Green Cafe Webinars

GCN is proud to have partnered with Barista Exchange for the first online resource dedicated to helping cafe staff, managers and owners green their cafe operations!

Our next webinar is:  Eco-friendly Purchasing: What’s Worth the Extra Cost and What’s Not

When: TBD Fall, 2011

Description:
These days there are hundreds of eco-friendly products on the market for coffeehouses – from compostable cups to green cleaning products. This workshop will shed insight into what products make the most difference for the environment, and what products are usually not worth paying more for. Examples will be shared regarding take-away products, cleaning products, organics and more. Learn how other green cafes have balanced their commitment to sustainability with maintaining their bottom line.

Webinars are free of charge and registration is required.  Check back here for registration link.

The Green Cafe Webinar Series:
These webinars are designed especially for busy cafe owners, managers and baristas – who want to make a difference – but often lack the time, information or resources to take action in their retail operations. Each webinar addresses key topics in saving energy, water, waste and reducing a cafe’s overall impact – with inspiring examples from successful green cafes. Participants learn actions they can take immediately on the job, helping to create a culture of environmental and social responsibility among their staff, customers and community.

Webinar Format:
Each webinar includes a 30 minute presentation followed by 15 minutes for Q & A and is facilitated by Kirstin Henninger, Director of Green Café Network with guest speakers in specific topic areas.

The Importance of Greening Cafes:
The U.S. has over 20,000 coffee shops, and in each of these retail spaces there is an incredible opportunity to help reduce the specialty coffee industry’s collective environmental impacts. Considering Americans are ex- pected to use 23 billion paper cups this year and restaurants are the #1 consumer of electricity in the retail sector, cafes are directly responsible for huge amounts of waste, energy use and water consumption in our communities every day. By working together and sharing resources, the coffeehouse community can minimize these impacts and green their industry – from the bottom up.

PAST WEBINARS

Webinar 1: The Green Top 10
Description: This workshop is a basic introduction to the quick and easy steps you can take to reduce the environmental impacts of your retail space and even save money in the process. Tips on easy ways to save energy, water and waste will be covered, as well as advice on purchasing practices that can reduce your café’s carbon footprint without breaking the bank.

Webinar 2: The Zero Waste Café: Cut Waste and Costs by Reducing your Café’s Waste
Sponsor: Greenhome.com
Description: Did you know that in certain cities, up to 95% of a café’s waste can be diverted from the landfill? Regardless of your location, there are dozens of steps your can take to reduce waste in your café, and often save money in the process. Learn how to measure your café’s ‘diversion rate,’ and how your purchasing practices can make a huge difference in your waste stream. See great examples from other “zero waste cafes” and get your questions answered about the best options for your café’s situation.

Webinar 3: Greening Your Routine: Easy Daily Steps to Greening Your Café
Sponsor: Urnex Brands, Inc. / Full Circle
Description: This workshop focuses on practical skills to green your cafe that can be implemented on the job – right now! While some steps to greening a business involve installing new lights, fixtures, etc. – we present everyday routine actions that staff can take, which add up to make significant reductions in energy, water and waste. Learn how to engage staff in understanding the environmental impacts of the cafe & restaurant industry, and promote a meaningful connection between cafe work and environmental stewardship.

About the Organizers
Green Cafe Network and Barista Exchange are proud to provide this unique educational opportunity for the specialty coffee community. Green Cafe Network (GCN) has been leading hands-on workshops for cafes since 2008 and is excited to spread our expertise to a broader audience, thanks to the great online network created by Barista Exchange. GCN is the only non-profit organization dedicated to greening the coffeehouse industry and harnessing cafe culture for environmental education and action.

Are you interested in sponsoring or participating in a webinar?  In addition to the webinars described above, we can develop customized workshops or webinars especially for your business and staff.  Simply contact us at info(at)greencafenetwork(dot)org for details.