Businesses that CARE: Case Studies
the knack
1120 Route 132, Hyannis, MA and 5 Route 6A, Orleans, MA
774 810 7847
www.theknackcapecod.com
What motivated your business to adopt eco-friendly practices or develop sustainable product lines?
We are fully aware that our restaurants, and the decisions made by make, have an impact on our environment. We have focused on looking at our business with an eye towards minimizing the negative impacts to our environment and the creating a more sustainable business.
What specific operational changes have you made to reduce your business’s environmental footprint? These could fall in the category of energy use, waste management, and/or water conservation.
One step we took was to add a solar array to the knack in hyannis to reduce our carbon footprint. We also made sure during construction that we installed the most energy efficient appliances and HVAC system available and that we insulated the building as well as possible to increase efficiency. From an operational standpoint, we have always focused on minimizing the packaging used to serve our food. This means that every food item comes on a small paper boat, and that our takeout packaging is also made of paper. Several years ago, we moved away from plastic where possible, so our shake cups, straws, slaw containers, and ketchup containers are either fiber or compostable, plant based plastics.
How do you communicate your sustainability efforts to customers and the broader Cape Cod community?
We have highlighted our efforts in social media posts and in conversations with our customers.
What measurable impacts have your sustainability efforts had on your business and the environment? Such as Initial investment, Payback Period, Annual Savings, Waste Reduction.
Our solar panels have reduced our annual electricity costs by about $5,000 per year. We should recoup our initial investment within 6 years. The compostable containers do cost more than oil based plastics, but we believe the reduction in emissions associated with plant based plastics are worth the extra cost.
Have you faced any challenges in implementing sustainable practices, and how have you overcome them?
It is always a challenge when you increase your costs in a low-margin competitive business such as a restaurant. But we feel sometimes you have to make the decision and then figure out how to make it work from a business standpoint.
Can you share any success stories or significant achievements related to your eco-friendly practices?
We feel like we have made strides as a business, but we are also aware that is more that we can and should do as a business and as a community.
Are there any additional innovative practices or technologies you are considering adopting?
We would like to examine our waste management to determine if we can implement commercial composting in our business to help reduce the amount of waste we produce.
What advice would you give to other businesses looking to become more eco-friendly?
Be aware of what others are doing and don’t be shy about asking other businesses about their sustainability efforts.