Zoo's Arctic Caf? Gets a 'Green' Light

The Arctic Café at the Detroit Zoo has distinguished itself in a way that is sure to make other restaurants around the country green with envy. The restaurant has earned a three-star rating from the Green Restaurant Association, making it one of only five restaurants in Michigan and one of only seven zoo concessions in the country to be certified green.

“We appreciate this recognition of our green practices and are proud to be one of only a handful of zoo restaurants in the country with a green certification,” said Ron Kagan, executive director and CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society.

When the Arctic Café first earned two-star green certification in 2010, it was the only zoo concession in the country to be certified by the Green Restaurant Association.

Service Systems Associates (SSA), operator of concessions and retail services for the Detroit Zoo, earned the three-star rating for environmental improvements to the Arctic Café’s operations. Some of the restaurant’s eco-friendly practices include cutlery made from potato starch and soybean oil, energy-efficient heating and cooling, touchless sensor faucets and increased recycling.

The Green Restaurant Association evaluates restaurants based on water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable food, sustainable furnishings and building materials, energy, disposables and chemical pollution reduction. To receive green certification, a restaurant must meet the minimum requirements in each category, earn a minimum of 100 points total, continue yearly education on green practices, be polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) free and have a full-scale recycling program.