By Michael MacLeod
AN Italian restaurateur has scored a unique hat-trick with an innovative drive to become more eco-friendly.
Tony Crolla told delivery truckers to cut down on their journies after realising his three Edinburgh restaurants were producing sizeable carbon footprints.
He spent the last 12 months making huge changes to the restaurants’ practices, everything from installing energy-efficient light bulbs to recycling every scrap of waste from his establishments.
Tony’s efforts saw Vittoria in Leith Walk scoop Gold in Keep Edinburgh Clean awards – with sister venues, Vittoria on George IV Bridge and La Favorita on Leith Walk, receiving Silver awards.
Tony said: “Restaurants are hugely wasteful in the way they operate but with the right determination you can bring about change.
“We now have a philosophy of ‘whatever leaves the building is leaving to be recycled’.”
He cut his suppliers from 22 to just seven and banned them from leaving cardboard boxes at the restaurants.
All leftover food is removed by homeless charity Cyrenians who turn it into compost.
Environment boss Robert Aldridge of Edinburgh council, who picked the winners, said: “All types of business can make major inroads into reducing their environmental impact.
“What particularly impressed me was the drive to cut down on waste received from suppliers, and thereby influencing far more than just what goes on in the restaurants.
