Bartaco Reduces Carbon Footprint by 11,000 Metric Tons

Bartaco, the coastal restaurant brand currently operating 21 locations in 11 states, has partnered with Green Places to accelerate efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Green Places has conducted a comprehensive carbon assessment of bartaco’s operations, purchased 11,000 metric tons of carbon offsets to neutralize the effects, and is building a longer-term sustainability plan to help the chain further limit its carbon impact.

Offsetting 11,000 metric tons of carbon is the equivalent of permanently removing 2,392 vehicles from the road, saving 146 tanker trucks worth of gasoline, or providing electricity to 1,998 homes for one year. Green Places met that goal for bartaco by investing in verified carbon-negative projects such as tree planting, renewable energy, and carbon sequestration.

That initiative and others recommended by the Green Places team will extend bartaco’s existing sustainability efforts, which include the use of energy-efficient LED lighting and reclaimed wood in all locations as well as the use of bamboo utensils, compostable bowls, and biodegradable chip bags for takeout orders.

“We have adopted a number of policies to reduce our environmental footprint, but we are proud to work with Green Places to help scale our efforts,” says Scott Lawton, cofounder of bartaco. “Offsetting the greenhouse gases we generate through Green Places’ offset purchase program is an important building block in what we expect to be a much broader plan to put our company on a green path.”

Adding bartaco to the customer roster is particularly significant for Green Places founder and CEO Alex Lassiter, who previously cofounded hospitality software company Gather to help restaurants and venues grow their private events and catering business. Having built that company to more than 10,000 customers before leaving it two years ago, he recognized that restaurant operators need simple solutions to participate in the fight against global warming.

“Green Places has attracted a diverse set of customers since we launched three months ago—hitting our one-year target in our first quarter—because businesses are increasingly searching for assistance in addressing climate change,” Lassiter says. “Bartaco is one of our first customers in the foodservice industry, but smaller restaurant groups like Boston-based Puritan & Co., The Lexington and Café Beatrice have also signed on, and we fully expect to build a large footprint in the industry as we grow.” 

Every Green Places customer shares their sustainability efforts and progress with customers, employees, prospective hires, and other businesses through a dedicated page on the Green Places website. Green Places helps businesses fight climate change by providing simple, turnkey solutions to both offset and reduce their carbon footprint. The company serves as a sustainability manager for businesses that lack dedicated in-house resources, developing sustainability plans tailored to each customer and utilizing science-backed solutions that help customers reach their sustainability goals.