‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
1
  Warmer

a. Discuss the following questions in pairs.

• What’s the most memorable or meaningful meal you’ve ever eaten?

• How important is it for you to know where your food comes from?

• Some restaurants try to reduce food waste or use local ingredients. What do you think are the
benefits and challenges of this approach?

2
  Key words

a. Match the words (1-20) with their definitions (a-t). Then find and highlight the words in
the article.
1. composted _____ a. a natural process where bacteria or yeast break down
food or drink to preserve it or change its flavour (e.g.
2. decomposes _____
making kimchi, beer or yoghurt)

3. depleting _____ b. a smooth, white, ceramic material used to make plates,

cups or tiles
4. emit _____
c. breaks down naturally over time, especially organic
material like food or plants
5. ethos _____
d. morally fair and right; treating people or the environment in
6. fermentation _____ a fair way
e. very new and different; doing something that has never
7. groundbreaking _____
been done before
8. hunched over _____ f. bending forward with your back rounded, often when
concentrating or working
9. irrigated _____
g. the beliefs or values of a person, group or organisation

10. just _____ h. watered using a system or method, especially for farming
i. a place where rubbish is buried underground as a way of
11. landfill _____
disposal

12. malnourished _____ j. a close connection between two different things or groups
where both benefit from the relationship
13. migratory birds _____ k. birds that travel long distances from one place to another
at different times of the year
14. negligence _____
l. turned into natural fertiliser by allowing food or plants to
15. porcelain _____ break down in a controlled way
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
16. regenerative _____ m. to reuse waste materials to create something better or
more valuable than the original
17. remnant _____
n. to release or send out something, especially gas, light
18. symbiotic relationship _____ or heat
o. not getting enough food or the right kind of food to
19. the pass _____
stay healthy
20. upcycle _____ p. in a restaurant kitchen, the area where dishes are
placed when ready to be served
q. able to restore, renew or improve something – especially
the environment or land
r. using something so that there’s less of it, especially
natural resources
s. the state of not taking care or paying attention, often
causing harm or problems
t. a small part or piece of something that is left over from
the past

b. Complete the sentences with words from the previous activity in the correct form.

1. __________________________ in a busy restaurant kitchen can be a hot and stressful place

to work.

2. The valley was once __________________________ by hand using ancient methods of

channelling water.

3. Our team is working on a(n) __________________________ solution to reduce food

packaging waste.

4. Instead of throwing away old furniture, why not __________________________ it and sell
it online?

5. That fashion brand’s __________________________ is rooted in sustainability and having a low

environmental impact.

6. When organic matter __________________________ and breaks down, it produces a gas

called methane.
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
7. Millions of people around the world remain __________________________, even in
food-rich countries.

8. Only a small __________________________ of this ancient forest still exists.

9. The __________________________ process popular in China and Japan enhances the flavour
and prolongs the life of different fruits and vegetables.

10. Volcanic eruptions __________________________ toxic gases that affect global temperature.

11. Harry sat __________________________ his desk, desperately looking for some inspiration.

12. Most jurors believed the sentence was a(n) __________________________ punishment for the
severity of the crime.

13. The wetlands of Northern Greece are home to several __________________________ each
year, including flamingos and pelicans.

14. The farm employs modern __________________________ methods to improve the quality of
the soil.

15. Structural damage to the building was due to __________________________ on the part of the
contractor.

16. Handle the __________________________ plates with care as they can be easily chipped
or broken.

17. The constant use of fossil fuels is __________________________ the Earth’s natural resources.

18. All food scraps from the café are __________________________ and returned to the land.

19. In some oceans, crabs form a(n) __________________________ with corals by protecting them
from predators and getting shelter in return.

