(Updated April 2022)

The business owners of the Black Duck Café opened a speciality grocery store next door, with the aim to make locally grown and produced foods available every day, reduce food waste and inspire home cooking.

Energy

Completed an energy audit

Upgraded to an energy efficient oven

Did a renovation of the bottom floor with EnerGreen Builders where they replaced windows with more energy efficient models and added insulation.

Use LED bulbs, and switch old bulbs to LED when they burn out.

Insulated their hot water heater and water pipes in 2015.

Use a mini split for heating and cooling

Water

Some of the faucets have aerators

The dishwasher has been upgraded to an energy efficient model

Bottled water is not available

Eavestroughs take water from the roof and drain it into the garden

Other

Whole foods are available in compostable bags (that can be composted in home compost systems). Other products are sold in glass mason jars, which are returnable and reusable. Soups are now sold in brown cardboard containers. Paper bags are available for large orders if needed.

Most products brought into the store are organic and/or fair trade.

Paper products used in the store (paper towel, toilet paper) are environmentally certified, and recyclable.

*Receipt paper is no longer used, instead the customer can choose to have the receipt texted, emailed or not sent at all. * recently accomplished goal 

The parking lot in the back of the property has been transformed into a beautiful green space where many vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown. No pesticides are used in the garden.

The store buys from many local farmers and food producers.

For over a year now, many of their food scraps have been collected by the John Howard Society and composted.

Goals

To switch from using propane for their fryer and cooking stove, to electric.

To continue their carbon offset program and continue to support local environmental charities.

To install solar PV panels for electricity

To recycle used cooking oil for biodiesel

To be able to sort their waste (compost, recycling and garbage)