AMNH Food Court Earns Coveted Green Distinction

Monday, December 07 3:33 pm

Going green has put the American Museum of Natural History in a league of its own.

This month, the Museum became the only cultural institution in the U.S. with a 3-Star Certified Green Restaurant designation, a distinction awarded to the Museum’s food court by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) for environmentally-responsible practices.

The Museum Food Court is now one of only 14 foodservice establishments in the U.S. at the 3-Star level, which requires restaurants to earn a minimum of 175 points within GRA’s certification program. No restaurant has earned the 4-Star status, the highest distinction in the program.

The Museum Food Court, which is managed by Restaurant Associates, earned points in seven environmental categories including water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, and sustainable furnishings and building materials. In addition to a full-scale recycling program, the Museum Food Court’s environmentally-responsible efforts include installing compact florescent lighting, sourcing local and organic foods, and using non-toxic cleaning products.

AMNH/D. Finnin