even more direct approach. Speak to your local providers about the availability of 100% natural power. Even installing solar panels on your property has become less costly and more accessible over the last few years.
Another potential area of energy sustainability could include brewing. If yours is one of the growing number of bars with an onsite or local craft brewery, you probably know just how energy-intensive the process is. Between the thermal usage to generate heat and steam, and the electrical aspect in refrigeration, compressed air, and packaging, the Brewers Association reports that an average of between 50 and 66 kWh per barrel is utilized. Some simple ways you can decrease your consumption here include raising the refrigeration temperature slightly, researching more efficient bottling machines, and maximizing natural light in the brewery rather than relying on electric lights.
Supplier Relationships
When it comes to sustainability, your efforts should not be limited just by what goes on within your own bar. Any successful business is dependent upon relationships with other companies. This could include snack suppliers, breweries, and marketing agencies. If you plan on running a sustainable business, it is also important that the people and companies that you work alongside have similar goals.
The easiest way to approach this is simply by reaching out to the representatives in your supply chain network. Don’t go about this with a hard line that makes demands about sustainability. Rather, treat it as a conversation that can help you share information and strengthen your relationships. Talk about why you are adopting sustainable practices, and what efforts your bar is personally making, and invite them to provide you with thoughts on their activities and intentions. This may be a spur for your suppliers to take similar actions of their own, or even engage in collaborative efforts.
Another easy tactic here is re-examining your product ranges and marketing materials. Are you currently ordering beer where the ingredients aren’t sourced sustainably or come packaged in large amounts of non-biodegradable materials such as plastic wrapping? Talk to providers to see if they have alternative options, or reach out to other suppliers. Plastic straws are also a primary focus lately, and paper alternatives are now more widely accessible. If you have display stands or promotional coasters, do a little research to find out if these can be provided in more sustainable materials that are either recyclable or, preferably, biodegradable.
Staff and Management Behavior
Among the most impactful areas of sustainability is how bar staff and management behave in their day-to-day activities. So much of what people do is based on a kind of autopilot — though they might be harmful to the environment, some activities are so ingrained into our lives that it doesn’t always occur to us to change them. As such, it’s important to make some simple efforts that can positively alter behavior.
Start with the easy things. Provide workers with training on how to correctly separate bottles, cans, and paper for easier recycling. Make asking customers whether they would like to purchase a reusable container part of their day-to-day consumer interactions. Even helping them to understand how correctly loading dishwashers to maximize capacity can reduce water and energy consumption can feed into not just their business actions, but also what they do at home, thus having a more widespread impact.
It can also be helpful to bring in technology that mitigates the reliance on sustainable staff behavior. A smart thermostat learns about your bar’s heating and cooling needs from observing your preferred use and optimizes the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to adjust for maximum efficiency. It also means that staff don’t have to change the temperatures manually, and more importantly, it doesn’t matter so much if they forget to turn them off at night as shut-off can be undertaken automatically, or accessed remotely. Similar systems are also available for lighting. This doesn’t mean that you don’t need to teach staff to be more sustainable, but it can be a supportive tool along the way.
Conclusion
Adopting sustainability in your bar doesn’t have to be a complex process. Small but consistent efforts such as energy-efficient practices can make a big impact. Remember, too, that your staff and your suppliers have a role to play as collaborators in your commitment to having a positive influence in your community, and on the planet. A few simple changes today can make for a better tomorrow.
Heather says
I love these ideas. I think every business can easily incorporate sustainability if they want to!
Lizzy says
I really like the idea of making energy efficient choices for your business’s sustainability. Especially, the solar panels. I’ve seen a lot more homes and businesses using these in my area.
The Joyous Living says
What a very interesting guest post by Jori. Thanks for giving such easy to understand suggestions about sustainability.
Bill says
These are great tips and ideas. I think it’s so important for all businesses to move toward sustainability, and this is going to be a big help for bars to do just that.
Claudia says
I love that you included energy efficiency as the first time. It all starts there, in my opinion. The less energy you use, the less of a drain you are on the environment.
Ivan M. Jose says
I love establishments that practice and even promote sustainability. Honestly, it’s not something that I’d expect from bars. Just the same, they are certainly commendable.
Gervin Khan says
These are nice ideas! Everyone who like to start business should hear this
Cam says
This can apply to most businesses!
Shilpa bindlish says
Oh that’s a new perspective. I never thought like this. Liked these ideas of sustainable bar.
Yudith Napitupulu says
I love the idea about energy efficiency. The work efficiency formula is efficiency for output and input. You can multiply the result to get work efficiency as a percentage
Emman+Damian says
All points are correct. I agree to these points. I hope that all bars can be more sustainable.