Sustainability
Legacy Green began in 2014 with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of our business and investing in diverse sustainability programs to foster environmental awareness and improvement.
We saw a need in our community for more sustainable and environmentally conscious practices, so we dedicated ourselves to filling that gap.
Our program aims to:
- Eliminate all Styrofoam plastic possible from our practices
- Recycling as much leftover material as we can
- Composting all organic non-recoverable
- Training all employees in sustainable practices
- Sourcing our ingredients from local and organic farms
- Donating left-over food to Second Helpings Atlanta
- Donating old newspapers to PAWS Atlanta Animal Rescue Shelter
- Promote sustainable eating habits by proving plant-based menus
The hospitality industry, and in particular event caterers and producers, is a top contributor to landfill waste and consumes an enormous number of resources each year. We’ve dedicated ourselves to using less and being more thoughtful and aware of our consumption and waste.
So far, we’ve diverted more than 2.4 million pounds of recyclable materials away from landfills – that adds up to more than 200,000 pounds per year and more than 4,000 pounds per week!
On average Affairs to Remember donates 500 pounds of food monthly -- equivalent to providing approximately 417 nutritious meals for distribution to our community.
Here are some more ways that we’re working towards becoming a more sustainable company:
In the Kitchen
- Recycling spent cooking oil into bio-diesel fuel
- Company-wide recycling program
- Composting food leftovers from events
- Glass recycling
- Designing sustainable menus
- Serving locally produced, fair-trade, USDA organic coffee from Beanealogy
In Our Facility
- Motion-activated office lights
- Low-flow restroom toilets and sinks
- Low-flow kitchen spray hoses and valves
- Energy-saving cooking and HVAC systems
- LED bulbs throughout the building
- Certified CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pick-up location
- Reduced landfill waste by 83% since 2009
History of Legacy Green
After three decades of hard work, beautiful events, and delicious food we had an awakening. The city of Atlanta had given us so much to be grateful for. We had a deep appreciation for our home and realized the best way to show it was to give back. And so, we started giving back to all the people, places, and organizations that had come to mean so much to us over the years - the Legacy Program was born!
Split into two parts, the Legacy Giving branch of our Legacy Program focuses on working with local charities, non-profit organizations, and faith organizations to promote or sponsor donation events. The Legacy Green branch focuses on implementing, building, and maintaining sustainable and eco-friendly practices and supporting local community efforts towards sustainability.
When you chose us as your caterer or full event producer, you directly help your local community thrive and become a better, greener place to live. It’s our way of thanking you for giving us the opportunity to create unforgettable events.
Split into two parts, the Legacy Giving branch of our Legacy Program focuses on working with local charities, non-profit organizations, and faith organizations to promote or sponsor donation events. The Legacy Green branch focuses on implementing, building, and maintaining sustainable and eco-friendly practices and supporting local community efforts towards sustainability.
When you chose us as your caterer or full event producer, you directly help your local community thrive and become a better, greener place to live. It’s our way of thanking you for giving us the opportunity to create unforgettable events.
Atlanta’s Most Sustainable Caterer
With nearly a decade of sustainable efforts, our commitment to being a Zero Waste Zone, and our efforts to meet the highest bar of sustainable practices, we feel confident in giving ourselves the title of “Atlanta’s Most Sustainable Caterer.”
Some of the venues and businesses most dedicated to sustainable practices that we have partnered with include:
Some of the venues and businesses most dedicated to sustainable practices that we have partnered with include:
- Emory University
- The Kendeda Building
- Southface Institution
- Equifax
- Chattahoochee River Keepers
- GA Water Collation
Dedication to Plant-Based Eating
Those who choose to follow a plant-based diet often chose to do so for a variety of reasons.One of the reasons we promote plant-based eating is its environmental benefits such as reducing greenhouse gases, conserving water, and reducing pollution.
- Plant based diet produces 49.6 % fewer greenhouse gas emissions than omnivorous diets
- Nearly half of the water consumption in the United States goes toward raising livestock
- A plant-based diet requires 26.9 % less energy for food production
- Plant based diet land occupation is 41.5 % smaller than the land occupation needed to for livestock
In Our Facility
- Motion-activated office lights
- Low-flow restroom toilets and sinks
- Low-flow kitchen spray hoses and valves
- Energy-saving cooking and HVAC systems
- LED bulbs throughout the building
- Certified CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pick-up location
Community Education
An important part of our Legacy Green program is our educational efforts to help those in our community work towards cultivating more sustainable practices in their own lives and businesses.
Here are some other ways that we have helped to educate our community on how to cultivate more sustainable practices.
Here are some other ways that we have helped to educate our community on how to cultivate more sustainable practices.
- Spoke to Georgia State University hospitality students about sustainable practices in the event industry.
- Spoke at Emory University as a part of their Sustainably Program.
- Presented at Equifax about the various benefits and cost-saving measures of sustainable practices.
- Participated in the Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable as one of the highlighted panel speakers.
- Presented a virtual discussion about the benefits of plant-based eating as well as various tips and tricks for cooking plant-based.
- Many members of our team have acted as sustainability consultants for venues such as the Atlanta History Center and Emory University. If you would like to request one of our team members to act as a sustainability consultant for your venue, please feel free to contact us!
Zero Waste Zones
In 2009, AFFAIRS to REMEMBER became the first caterer in Atlanta designated as a Zero Waste Zone by the Green Foodservice Alliance in partnership with Atlanta Recycles and the Georgia Restaurant Association.
A Zero Waste Zone is a community of foodservice professionals that have dedicated themselves to changing the way they dispose of waste materials and used products.
It’s the goal of AFFAIRS to REMEMBER, and all Zero Waste Zones, to divert as much garbage and cooking scraps away from landfills and towards recycling and reusing programs as possible.
A Zero Waste Zone is a community of foodservice professionals that have dedicated themselves to changing the way they dispose of waste materials and used products.
It’s the goal of AFFAIRS to REMEMBER, and all Zero Waste Zones, to divert as much garbage and cooking scraps away from landfills and towards recycling and reusing programs as possible.
Affairs To Remember Day
On November 11th, 2014 Councilmember Felicia Moore declared that Tuesday as “Affairs to Remember Caterers Day.”
Councilmember Moore, and the greater City of Atlanta, did so to recognize our accomplishment of diverting more than 1,000,000 pounds of recyclable materials away from landfills. We accomplished this by recycling used materials, composting food waste, and donating leftovers to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
We are incredibly proud of this achievement and will continue to do everything in our power to divert another 1,000,000 pounds of recyclable materials away from landfills.
Councilmember Moore, and the greater City of Atlanta, did so to recognize our accomplishment of diverting more than 1,000,000 pounds of recyclable materials away from landfills. We accomplished this by recycling used materials, composting food waste, and donating leftovers to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
We are incredibly proud of this achievement and will continue to do everything in our power to divert another 1,000,000 pounds of recyclable materials away from landfills.
CURRENT COMPOST IMPACT REPORT
2023 WASTE DIVERTED 4,556 lbs COMPOST CREATED 3,422 lbs METHANE AVOIDED 3,559 lbs CO₂e AVOIDED 88,973 lbs NUMBER OF GARDEN PARTNERS 99 growers
On average, Affairs to Remember donates 500 pounds of food per month -- equivalent to providing approximately 417 nutritious meals for distribution to our community.