As of today we will start serving Saratoga Springs bottled water, sparkling and spring. Saratoga Spring Water comes from the Saratoga Springs, near Albany, New York – about 200 miles away from Boston. Considering that the previous brand of water served at Taranta travelled from Italy to reach customer, purchasing Saratoga Spring Water helps reduce the amount of air pollution and carbon dioxide associated with the transportation of your water. Also Saratoga Springs operation is a green operation, 100% of the electricity used comes from wind power.

Got our new biodegradable pla drinking straws made of corn. This solves the problem of sorting plastic to throw away with compost. Now we can just mix the PLA straws with our compost. Click on the link below to lear more about PLA.

We start using Marcal Sunrise Bathroom tissue, made of 100% recycled paper, 60 to 80% post consumer. Marcal Paper Towels and 100% post consumer printing paper for our office print-outs, our menus are printed on 40% post consumer, all papers are chlorine free, mercury free, or bleach.

Today we received certification by the green restaurant association, we are officially a Green Certified Restaurant, we have completed the first 4 environmental steps: 1.- Recycling- Comprehensive system, 2.- Energy Efficient Lighting, 3.- Energy Efficient Appliance – XLERATOR hand dryer, 4- Water Efficient Kitchen: Spray valves. CBS channel 4 documented the award of the certificate by Michael Oshman, Executive Director of the Green Restaurant Association and will be featuring a special segment on the news about Taranta. Besides other steps that we have already incorporated in our business operation.

Today will start our compsoting program, will start with back of the house, kitchen scraps from food preparation, compostable paper, etc. A compost bin has been provided by savethatstuff.com and we will schedule pick ups depening on the amount of compostable material we produce. The cost of compost removal is by weight, they will take a weight measurement when they pick up and then bill accordingly. As soon as we run out of our straw, plastic tootpicks, we will order compostable drink straws and toothpicks. This will be the last step to become a certified green restaurant by dinegreen.com

Going Green: Step by step, local restaurants get on the path to saving the environment
by Louisa Kasdon, 49.03.2007

Installed 2 DW-200 Dual technology wall switch occupancy sensor in both of our bathrooms. Why keeping the water boiling if we don’t want hot tea? Someone told me that and it is a valid comment, during service the bathrooms are occupied often, before we installed the sensor the exhaust fan and lights will be on all times, now as soon as you come in lights go on, the neat feature about the sensor is that not only detects body heat (infrared motion) but is also ultrasonic and detects changes in

We are using paper on top of our tables to minimize industrial washing. This will help us save money and we will mixing the used paper with all compostable items as soon as we are ready to start separating all organic materials that will make the compost. We are also looking for a post consumer paper roll to be used.

1.- Installation of a solar panel to charge votive candles.
2.- Retrofit all toilets, urinals and plumbing fixtures
3.- Use 100% post-consumer paper in all office supplies, menus etc
4.- Ask vendors to email statements instead of mail statements.
5.- Buy more organic local products, fish, vegetables, etc.
6.- Charge more for bottled water and give the diference to a non-profit green association tbd
7.- Transition to biodegradable cleaners, dishwashing soaps, etc.
8.- Be able to reduce garbage producction to 3% by using all biodegradable plastic wrappers, straws, bags, etc.
9.- Start a Biodynamic – Organic wine list
10.- Support “Green” vendors
11.- Replace plastic toothpicks for wooden toothpicks
12.- Change all refrigeration gaskets to minimize energy consumption
13.- Create awareness
Will add as I learn more and come up with new ideas.

Now we will be able to go to the fish market, produce market and run all restaurant related errands with our SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) truck, after a long wait, the 2000 Green Chevrolet Silverado Diesel has been successfully converted to run with 100% vegetable oil, we are collecting grease and filtering to add to the “Vegetable Oil Only Tank”. I am having some problems adding images to the blog but soon will have a detailed description of how the truck works and how good it is for the environment. The conversion was done by Green Grease Monkeys, the only ones in the area capable to convert a vehicle. The truck is running perfect and yes smells like French fries!.