"When most people go on a diet," says Tim
Stein, director of food and beverage for Greenwood Village,
Colo.-based restaurant/lodge operator Xanterra Parks & Resorts,
“they usually choose low-cal, low-carb or low-fat options.” Stein,
however, kept a more global health issue in mind in designing
Xanterra’s new menus: making the lowest possible impact on Earth’s
finite resources. Following are some take-home points:
" Take the fish less ordered. Endangered fish
populations make for a vulnerable ecosystem. In a helpful spirit,
Xanterra forgoes the popular, but dwindling, Atlantic salmon and
selects its wild Alaska counterpart.
" Watch the buffet. “The amount of uneaten
food can be incredible,” says Stein. If dining at a buffet affair,
“take only what you think you can eat.”
" Buy in bulk. Since bulk packaging reduces
waste, a trip to Costco can save your planet and budget alike.
" Buy local. Menus with locally grown foods
aren’t just chic; they cut down on carbon monoxide emissions in the
transit process.