Watch Out: It's KILLER!!

The 2009 Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival lived up to its name and was KILLER! What a fabulous way to spend a summer afternoon ~ enjoying an amazing array of tomato concoctions by Atlanta's top culinary talent. The creative vodka drinks were especially tasty!

Here is the official copy:

ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATO FESTIVAL

Join us on Sunday, August 8 from 1pm to 5pm at JCT. Kitchen and Bar where over 30 of the best chefs and mixologists in the south will team up with a selection of fabulous local tomato farmers to produce an afternoon of tomato-inspired dishes and cocktails. High-profile judges including Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appétit and Restaurant Editor Kate Krader of Food + Wine will be choosing the best dish and best beverage. Festivities will also include live entertainment by the Spazmatics. Who will be crowned the Tomato Queen/King in 2010? Join us to find out! Top Tomato, Ford Fry, owner and executive chef of JCT. Kitchen & Bar, is heading up the celebration and turning his restaurant into a tomato sanctuary that will also span the upstairs bar and outdoor courtyard area. All proceeds benefit Georgia Organics, a non-profit working to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians.

JCT. Kitchen and Bar is located at 1198 Howell Mill Rd, Suite 18 Atlanta, GA 30318

Tickets are $45/person for members of Georgia Organics, $50 General Public until August 1st. After August 1st, all tickets $65.

Tickets can be purchased on the Georgia Organics site or at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Saturdays in July.

A Helping Hand for Sustainable Efforts

What is a business to do when they are ready to embrace sustainability initiatives yet have no idea where to begin? The GA Department of Natural Resources Sustainability Division is ready, willing and able to assist for FREE(!). Support comes in the form of the Division's staff and their mentor program of companies with successful environmental practices. Along with personalized assistance, the Division provides educational and networking opportunities throughout the year.

Note the Division was instrumental in the Zero Waste Zone launch and remains a foundational support system for the program.

To join the program, click here. This is copy from the Sustainability Division website:

The Sustainability Division provides free and confidential environmental assistance to business in pollution prevention, waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, and sustainability. We...

• Are a non-regulatory division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
  
  
• Promote and recognize environmental leadership and performance through the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia.
  
  
• Work with any business with any type of waste or resource issue, including air, water, wastewater, and solid waste.
  
  
• Provide networking opportunities with regulatory and industry leaders to share ideas and craft solutions.
  
  
• Foster environmental leadership and seek to establish a conservation ethic in Georgia.

We are proud to support Conserve Georgia and provide all Georgia organizations with resources to help them create a culture of conservation.

The Power of POWER

POWER = Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling

Last fall the Green Foodservice Alliance hosted the first two POWER meetings to great enthusiasm with attendees flying in from around the country to participant in education and lively dialogue surrounding the highest good use of perishable organics. The crowd was a solid mix of private enterprise, non-profits and government, local, state & federal.

With the formation of Elemental Impact in early 2010, POWER moved under the Ei umbrella to develop the structure and a foundation to take POWER into ACTION. One of the first steps was to form the POWER Steering Committee that meets on a regular basis to give direction to our focus. Subcommittees, such as the Technical Committee, create and oversee projects.

At the first Steering Committee meeting, the following POWER Mission was established:

To explore and evaluate the highest good collection, recycling and use of perishable organics and make recommendations for deployment of economically viable projects within a defined geographic area.

To learn more about POWER, view prior meeting notes and download presenter PPT presentations, visit the POWER page of the Elemental Impact website.

We are on an important journey of redefining the highest good uses for perishable organics. If you would like to join the journey or keep informed of our adventures, please send your contact information to Holly Elmore at holly@elementalimpact.org to be included on the POWER distribution list.

Remember we are just beginning … Stay Tuned for Important Action Alerts!

Introducing THE IMPACTORS

In the June Ei newsletter, The Impactors will be officially announced and included as a monthly feature.

The Impactors are companies, organizations or individuals who excel in their sustainability practices and blaze the trails for others to follow. Their efforts and work are important to our civilization and the ability for humans to thrive on the Earth. As consumers we can cast our votes of support with our purchasing dollars and communicating their exemplary performance on personal blogs, websites, social networks and other communication tools.

