Joining the ranks of less than 10 other eateries in the state, an Ohio University restaurant has received a designation that makes the environment smile.
The Atrium Café, located in Grover Center, has received a “green” certification for its environmentally conscious practices from the Green Restaurant Association which recognized environmentally friendly restaurants nationwide, according to an OU news release.
Students from the College of Health Sciences and Professions learn about sustainable food-service management while working at the café and serving the public.
“The truth is that our diets have a huge impact on the environment,” said Fran McFadden, Atrium Café’s chef, general manager and an assistant professor in CHSP’s Food and Nutrition Sciences program, in the release. “So changing the way that we eat can go a long way to reducing your carbon footprint and make us more sustainable. Many restaurants have made positive changes, but we wanted to make a full commitment. You can’t have majors like Culinary and Environmental Nutrition and go half the distance.”
Only eight restaurants in Ohio have earned this certification, and OU’s café is the only one south of Columbus to receive it.
“Our café has always been about best practices,” McFadden said. “This is just another measure of Athens culture and how it supports sustainability.”
dd195710@ohiou.edu
