Green

Green before Green was in!

North Carolina farms and Produce sources

Bunce Bothers Farms, Stedman, NC – Roma Tomatoes
Scott Farm, Benson, NC – Sweet Potatoes
Mount Olive, NC – Pickles
Hendersonville, NC – Apples
Farside Farm, Alexander, NC – Cage free eggs
Ashely Farms, Winston Salem, NC – Chicken meat
Milko Farms, Asheville, NC – Milk and Buttermilk
Celebrity Farms, Siler City, NC – Goat Cheese
Lindley Mills, Graham, NC – Flour
Old Mill of Guilford, Oak Ridge, NC – Stone Ground Grits
Low Country Seafood, Varnville, SC – Seafood and Fish

The Irregardless Cafe and Catering was presented the “2012 Green Plus Small Business of the Year Award” on April 12, 2012 by the Institute of Sustainable Development . John Kinneer, VP at Wells Fargo presented this award on behalf of the Institute of Sustainable Development.

Irregardless Cafe & Catering was awarded the prestigious 'Smith Seal of North Carolina Sustainable Business Award' at the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce 27th Annual Pinnacle Business Award on May 3rd.

Irregardless Cafe awarded the City of Raleigh's2010 EnvironmentalAward in the "MarketTransformation" category

Arthur Gordon, owner/chef, Irregardless Cafe, with Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker

Arthur Gordon, Chef/Owner, wins 'Green Business Leader of the Year' Award from the Triangle Business Journal 2009

Farm to Fork Picnic, May 2010 - article in Durham Herald Sun

Since opening in 1975, the Irregardless Café has been a leader in Environmental Sustainable Practices:

Building:
- Was built with recycled materials
- Original furniture recycled
- After the 1994 fire, designed new building to recycle original materials
- Solar thermal panels to heat water needed to operate the business

Recycling: performed before mandated by the city
- Cardboard & office paper
- Glass: wine & beer bottles
- Metal: food & beverage cans
- Plastic: beverage, food & cleaning product containers
Ink & toner cartridges
- Composting of some of the kitchen’s organic waste

Save on Pollution by:
- Purchasing bulk & reduced packaging
- Use concentrated & reusable products
- Use biodegradable, post consumer recycled, and chlorine free disposable paper products
- Grease Trap

Organic & Local Food:
- Shop at local farmers market
- Use organic produce when ever available
- Herb garden next to kitchen
- Bread and dessert flour from Lindley Mills in Graham NC, since 1975

- Vegetarian & Vegan menu since it opened in 1975.Additional proteins: seafood, poultry, beef & lamb added to menu over the years.
- Meat & dairy products are free of antibiotics, added hormones and other drugs, whenever possible
- Fish & Seafood eco-friendly and healthy to eat
- Coffee organic, fair-traded and shade grown

Energy & Water:
- Energy efficient appliances
- Proper maintenance of appliances to keep energy costs down

- Water conservation – toilets and dish washing units
- Solar thermal panels to heat water needed to operate the business

Community Support
- Founding member of the Interfaith Food Shuttle – supporting restaurants
- Regular donor to homeless shelters

Irregardless Cafe caters sustainably

Sustainable Receptions

May 2009 Farm to Fork Summit on creating a Sustainable Food Economy CEFS

April 2009 City of Raleigh Enviromental Awards

April 2009 Planet Earth Celebration on Earth Day

Sept 2008 Judy Wicks of the White Dog Cafe, Philadelphia CEFS

Nov 2007 Anna Lappe, co author with Frances Moore Lappe CEFS