Dining in the dark: restaurants get romantic to spark conservation
VANCOUVER – Close to 40 restaurants in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver will dim their lights and dial up the ambiance on Oct. 28 to show support for electricity conservation.
A new initiative by BC Hydro, in partnership with Tourism Vancouver, will see restaurants like downtown's C Restaurant and Kitsilano's Trattoria Italian Kitchen, serving dinner by candlelight.
"We often find that one of the biggest barriers to electricity conservation is a lack of awareness – people don't know what to do or where to start," said BC Hydro president and CEO Bob Elton. "We are pleased to host this initiative with Tourism Vancouver and its member restaurants to demonstrate to the public that simply turning off your lights can help."
Tourism Vancouver's chair, Rick Baxter, echoed the sentiments. "Conservation is such an important issue for the tourism industry," said Baxter. "We hope that by getting our restaurant members involved in events like the Candlelight Conservation Dinner, our industry can lead the way in showing how important small changes are in making a big difference for the environment."
Those already on the team can log in and check out the Team Power Smart Offers page, where they'll find coupons that will get them either a 2-for-1 entree, $5 off per person, or a complimentary appetizer or dessert, depending on the restaurant they visit.
Those who are not members of Team Power Smart can join now and get in on the coupons while also being entered in a monthly draw for a 2010 Winter Games ticket package.
Harry Kambolis, owner of Vancouver's Raincity Grill, is not only a Team Power Smart member, but his restaurant has also recently made energy efficiency upgrades. "It's important for the business community to lead by example," said Kambolis. "We are doing that not only by participating in this initiative but also through the conservation retrofits we have made recently."
For British Columbians looking to make the switch to energy efficient lighting, BC Hydro is reminding the public that October is Power Smart month and customers can get rebates on energy efficient lighting products.
Tourism Vancouver first partnered with BC Hydro in 2008 to elevate green practices within the association's membership of more than 1,000 businesses. The focus of the partnership is to help businesses demonstrate leadership in energy conservation and encourage all member organizations to participate in Power Smart programs.
Contact:
Simi Heer
Phone: 604 623 3963
simi.heer@bchydro.com
Wendy Underwood
Tourism Vancouver
Phone: 604 631 2859
wunderwood@tourismvancouver.com
Backgrounder
Dining in the dark: restaurants dim lights for conservation initiative
BC Hydro and Tourism Vancouver are proud to present the Candlelight Conservation Dinner. On Wednesday, Oct. 28, 37 restaurants in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver will dim their lights and dial up the ambiance to raise awareness about energy conservation and the simple actions that can add up to make a big difference.
As a part of the initiative, participating restaurants are offering patrons who are members of BC Hydro's Team Power Smart, special deals on dining including two entrées for the price of one, a $5 gift certificate per person or a complimentary appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entrée. Team members can download the coupons from the Team Power Smart section of BC Hydro's web site.
Participating restaurants
Araxi Restaurant + Bar
American Grille Restaurant
Aria Restaurant & Lounge
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
C Restaurant
Carver's Steakhouse & Lounge
CinCin Ristorante + Bar
Diva at the Met - The Metropolitan Hotel
Gramercy Grill
Hermitage Restaurant
Italian Kitchen
Las Margaritas
Le Gavroche Restaurant
Moustache Cafe
Northlands Bar and Grill
nu restaurant + lounge
Nyala African Cuisine
O'Doul's Restaurant & Bar
Prospect Point Cafe
Provence Marinaside
Raincity Grill
Rocky Mountain Flatbread
Sanafir
section (3)
Shaughnessy Restaurant
So.Cial Le Magasin
STONEGRILL
The Brasserie Restaurant at the Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites
The New Bohemian
The Ocean Club
The Old Spaghetti Factory
The Point Restaurant & Tapas
The Refinery market.style.eatery
The Sunset Grill
Trattoria Italian Kitchen
West Restaurant + Bar
Westward Ho Public House & Grill Room at The University Golf Club