The kitchen may be the center of the home, but the restaurant—the place where we break bread together, whether with family, yourself or the COVID-19 bubble—is its soul. Therefore, as you strive to live in a more sustainable way, please don't forget this important area. All you need are some sustainable restaurant tips to ensure that you use the most sustainable materials possible.  

The following ideas will get you started looking for zero-waste restaurants (and families in general):

The most sustainable dining table is the one you already own. However, if the old one is dying (literally), buy one made of wood with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo near your zero-waste restaurant.

FSC certification guarantees that wood is sustainably sourced, while taking into account forest protection, such as the protection of endangered species and virgin forests. The "FSC 100%" label indicates that the product is made of original materials from FSC certified forests, while the "FSC mixed" label indicates that the product is a mixture of recycled materials and original materials.  

Crate & Barrel offers a variety of options for dining tables made of FSC certified wood. Its Morris gray-gray dining table is made of FSC certified recycled pine wood.

On the less expensive end, the Floyd brand uses FSC certified walnut. You can also search for specific FSC certified furniture on sites such as MadeTrade.

If you cannot buy a dining table made of FSC certified wood, then the second best option may be to buy a recyclable dining table. IKEA pointed out that many of its wooden dining tables can be taken apart and recycled. IKEA tableware is usually more affordable.

Let's talk about the dining room chair. Once again, the most sustainable option for your zero-waste restaurant is the chair you already own. Otherwise, as mentioned above, look for chairs made from FSC-certified wood, or chairs made from reclaimed wood. Zin Home offers a variety of dining chairs made of recycled pine wood, available in two styles. Etsy also offers a variety of reclaimed wood dining chairs, as well as reclaimed wood benches (if you like). 

In general, avoid furniture made of plastic that requires the use of fossil fuels. Polypropylene is the most commonly used plastic for restaurant chairs (including the super popular mid-century modern design style). Unlike some plastics, polypropylene is actually recyclable. However, chairs made of wood-plastic composite materials are not recyclable.

Second-hand shopping is a great way to find dining tables and chairs. Check out your second-hand selection at Goodwill, thrift stores, your local Craigslist and label sales offices. 

From napkins to tablecloths to placemats, there are many opportunities to bring sustainable design to your sustainable restaurant. Pay attention to how the material grows and whether chemical dyes certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) are used in the manufacturing process. GOTS certification means that the manufacturer has passed independent certification and complies with environmental and social standards at every step of the supply chain. (Another independent certification for organic cotton is the organic content standard, or OCS, but GOTS is more common.) You can find 100% cotton napkins and placemats in various patterns from the Native brand. At the high end, Coyuchi also sells organic cotton napkins.

There are also many sustainable fabrics to decorate your restaurant. For example, jute is a natural fiber and the second most popular fiber in the world after cotton. You may see jute called burlap or burlap, although they are basically the same. As a natural fiber, jute is biodegradable and does not require pesticides to grow. You can find a variety of jute or linen tablecloths on websites such as Wayfair and Etsy. 

Compostable napkins are another option for your zero waste restaurant. Look for bamboo from an organic farm certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and read the label carefully to make sure that the bamboo is not mixed with polyester. Look for products made from natural fibers such as sugar cane, eucalyptus, and bamboo, or post-industrial recycled paper like those produced by Brasio. 

Now, let's talk about paper napkins-after all, sometimes your dining table is a mess and napkins can't handle it. Paper towels are made of wood pulp: virgin wood pulp, recycled paper, or some combination of them. Seventh Generation is a brand that produces 100% recyclable paper towels, but even those paper towels are often too small to be recycled further. Therefore, one meaningful exchange you can make in a sustainable restaurant (and zero-waste kitchen) is to buy reusable paper towels, such as Swedish rags. 

What if you can't give up paper towels? Remember to always recycle those cardboard tubes.

We fully understand: no one likes to wash dishes. When you have a meal at home, it is easy to use disposable tableware to reduce the frequency of cleaning. 

The bad news is that many disposable forks, knives and spoons are made of plastic. Plastics are produced by extracting and processing the earth's natural resources (including crude oil and natural gas). After all the effort (and pollution) required to make some plastics, they are usually only used once. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, half of which are used for single use.  

Plastics are returning to our environment, especially the ocean, in terrible ways. Specifically, plastic is decomposed into so-called microplastics, which are then consumed by marine life and humans. Plastic utensils (along with plastic bags) are the second most deadly type of marine pollution. 

Fortunately, you have a sustainable choice of disposable tableware. Although reusable tableware is still the best choice, consider using compostable tableware instead of plastic. Look for products that are labeled "compostable" and/or "biodegradable" and are made from natural materials, such as this ÖKABODE set or this reusable colorful tableware made from Food52's sugar cane.  

Seek truth from facts: The Martha Stewart-level desktop landscape is a bit beyond most of our design skills. But we can still set up a beautiful table! A good starting point is the core of the fresh floral arrangement. But please make sure that your cut flowers are sustainably sourced. 

Maybe you are one of those lucky ones with green thumbs, they can stroll into their yard, cut a few stems from the rose bushes, and then return indoors with a beautiful bouquet. But most of us rely on cut flowers from florists and online services. You may have noticed that all these places sell cut flowers all year round, even in severe winters. That's because most of the cut flowers are brought from warm places, and it takes many miles to reach your home. 

According to flower blog Petal Republic, the Netherlands, Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya and Ethiopia are the largest exporters of cut flowers. The United States also grows flowers; 76% of the flowers grown in the United States come from California. It is true that growing flowers and exporting them to other countries supports the local economy-but we must also strike a balance between this fact and the carbon footprint of our consumers traveling long distances in trucks or airplanes. 

Keeping all these in mind, locally grown cut flowers are the best choice for your zero waste restaurant. (If your flowers are friendly to bees, that's even better.) Look for florists that can prove that their growers don't use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Some pesticides pose a health threat to the human nervous system and other health hazards. Since 2018, the European Union has banned the use of a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids because of its role in bee colony collapse.

Keeping these steps in mind, you will be able to create the sustainable restaurant of your dreams. Check out more tips on making your home more waste-free:

LIVEKINDLY is here to help you navigate the ever-growing market for sustainable products to promote a friendlier planet. All our choices are planned by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our website, LIVEKINDLY may receive a commission.

Jessica Wakeman writes articles about health, beauty, food and sustainable living. Her work has appeared in Glamour, Rolling Stone, The Cut and DAME magazines.

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