FIRE BAN IN EFFECT In response to the continued elevated risk of wildfires, DEM has issued a fire ban at all State Parks, campgrounds, and management areas until further notice. The ban is effective as of today (10/28/24) and includes campfires in designated campfire areas, including charcoal fires and cooking fires. This preventative measure applies to all DEM-managed lands and aims to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires. DEM will continue to monitor and evaluate conditions to determine when the ban can be lifted. Together we can protect our communities and keep first responders safe by reducing the risk of wildfires: 📞 Call 911 if you spot a fire/smoke. Timely information is critical to contain fires before they spread. 🔥 Remember, any outdoor fire is a potential source for a wildfire. Be careful with cigarettes and ashes. When disposing of wood stove ashes, put the ashes in a metal bucket of water. 🚒 Check with your local fire department for any other restrictions and permitting information. 🚨 Stay informed and find resources at dem.ri.gov/wildfirestatus.
Green Restaurants Replace Plastic Straws with Paper Straws. Ask your customers first before offering a straw. See the Ask First Campaign by Rhode Island Hospitality Association. Restaurants should be recycling paper, metal, and plastic the right way. As a restaurant owner, you have the ability to Recycle Right and provide valuable recyclable material back into the market to be re-used again. Learn more here. Rhode Island’s Food Waste Ban (Section 23-18.9-17) included within the Refuse Disposal Law, states that businesses that produce more than 2 tons of organic waste per week are required to divert it from landfill if located within 15 miles of an authorized composting or anaerobic digestion facility. Businesses and institutions also have the option to process organic waste onsite or divert for agricultural use. Learn more here. Many cleaning chemicals used in kitchens can contain hazardous and toxic substances. It is better for worker health and for the environment to use cleaners that have been certified as green. For more visit EPA: Safer Choice, EcoLogo Certification Program, and Grean Seal. Prev Next Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Simply stated, pollution prevention (P2) is putting into practice the common sense idea that the best way to manage waste is to avoid generating it in the first place. The best way to mitigate pollution is to eliminate it at the source. Our Green Hospitality Program is a means by which you can receive technical assistance on ways to reduce pollution. This will save you money and will provide with you with an environmentally friendly image you can convey to your customers. The Green Hospitality program began in 2008 with a strong relationship between DEM and the Rhode Island Hospitality Association. The program has recently been updated in 2019 to include new initiatives with a stronger focus on the reduction of single use plastics in the restaurant industry. Becoming a green business can have positive impacts on your bottom line. Even seemingly simple changes, such as using more environmentally friendly cleaning supplies or more energy efficient lighting and insulation, can have a long term positive impact on your place of business with benefits such as reductions in operating cost, improvements in workplace safety and health conditions, public image, and permitting costs. The RIDEM Office of Customer and Technical Assistance (OCTA) has worked with various businesses in the hospitality sector over the years to help them cut costs, improve practices and function, and leave progressively fewer environmental impacts in the process. View Checklist Resources Rhode Island Hospitality Association Recycle Right Recycle Right: Get Started Center for EcoTechnology (CET) Food Waste Solutions Rhode Island’s Food Waste Ban (Section 23-18.9-17) EPA Safer Choice ECOLOGO® Certification Program Green Seal