Manito Tap House makes one of “Americas Greenest Restaurant” list
Props to Manito Tap House for being named one of the most environmentally responsible eateries in the country in the Daily Meal's “America’s Greenest Restaurants of 2014.”
This is the second time Manito Tap House has made the annual list, and the third year it has earned four stars – the highest possible rating – from the Green Restaurant Association. With a mission to create an environmentally sustainable restaurant industry, the non-profit GRA certifies restaurants and food service operations based on seven categories – water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable furnishings and building materials, sustainable food, energy, disposables and chemical and pollution reduction.
Manito Tap House’s four-star rating began with how it was built. Opened in 2011, reclaimed barn wood from Reardan, WA lines the pub’s walls, and the paint used contains zero volatile organic compounds. The bar and dining room are lit with both LED and compact fluorescent lighting and the restroom counters are made from recycled paper.
It ranked high for responsible energy use, with the GRA citing everything from its Energy Star kitchen appliances, occupancy sensors in the restrooms to energy-friendly office equipment. Other areas of note were water conservation, waste reduction practices and limited use of disposable materials. The pub’s cleaning products and hand soaps are eco-friendly, and additional points were scored because it’s located within ¼ mile of a bus line.
The environmental friendliness extends to the menu with vegan and vegetarian dishes being offered and everything is prepared in-house.
“We use as many organic, sustainable ingredients as we can, and try to focus on free range, cage-free and natural meats, meaning no-hormones and no-antibiotics whenever possible.” McPherson extends his environmental practices beyond the establishment’s doors. A supporter of the cycling community, he offers a bike rack and bike pump out front. As members of bicyclebenefits.org, guests can save 10% on food purchases when they buy a bicyclebenefits.org sticker there.
It's no small feat since the closest four-star green establishments to Manito Tap House are in Omaha, Colorado Springs, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and on the campus of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
