Support a local zero waste business
Zero Waste Trailblazers have demonstrated excellence in their efforts to reduce waste going to landfill. Most recently, Nourish Bistro and Botega Salon were awarded Trailblazer status. Check out BanffZeroWasteTrail.ca to learn which local businesses have been named Trailblazers!
Interview with Nourish Bistro
We caught up with Alex Boston of Nourish Bistro to hear about why zero waste is important to him as a restaurant owner in Banff National Park:
TOB: What motivates you to be a zero waste business?
NOURISH: We recognize that the earth is under immense strain right now from land and water usage to air quality and energy consumption. Waste disposal uses all of those elements so we identified that as an area where we can really make an impact.
TOB: What do you still find challenging when it comes to zero waste?
NOURISH: Producer packaging is still our biggest concern. Unfortunately, we have limited say when it comes to items being individually wrapped in plastic etc. We do recycle basically everything but even that requires energy, water, land etc.
TOB: What are you most proud of when it comes to your zero waste initiatives?
NOURISH: Our minimal food scraps program has really cut our organic waste output. It works in two ways. We try to get the maximum use out of all parts of a product. For example. When we juice citrus for the bar, we also take the remaining pulp and husks and dehydrate them for use in desserts.
As well our service revolves around a family or sharing style atmosphere. Our servers help guests tailor their meals so they can try the maximum amount of dishes while having minimal “leftovers.” Anything that is leftover can always be taken home in our compostable containers for later consumption with minimal waste.
TOB: What would be your number 1 tip for other businesses (or residents) in Banff?
NOURISH: Pick a goal and start small. It’s not as daunting a task as it may seem. And remember that recycling is great, but we also need to remember to reduce and reuse as well. Pretty sure Captain Planet taught me that haha.
Reserve a table at Nourish
Make an appointment at Botega