I let this article slip into the “Arts and Culture” category because, first, I consider culinary an art and, second, because environmental consciousness is a matter of culture as well.
Commissioner for the Environment of Cyprus Republic, Mr Charalambos Theopemptou, presented the first “Green Key” Award to be awarded to a restaurant in Cyprus. The winner of the prize is Arhontiko Papadopoulou, at Kornos, Ammochostos Prefecture.
- Mr Charalambos Theopemptou, Commissioner for the Environment of Cyprus Republic, presents the Green Key Award to Archontiko Papadopoulou
In 2011 the first restaurants were awarded with the Green Key in France. Cyprus is the second country in the world to award restaurants with the prestigious ecolabel.
Archontiko Papadopoulou is a multi-purpose centre that houses a variety of activities, revolving around wine-gastronomy and traditional pottery art of Kornos. In particular, Archontiko Papadopoulou includes a high-level Cypriot cuisine a la-carte restaurant, a coffee shop, a wine cellar specializing in Cypriot wines, a Commandaria bar, a shop selling traditional pots, a library and a pottery workshop open to all visitors.
Setting an example can only be achieved thanks to an excellent team work and sharing of the same vision for sustainability.
The Green Key is a Programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education FEE. The Foundation is a network of 72 NGOs from 63 countries. FEE is represented in Cyprus by CYMEPA.
The Green Key for hotels has been awarded to more than 2000 establishments in 27 countries. To be awarded with this label, successful candidates must meet different criteria regarding general environmental management, the involvement of employees, environmental information for customers (documents, appropriate signage etc.), water management, housekeeping and cleaning, energy management, waste management, food, nature-based activities, office administration, the interior environment and green spaces. The label combines environmental performance criteria with environmental management criteria.
The National Steering Committee comprises representatives of the Cyprus Tourism Organization, the Department of the Environment, the Cyprus Hotel Association, the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises, Louis Hotels, the Cyprus Hotel Managers Association and CYMEPA.
