The Cask Café Virginia Green Profile
Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally friendly practices in all aspects of Virginia’s tourism industry. Virginia Green has established “core activities” specific to each sector of tourism, and these practices are considered the required minimum for participation in the program. However, Virginia Green encourages its participants to reduce their environmental impacts in all aspects of their operations.
Joining Virginia Green was natural for us with our commitment to the environment by sourcing as much of our menu, and our facility, as we can locally. All of our meats, breads, coffee and cheeses — and many of our beers and wines — are locally sourced.
This profile provides a full list of all of our “green” activities. These are the activities that guests/customers can expect to find when they visit our facility.
Virginia Green Activities
We pledge that we:
Minimize the use of disposable food service items
- Use disposable containers that are recyclable
- Other Activities: Don’t use any polystyrene and reuse grocery shopping bags for take out.
Recycle and Reduce Waste
- Glass (required for Virginia Green)
- Aluminum Cans
- Steel Cans
- Plastic
- Newspaper
- Office Paper
- Cardboard
- Batteries
- Track overall waste bills
- Have an effective food inventory control to minimize waste
- Purchase locally grown produce and other foods
- Purchase organic and/or ‘sustainably-grown’ foods
- Use reusable dishware and glassware & minimize use of disposables
- Use non-bleached napkins and coffee filters
- Provide condiments, cream and sugar, etc. in bulk
- Use water pitchers and filtered water to minimize the use of single-use bottles
- Use screen based ordering systems
- Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms
- Purchase recycled content paper towels and toilet paper
- Encourage suppliers to minimize packaging and other waste materials
- Use electronic correspondence and forms
- Purchase durable equipment and furniture
- Purchase low-VOC carpets and fabrics
- Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources
- Use latex paints that are low-VOC
- Re-use paint thinners
- Properly recycle and/or disposal of thinners and solvents (required by law)
- Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles
- Use less toxic materials
- Use ‘integrated pest management’ (IPM)
- Other Activities: We restored the originial floors and ceiling, and the bar and tables were made from reclaimed wood.
Use Water Efficiently
- Track overall water usage and wastewater
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks
- Have high efficiency dishwashers
- Other Activities: Serve water only upon request.
Conserve Energy
- Track overall energy bills
- Use high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and in canned lighting
- Use LED Exit Signs
- Use high efficiency compact flourescent ballasts and lamps (T-5s & T-8s)
- Have a high efficiency heating & air conditioning (HVAC) system
- Use natural lighting
Source of energy
- Purchase ENERGY STAR computers, appliances, etc.
- Have ENERGY STAR qualified windows and doors
Virginia Green is a partnership supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.