TIES THAT MATTER

My dear friend started a fabulous business recycling ties and employing refugees to make cool totes and pillows. I think this is a wonderful company! Check it out:

Ties That Mater is an Atlanta based company that uses recycled neckties to make tote, travel and computer bags. They train refugee and near homeless women to do the sewing, thus creating jobs for people in need. In addition, they donate proceeds to support services for the homeless.

Finding people to donate neckties is critical to making this work. If you know companies that are willing to sponsor a "Toss Your Tie" campaign, please reach out to Laura.

Ties That Matter will provide posters and flyers and collection bins and will pick up the collected ties. In addition, they will come to any group and talk about what we do and our passion for combining our environmental and social causes.

If you want to take part, contact Laura.

ATLANTA'S FIRST LEED CERTIFIED RESTAURANT: PIZZA FUSION

As we all know, restaurants are top consumers of electricity and top producers of waste. That is why it is SO EXCITING when a restaurant takes initiative to become more energy efficient, like Pizza Fusion-Atlanta did with their recent LEED Certification.

If you haven't visited the Atlanta location, I recommend checking it out. In addition to organic food, the restaurant features numerous sustainable features like very cool tables made from reclaimed wood, beautiful countertops made from recycled glass and concrete, insulation made from recycled jeans, low voltage, low heat lighting and more.

This marks the fifth Pizza Fusion location nationally to receive LEED certification and it's the first LEED certified restaurant for Atlanta. Way to go!

ALFI FRUIT TREE SALE!!

Growing your own food can be fun and decorative.
Join the Atlanta Local Food Initiative
in promoting edible landscapes.
This Saturday the first annual fruit tree sale will happen at the Atlanta Community Foodbank.

This event features 32 varieties of fruit trees, berry bushes and vines that are adaptable to our local landscape and climate. To see more details including a link to all of the available varieties, click here.

DOUBLETREE HOTEL CONSERVES WATER & SAVES $$

In July the Doubletree Hotel ~ Atlanta Buckhead invested in a plumbing project to recycle their refrigeration compressor cooling water. The under $9,000 investment paid back in two weeks from reduced water bills! By year end, the Doubletree estimates the project will save 1 million gallons of water.

Previously this water-cooled system sent the used water down the drain. Always striving to improve environmental efficiencies, General Manager David Rossman and his team installed a dedicated re-circulation loop for the walk-in coolers which streamed the water back into the existing cooling tower.

In addition, the City of Atlanta is crediting the hotel 2.3 cents for every gallon of water that is safely reused! What a way to reduce the burden on the fragile water and sewer system in our city.

Check out these impresssive ROI numbers:

In the first three months since the work was completed, the Doubletree Atlanta-Buckhead saved 695,334 gallons of water and $15,993 in water/sewer expense.


Average Reduction:

August '07/'08: 222 gallons
August '09: 192 gallons

September '07/'08: 202 gallons
Septemper '09: 128 gallons

October '07/'08: 184 gallons
October '08: 140 gallons

Average '07/'08: 202 gallons
Average '09: 151 gallons

Average savings of 51 gallons of water per occupied room monthly!

NBC FEATURES GOT GREEN KITS

Jerry Thomas, CEO & Founder of Got Green Kits and Enviroclean USA, had his live television debut November 15 on NBC’s Atlanta Today Show. As a GFA member, Jerry serves on the Cleaning & Pest Control Committee, and is a strong contributor to creating practices for a toxic-free foodservice establishment.

GFA HONORED WITH GRACE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

On November 15 Holly Elmore, GFA founder and Executive Director, received the Innovator of the Year Award at the 2009 GRACE Awards. Chris Coan with Gas South, a GFA Sapling Sponsor, presented the award at the sold-out gala. What a tremendous honor!

In her acceptance speech, Holly thanked Ron Wolf, Georgia Restaurant Association CEO, for his vision and support to recognized the GFA as an affiliate of the GRA effective August, 2008. Click here for the acceptance speech video and to hear about the others who contributed to the GFA's success. ('Enter Site' and click video 1.)

Restaurant Forum magazine dedicates its entire November issue to the GRACE Awards, with a page discussing to the Innovator of the Year.

The best part of the award is the current GFA projects are the low-hanging fruit and we are only beginning our journey … Stay Tuned!!

LEN FOOTE HIKE INN GOES GREENER WITH SOLAR PANELS

Assessable via a five-mile mountain trail from the top of Amicalola Fall in North Georgia, Len Foote Inn has always used sustainable practices. This summer the Inn partnered with GFA member Soenso Energy to include a solar panel on the roof. Now hikers take hot showers with solar-heated water at the end of a long day!

In addition to the solar panels, (pictured right), Len Foote Hike Inn has composting toilets and worm beds for left over food.

Walk your talk ~ travel to North Georgia and hike into Len Foote Hike Inn for a sustainable way to enjoy the fall color season.