Sustainable practices in managing a restaurant in São Paulo: a case study (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The demand for meals away from home has increased and generated the need to implement practices that preserve natural resources and the environment in food and nutrition units. These actions have aroused the interest and awareness of nutritionists who are willing to promote more conscious environmental actions in their work environment. This study aimed to identify sustainable practices that can be adopted by a restaurant by its nutritionist manager and suggest solutions and strategies for monitoring sustainability. This was a case study in which a survey of environmental sustainability practices was carried out through activities carried out in the restaurant from July to October in 2016, when this company unit received the challenge of identifying sustainable actions. It was possible to identify the following activities: monitoring of remaining intake, implementation of composting, replacement of individual blisters with stick butter, use of plastic lids instead of film paper, French bread cut in half, replacement of disposable dessert cups for returnable creamers, replacing disposable cups with glass ones for customers and porcelain cups for employees and the use of biodegradable detergent. It is necessary to raise awareness about environmental preservation, both on the part of managers and employees themselves, with effective actions. In the nutritionist's management, in addition to administrative activities, he must promote the management of solid waste in a manner compatible with environmental preservation in its entirety.