Reducing the amount of water you use at your restaurant is good for business and good for the environment — and it’s becoming especially important as more states face potential or significant water shortages. As business community leaders, restaurateurs can take some easy steps to conserve. By undertaking five low-cost efforts — for usually less than $100 and a little time — you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in water costs. These best practices explain how.

1. Turn hand sinks into a fountain of savings. Don’t miss an opportunity to save thousands of gallons of hot water every year. Install low-flow aerators on your hand sinks. It’s a great place to start saving.

2. A twist on water service: Ask before pouring. Have your servers ask guests one simple question: "Would you like a glass of water?" This easy step will save water, ice and dishwashing costs.

3. Swap out old pre-rinse spray valves to save $$. Spray valves can account for nearly one-third of the water used in a typical commercial kitchen. Low-flow units are designed with a high velocity feature that ensures they work the same job as higher-pressure units.

4. Don’t be a drip: Fix leaks fast. Even a small leak can add up to hundreds of dollars of profit flushed down the drain. Remember, every drop of hot water costs you in three different ways: water in, sewer out, and water heating.

5. Cut outdoor water use. Consider the importance of your landscaping plan as you seek to update your restaurant's curb appeal and/or save water.

Make your business water-efficient. You’ll harvest the rewards and stay competitive, too.

Jeff Clark is director of the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve sustainability program.

A growing number of restaurants are tackling an issue they never thought they’d encounter: how to keep food out of the trash can.

As more restaurants work to keep materials out of the landfill, interest in “zero waste” is rising. Legislators in some areas are banning food scraps from landfills, and customers increasingly are voting with their wallets by dining out at more environmentally-friendly establishments.

Reducing food waste can seem complicated, especially in the beginning. Here are five questions to think about, and answers to lead you in the right direction.

Why is it so challenging to keep materials from going to the landfill?

Peek into any recycling bin or trash can at a restaurant and you’re likely to see a lot of “contamination” (i.e., the wrong stuff in the wrong place). Let’s face it: It’s not easy to get customers to first scrape the melted cheese off a recyclable plate and then toss each item into a different bin. That’s why it’s important to keep things simple for your customers.

So what’s a restaurant to do?

If you use disposable plates and cups, you have two options for keeping them out of the landfill: recycle or compost them. It can get complicated. Recyclers don’t want food waste because it lowers the value of materials. Composters like food waste because it can be turned into compost. So recyclers hate food scraps and composters love them. In a restaurant that offers both recycling and composting, recyclables go in one bin and food waste in another. The biggest challenge can be sorting the packaging – which bin should it go in? One solution is compostable packaging, which can go in the same bin as the leftover food. There’s no need to wrestle leftovers off a plate. Because of this, many restaurants are turning to compostable plates, utensils, containers and cups.

What does compostable packaging really mean?

Compostable packaging will break down into organic material at a commercial compost facility and turn into something useful, like compost, which is sold to local farms to improve their soil.

How do you tell if a cup or plate is compostable?

Make sure the products meet the ASTM standards for commercial composting and are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute. BPI provides third-party assurance that a product is compostable in a commercial facility within a specific time frame. If you’re using something that doesn't decompose, your customers could accuse you of “greenwashing.” More information on BPI-certified products may be found here.

Do environmentally friendly cups and plates cost more?

In a word, yes. You’ll likely spend more to make the switch. That’s especially true if you’re now using cups and plates made from foam – a relatively inexpensive material. The size of the cost increase will depend on what you’re currently using. New bins, signage and staff training also will be required. And you’ll need someone to haul your compostables away. Start with your waste and recycling haulers to learn if they offer this service. You’ll also want to make sure there’s a local composter who is able to accept your compostable materials. Here’s a good place to check: www.findacomposter.com.

The process takes some getting used to, but could be great for business.

Sarah Martinez is “Sustainability Maven” for Eco-Products, a producer of foodservice packaging made from renewable resources and post-consumer recycled content.