We are Chris and Fiona Wade and two years ago we bought Le Delice, a Cafe/Restaurant in the French Alps; our dream had become a reality.
Two things quickly became apparent; the restaurant was severely neglected(in every way) and we were going to need to make big changes to get it back on track, and lessen the carbon footprint we were creating in the already overpolluted Chamonix Valley.
We are both passionate about living in the mountains and were shocked to find out that the Chamonix Valley has one of the highest pollution levels in Europe. We would love to help reduce the affect our small business has on this level by making some changes.
We already recycle all our plastics, glass and paper. Our kitchen oil is also recycled by an innovative gentleman who uses it to fuel his car. We use LED lighting wherever we can as we cannot afford solar lighting, but we know we can do MORE!
The funding we receive from your help will be used to invest in newer and more energy efficient equipment in the kitchen aswell as throughout the restaurant. Here are a few examples of where the €15 000 would be spent:
Currently we have a 10 year old dishwasher which requires the use of non-green chemicals as well as huge amounts of electricity and water to run, which we would desperately like to replace.
We have two entrance doors which both leak heat and energy and which need to be replaced and reconstructed to create a double entrance door for the winter, and a fully sealed side door which does not leak great amounts of air. This will drastically reduce our heating costs as well as our fuel consumption on the property. This could also be improved with double insulation throughout the restaurant in various areas.
We are incredibly lucky to be able to have our own vegetable patch for the summer months and would like to expand this in our back garden area in order that we use more home grown produce and become more self-sustainable, a compost bin would not only reduce our waste but also increase our ability to grow our own produce.
We will also be able to use more local farms and produce grown and harvested in the area through the assistance that this project will provide.
These few examples will allow us to use our suppliers less, thereby reducing vehicle transportation in the Chamonix Valley, reduce our natural resource consumption and improve our energy and waste emissions.
Risks & Challenges
Due to our location it is sometimes difficult and costly to get the right equipment and use the Greenest supplies and suppliers, however, with help from you and our immediate community we are confident we can go about this in the most efficient way.
The help from this project will give us the opportunity and freedom to be more selective about who we use and when we use them, also allowing us to use local produce, farms and suppliers more regularly.
Other Ways You Can Help
We don't only need financial help, we can use your help in creating a buzz about our project, our restaurant and what we are trying to achieve.
Tell your friends, colleagues, family and your dog!! Who knows who might be able to help!
Keep checking our Facebook page to see how your contributions are helping us achieve our goals!!
