Waste Minimisation & Recycling

Actions

• Terre à Terre recycle over 53% of its waste, including all glass bottles, paper, and cardboard.

• Terre à Terre try to reuse all packaging. Plastic food containers are returned to the suppliers, given to smaller suppliers or reused in the kitchen.

• Paper is used on both sides before being recycled.

• Used cooking oil is returned to the supplier.

• Terre à Terre are currently in the process of changing to linen napkins.

• The menu is designed to minimise food wastage – surplus food is incorporated into other dishes. They consciously strive to produce significantly less food waste than the industry average.

• Terre à Terre sell a range of restaurant condiments and speciality snacks in high quality reusable jars.

Benefits

• In total, Terre à Terre recycle over 79 tonnes of glass and cardboard a year. By choosing to recycle rather than throw away, they save over £1,374 a year, which they otherwise would have to pay in waste disposal costs.
• Changing to linen napkins will be a more expensive option, but would prevent 1,200 paper napkins being used and thrown away a week, or over 62,000 a year.
• Terre à Terre use and recycle over 6,240 litres of cooking oil a year. Recycling used oil is generally the easiest and cheapest method of disposal.

Energy EfficiencyActions

Actions

• Terre à Terre have been using green electricity since May 2001.
• Energy saver light bulbs have been installed in the toilets, and efficient fluorescent lighting is used in the kitchens.
• The chefs have been encouraged to use gas more economically in the kitchens.

Benefits

• By switching to electricity from renewable sources, they have saved 75.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, and avoided a climate charge levy of around £750 a year.
• Energy saver light bulbs use approximately 75% less energy than a normal tungsten bulb for the same level of illumination. They also last approximately 8 times longer, thereby saving on the purchase cost, as well as staff time to replace blown bulbs.
• By encouraging chefs to be aware of gas efficiency, Terre à Terre can expect to see reductions in gas bills.

Water Efficiency

Actions

• Terre à Terre have installed water saving devices in all toilets.

Benefits

• By installing water saving devices, Terre à Terre are saving over 31,000 litres of water a year, thus saving £45 a year.

Supply Chain Management

Actions

• Terre à Terre make a conscious decision to source local, organic, or fair trade products when possible.
• For the past two years, only organic fair trade coffee, tea and sugars have been purchased.
• All cognac, calvados, cider port, gin, rum and vodka are organic, as are virtually all wines and beers, and most fruit juices.
• Terre à Terre try to buy local produce as much as possible, supporting local organic producers, and local vineyards.

Benefits

• Terre à Terre are supporting local organic farmers and producers by buying local produce. This reduces "food miles" – the distance food has to travel before it is eaten, and ensures that the produce is fresh.
• In 2002, Terre a Terre were winners of the AA Wine Awards ‘Best Organic Wine List’.

Fuel Use

Actions

• There is a strong public transport ethos at Terre à Terre. Ninety per cent of staff cycle or take public transport to work, and an informal car / taxi pooling system works at night.

Benefits

• Terre à Terre’s fuel costs and impact on the environment are reduced.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Actions

• Terre à Terre support StreetSmart, a local homeless charity, and last year raised over £2,500 for the charity.
• Terre à Terre have also run cooking classes with local schools, and like to promote local artists. The front of the restaurant is used as an exhibition space and is highly sought after.

Benefits

• Terre à Terre has a strong reputation, and has gained positive publicity from its community work.

Summary of Cost Savings