Montgomery County wants to grow its roster of certified green businesses by offering money to restaurants going through the process.
The county’s Department of Economic Development announced it will provide one-time subsidies for 50 percent of the cost of restaurant certification (up to $1,000). Restaurants would be responsible for ongoing fees in order to maintain that certification, which could come from third-party programs such as B Lab, the Green Restaurant Association, Green America and Green Seal.
“Energy and water are a large part of a restaurant’s overhead and we’re interested in helping them cut costs,” said Sally Sternbach, acting director of the County’s Department of Economic Development, in an announcement. “We also want to position them to take advantage of an increasingly growing base of environmentally conscious diners.”
Last year, a group led by Chef Tony’s owner Tony Marciante started GRAB (the Green Restaurant Association of Bethesda). Marciante said the goal was to provide low-cost, low-stress ideas for small restaurants that may not have the resources to tinker with more efficient kitchen equipment, LED lighting or composting.
DED will provide the one-time subsidy to the first 40 restaurants that get certified.
The county’s Department of Environmental Protection is also expanding the roster of companies in its Green Business Certification Program.
The expanded list includes those already qualified for third-party certifications in the restaurant, cleaning company, hotel and home-based business fields.
Eight local businesses are on the list, including Chevy Chase-based junk removal service Junk in the Trunk, Bethesda pharmacy Village Green Apothecary and green-focused travel agency Green Earth Travel.
