Taking measures to become more eco-friendly is becoming more popular with local businesses, said Paige Alost, executive director of the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Alost called the county a prominent region for sustainability and said being eco-friendly is a way to tie into the spirit of Athens.
Alost added that in about a year, she hopes the bureau will receive an eco-friendly certification, which would involve recycling products, using renewable resources and focusing on energy conservation.
Other local businesses are tapping into the green spirit, too.
The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, a non-profit business development organization, created a brand called Food We Love that promotes specialty products made with organic materials by local businesses, such as Casa Nueva and Cantina and Crumb's Bakery, said Angie Cantrell, ACEnet president and CEO.
ACEnet helps local businesses to get their products into larger markets, such as Kroger, she said.
By working with groups like the Athens Farmer's Market, ACEnet helps businesses provide environmentally friendly
safer and healthier food, said Cantrell.
Casa Nueva focuses on being environmentally friendly by buying local organic foods, using compact fluorescent lights and composting leftover food, said Rex Hartman, Casa Nueva's systems and operations developer.
To increase local transactions, Casa works with the Village Bakery and local farms, including the Shade River Organic Farm, and with OU's Ecohouse for composting.
Hartman noted that businesses in Athens are becoming more aware of their effect on the environment, which he said is noticeable because Uptown bars are recycling more.
For example, The Pub at 39 N. Court St. donates appliances to ReUse Industries instead of adding to solid land waste, said The Pub's manager Tom VanDyke. ReUse, a non-profit group in Albany, refurbishes and resells donated household goods and building materials to save them from landfills.
The Pub's employees also recycle cardboard, liquor bottles and frying oil.
VanDyke, who recently was inspired to recycle during a trip to Europe, said he thinks people in the States should try (recycling) a little harder. 17
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Dianne Selden
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Source: Angie Cantrell, Cathy Wilson and Rex Hartman
ACEnet, ReUse urge eco-friendly cooperation among local stores