For a sneak preview, visit The Impactor page and learn why FreshPoint and Sodexo are honored for their sustainability achievements.

Local Restaurants Quit the Plastic Habit

One of Atlanta's local Heroes, Polly Sattler of GreenPlate, wrote a great article on intown restaurants forging the path with sustainable practices. GreenPlate, founded in 2008 by Polly, highlights single-use petroleum-based plastics issues and finds opportunities for replacement, reduction, and recycling. Restaurants are a key focus area for GreenPlate's education initiatives.

In the monthly GreenPlate newsletter, Polly features a local green hero ~ it is time we give Polly a salute for her heroic sustainable efforts for Atlanta and the Earth. Thank you Polly!

US Foodservice Walks their Talk

Ei sponsor, US Foodservice, continues its strides in “walking the talk” through their participation in the Green Portfolio program. In 2009, US Foodservice’s Atlanta region converted its entire delivery fleet to biodiesel. Go to the December 01, 2009 post on the ZWZ Blog for additional details.

The article on the Environmental Defense Fund site lists impressive 2009 and 2010 stats against a 2007 baseline for US Foodservices’ actions in fleet management, facility efficiencies among other areas.

Here is the beginning of the article:

U.S. Foodservice, one of America’s premier foodservice distributors, was one of the first in the KKR portfolio to join the Green Portfolio Program in 2008, helping to design and pilot the framework.

U.S. Foodservice has more than 25,000 employees in over 60 locations nationwide and operates one of the largest private trucking fleets in the country.

The company strives to reduce the environmental impact of its operations by continually investing in infrastructure, technology and protocols that help eliminate vehicle emissions and increase energy efficiency at its distribution centers.

To read the entire article and see the actual stats and learn how the USFS Team exercises its commitment to sustainability, click here. Ei is proud to include USFS as one of our charter sponsors.

Sodexo serves-up Sustainability

Sodexo issued the below press release to recognize the college campuses serviced by Sodexo listed on the Green Honor Roll from the Princeton Review's second annual Green Rating.

Go Jackets!! Check out below where Georgia Tech received a perfect score. Note diverting food residuals for composting was the first item listed in the below announcement. Stay tuned for the launch of ZWZ~Westside where GA Tech will most likely be a charter participant.

In the Atlanta market Sodexo provides dining services for the following educational institutions: Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia State University, Emory University, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech.

An early supporter of foodservice sustainability, Sodexo was a founding member of the Green Foodservice Alliance, the original home of Zero Waste Zones, through Emory Dining Services.

Here goes the formal info on Sodexo's recognition for their stellar performance in implementing sustainable practices at college campuses ...

Sodexo Helps Clients Earn Sustainability Distinction

Green Honor Roll gives high marks for Sodexo-served campuses

Three campuses served by Sodexo earned a coveted top rating of 99 on The Princeton Review’s Second Annual Green Rating, which evaluates colleges and universities on their environmentally-related policies, practices and academic offerings. Nearly one third of the campuses noted for their successful sustainability programs in the The Princeton Review's Guide to 286 Green Colleges, which was produced in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, are served by Sodexo.

“Sustainability is a strategic initiative for many of our campus clients so we work hard to deliver solutions that reduce waste, carbon emissions and source and serve locally-grown products,” said Tom Post, Sodexo president of campus services. “Today’s students want sustainable campus communities and we help deliver, knowing it helps our clients attract and retain students.”

Sodexo, through its contracted foodservice and facilities management, contributed to the following campuses earning green distinction, including Binghamton University, Colorado College, and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).

Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga., launched a program that diverted 146 tons of food waste from local landfills through composting efforts this year, which moved Georgia Tech much closer to being waste neutral. Sodexo purchased more than $100,000 in local produce this year. GT Dining, the main resident dining hall, began to implement the results of an extensive energy audit. The audit included replacing older equipment with energy-efficient equipment and creating an energy plan to raise awareness and significantly reduce energy consumption. Sodexo is working with Georgia Tech administration, faculty, staff, vendors and students to set priorities to continue to reduce carbon emissions within food services by 26 percent.