It pays to be an eco-friendly Media business, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.
The borough rewards those businesses with a sticker, table placards and a mention in its newsletter.
Patrick Coffey and wife Rainy Culbertson, co-owners of The Corner in Media, embrace composting and use biodegradable carryout boxes.
“I’ve been cooking for a long time,” Coffey said. “And this industry is terrible for the environment — all the plastic, everything. It’s just bad.”
The Corner is one of five businesses that get the sticker, the placards and the shout-out.
The participating businesses must comply with at least five of seven sustainability practices.
- Reduce waste by recycling
- Compost or reuse
- Provide sustainable to-go packaging options
- Reduce energy consumption
- Promote sustainable transportation
- Use durable goods for on-site dining
- Conserve water, and;
- Implement proper purchasing and disposal methods.
The five that have joined up so far agree to have an inspector come around to make sure they are keeping their green practices.
This Sustainable Storefronts Initiative is Media’s most recent efforts to be more eco-friendly.
“It’s really a recognition program for businesses in the borough and it’s really to incentivize sustainability practices,” borough manager Brittany Forman said.
Find out more about the initiative since it launched in March at WHYY.
