Forde preparing his signature dish at The Lime Green Eco-Cafe & Bar.
BUS MON: From garden to kitchen
Mon, 09/12/2016 - 12:00am
The Green Lime Eco-Cafe living up to its name
By:
Krystal Penny Bowen
As the world leaders recognised the threat of global warming, pollution and scarcity of food and water resources, more businesses are opting to look towards sustainability. Today, building an eco-business is not only good for environment but also means less resources are used and more revenue is generated. Business Monday visited The Green Lime Eco-Cafe & Juice Bar to find more about this environmental conscious business.
Shawn Forde, 37 has partnered with the McGill University Bellairs Institute to open an eco-cafe. The cafe which was officially opened on October 2015 focuses on vegetarian cooking using natural resources to prepare its cuisine. Forde, a graduate of University of the West Indies and the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts said that this venture was long in the making.
“I was thinking about (eco-cafe) for about five to six years. I visited the Bellairs Institute for a presentation and they gave a tour of the grounds. When I saw the area I thought it would be ideal for (eco-cafe),” said Shawn.
The eco-cafe is mostly sustainable with its electrical power being generated from the Institute’s photovoltaic cells. Most of the interior and exterior decor of the cafe has come from “repurposed or recycled” materials like unused mahogany and pieces of utility pole, old hotel furniture. Mr. Forde grows and maintains the external kitchen garden utilising the herbs and flowers to season and flavour his dishes. Although, he would like to be 100 percent organic, Mr. Forde admitted that in some cases he would have to used items from other sources.
“Where ever possible I try to use organic foods and buy local. However, in some cases, (some of the ingredients) used come from the supermarket,” said Mr. Forde.
Another advantage to his eco-cafe is waste management. Mr. Forde explained that due to fact he uses mostly naturally grown foods for his dishes and beverages, he produces little to no waste.
He pointed to his half empty kitchen bin as an example.
“I have not had to empty that bin a few weeks. All (of the scraps) are used in the back in my compost,” said Forde.
While Forde is reaping the benefits of eco-business and the response to his eco-cafe has been encouraging, he knows that that he still has a long way to go until he is running a complete green business.