Founded in 1995 by Jacquie and Chris Meyer, The Buff Restaurant in Boulder, quickly became an institution for residents and visitors alike. Now in their 25th year, this family-owned and operated restaurant is known for their incredible breakfasts, welcoming atmosphere, and their $0.99 breakfast cocktails. The Buff also prides itself on working with numerous local companies including Ozo Coffee, Polidori Sausage, Mile High Spirits, Sherpa Chai, Odell Brewing, and Boulder Granola.
Environmental sustainability is a key priority for The Buff. According to Jacquie, “we always instilled environmental consciousness in our operations even before it was a groovy thing to do.” One of their most impressive achievements is in waste diversion. Boasting a 95% diversion rate, The Buff is about as close to zero waste as a business can get! To achieve this incredible result, Jacquie and Chris focus on four main areas:
- Recycle and compost service. The Buff subscribes to recycle and compost service through Western Disposal and recycles and/or composts all the waste they can.
- Employee training. This is a continuous effort for both new and existing staff to teach them how to properly recycle and compost.
- Focus on opportunities for waste reduction. Staff are constantly thinking about materials they use that end up as waste and seeking options to eliminate the waste. For example, they purchase ketchup in reusable glass jars from a local ketchup company called Elevation Ketchup rather than disposable plastic bottles. In addition, they work with another local company, Royal Crest Dairy, for re-usable glass containers for milk.
- Be Creative. The Buff has always used all cloth napkins and found a company called Riegel Linens making cloth napkins out of recycled plastic bottles. In addition, when the Buff moved to its current location at 2600 Canyon in 2014, the wood from the previous restaurant’s booths were made into new booths, and some of the new wood walls were created by turning around the old existing bead board.
Despite the challenges of operating during the current COVID crisis, The Buff has done its best to weather the challenges. They are offering expanded outdoor seating and pick up/delivery options while striving to maintain a safe environment for guests and staff though sterilization, masks, and social distancing.
We are so proud to partner with The Buff on their waste disposal efforts and applaud their achievements in waste diversion. Go eat at The Buff!
