Los Altos, CA (October 24, 2016) – Epicurean Group CEO and founder Mary Clark Bartlett was honored with an Environmental Hero award, presented on Saturday by GreenTown Los Altos at its annual Farm-to- Table dinner. GreenTown Los Altos is a local environmental organization whose mission is to educate the public and to guide the community in making informed decisions about land, energy, water and waste issues.
Epicurean Group is a food service management company known for innovative environmental practices at its 50 restaurants and cafés at corporations, universities, schools and other clients in Northern California. Clark Bartlett was chosen for the award because of her environmental leadership, which has driven other companies in the food service business towards more sustainable choices.
“She is helping to shift the industry,” said Margie Suozzo, the GreenTown Los Altos leader who presented the award. “Mary is implementing positive changes in her business and at home, reducing waste at the source, promoting local, healthy foods, reducing water use and creating a fair and healthy work environment,” said Suozzo. “She is truly at the vanguard of building a sustainable future for our communities.”
Suozzo said Clark Bartlett used Epicurean Group’s buying power to launch GreenTown’s business co-op in 2009. The GreenTown Co-op offers 100 percent compostable packaging at highly competitive prices and helps smaller businesses shift away from extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) and plastic packaging for leftovers and take-out containers. The co-op also promotes the benefits of compostable packaging and reduces the amount of hazardous plastic and EPS trash going into landfills. Suozzo noted that Epicurean Group also has been eliminating food waste and moving its clients toward zero waste through reusable china, glasses and silverware at its many cafés and restaurants.
“I was surprised and honored to have been chosen for this award,” says Clark Bartlett. “At Epicurean Group, we’ve been focused on environmental issues like waste reduction and sustainable food since our inception. Our sustainable practices support the local community and promote a healthy environment. It’s nice to see our work recognized and to know that others are taking note of the positive impact we’re having on our food system and the environment.”