20. Urban __________________________ sites give off large amounts of greenhouse gas.
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
Baldío in Mexico City is part of a new wave of 7 Silo, when it opened in 2014, became the first
restaurants embracing a regenerative ethos – restaurant in the world not to have a bin, raising the
with delicious results bar on what zero waste means. Less than 1 per cent
of food is composted and no single-use materials
Imogen Lepere are used. A dedicated pottery transforms glass into
13 June, 2025 porcelain that is used for tableware, light fixtures
and tiles.
1 Hunched over the pass in the open restaurant
kitchen, a team of chefs are dusting ceviche with 8 Baldío is part of a new wave of restaurants that
a powder made from lime skins that would, in are moving beyond vague claims of sustainability
most cases, have been thrown away. The Mexico to embrace a regenerative ethos. Baldío goes one
City restaurant where they work looks like most step further through its symbiotic relationship with
restaurant kitchens but it lacks one key element: Xochimilco, the last remnant of the network of blue-
there is no bin. green waterways that dazzled Spanish invaders
when they arrived 500 years ago. The UNESCO
2 Baldío was co-founded by brothers Lucio and Pablo heritage site is a key stopover for migratory birds and
Usobiaga and chef Doug McMaster, best known for the only place where axolotls still live in the wild.
his groundbreaking zero-waste spot Silo London. “In
my eyes, bins are coffins for things that have been 9 Although the unique ecosystem is severely
badly designed,” says McMaster. “If there was a threatened by urban sprawl, many Indigenous
trophy for negligence, it would be residents still farm chinampas (a pre-Aztec technique
bin-shaped.” consisting of islands formed from trees, flowers
and mud), gliding through the blue-green canals
3 The food, which recently earned a Michelin green on canoes filled with lettuce, radish and verdolagas
star, is creative but still essentially Mexican. (Mexican parsley).
Significant planning is needed from sourcing to
preparation, and the founders are also behind 10 “In agriculture, how you go about production
Arca Tierra, a regenerative agriculture project that really determines how much carbon you emit,”
includes a network of 50 farmers in central Mexico says Melanie Kolb, a researcher at the National
as well as the organisation’s own farm in the Autonomous University of Mexico.
pre-Aztec canal system at Xochimilco, an ancient 11 As well as buying from five local families, Arca Tierra
neighbourhood in the south of Mexico City. farms 18 chinampas. The farming team led by Sonia
4 “Restaurants can have a big environmental impact Tapia Garcés combines ancestral techniques with
but they also have a big reach,” says Lucio compost from Baldío’s kitchen which contributes to
Usobiaga. “We want Baldío to be a model that shows the soil’s potential for capturing and storing carbon.
it’s possible to be both zero waste and to rely on 12 The result is a crop that is irrigated with bio-filtered
farmers rather than supermarkets.” canal water and can be harvested 365 days a year
5 Although the food is finished off in the restaurant’s without depleting the soil’s nutrients. It is enough to
open kitchen, most preparation happens at La supply half of Baldío’s needs. The restaurant’s chefs,
Baldega, a workshop where the team operates who visit every Monday to plan that week’s menus,
a fermentation programme that helps preserve have a continuing dialogue with the growers and
ingredients as well as upcycle byproducts such as often help with harvesting.
peel and fat. This includes pre-Hispanic Mexican 13 Ingredients are carried by boat to downtown
drinks such as tepache and pulque, as well as Xochimilco and driven 8 kilometres to La Baldega.
koji fermentation – popular in Japan and China for Reducing distance travelled and the need for
thousands of years – to transform fish guts refrigeration on longer journeys results in a
into sauce. fraction of the carbon emissions associated with
6 Globally, one-fifth of food is lost or wasted, according typical restaurant supply chains.
to the UN, equivalent to 1billion meals a day, at a 14 For 74-year-old Noy Coquis Saldedo, who rents
time when one in every nine people is malnourished. land to Arca Tierra, the project offers an opportunity
When food decomposes in landfill it releases to preserve his identity at a time when just 2.5 per
methane, which has 25-times higher global warming cent of the chinampas are still used for traditional
potential than carbon dioxide.
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
agriculture. “It’s very sad that young people don’t
want to farm anymore,” he says. “But now we are
delivering food to the great city like my
ancestors did.”
15 For Lucio Usobiaga, closing the loop between the
chinampas and Baldío could be a blueprint for the
future. “Ultimately, I hope the project shows people
that a more just and better food system is possible.”
16 And the food? When the Guardian tasted it, it
was delicious: flame-licked, spiked with salsas
and texturally balanced, it is Mexican – yet also
something entirely its own.
© Guardian News and Media 2025
First published in The Guardian, 13/06/2025

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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced

3
  Comprehension check

a. Choose the correct option based on the information in the article.

1. What does Doug McMaster mean when he says, ‘bins are coffins for things that have been
badly designed’?

a. Restaurants should use better quality food waste containers.

b. Poor design leads to unnecessary waste that ends up being thrown away.

c. Bins should be redesigned to look more aesthetically pleasing.

2. The phrase ‘raising the bar’ in the context of Silo restaurant means ...

a. installing higher counters in the kitchen.

b. increasing prices to cover sustainability costs.

c. setting new, higher standards for others to follow.

3. What is the primary purpose of La Baldega in Baldío’s operation?

a. to serve as the main dining area for customers

b. to function as a fermentation and food preparation workshop

c. to store equipment and supplies for the restaurant

4. According to the text, what makes chinampas particularly sustainable?

a. They can be harvested year-round without depleting soil nutrients.

b. They require no human intervention once established.

c. They produce more food per square metre than any other farming method.

5. What percentage of Baldío’s food needs does Arca Tierra’s farming operation supply?

a. 25 per cent

b. 50 per cent

c. 75 per cent
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
6. The phrase ‘closing the loop’ in Lucio Usobiaga’s final quote refers to ...

a. completing the circular, sustainable system between farm and restaurant.

b. ending the partnership with local farmers.

c. finishing the construction of new facilities.

7. What does the article suggest about the cultural impact of Arca Tierra’s work?

a. It’s helping to preserve traditional Indigenous farming practices.

b. It’s introducing completely new agricultural techniques to the area.

c. It’s primarily focused on economic rather than cultural benefits.

8. The author’s description of the food as ‘distinctly Mexican – yet also something entirely its
own’ suggests ...

a. the restaurant serves traditional Mexican dishes without any modifications.

b. the cuisine is completely different from traditional Mexican food.

c. the food combines authentic Mexican flavours with innovative, unique approaches.

4
  Key language
a. Match the expressions in bold in the article to these de initions.

1. doing more than what other people are doing in a similar situation
__________________________

2. a very small amount or portion of something __________________________

3. from my point of view; in my opinion __________________________

4. an ongoing conversation or exchange of ideas between people, especially over time

__________________________

5. a large audience; an extensive influence or impact __________________________

6. a recent trend or movement __________________________

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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
b. Complete the sentences with expressions from the previous activity in the correct form.

1. The new marketing campaign has __________________________, potentially influencing millions

of consumers across multiple platforms.

2. __________________________, the company’s decision to prioritise profit over environmental

responsibility is fundamentally flawed.

3. The university’s sustainability programme __________________________ by requiring all

students to complete a carbon footprint assessment.

4. __________________________ tech entrepreneurs is focusing on developing solutions for

climate change rather than just profit maximisation.

5. The innovative recycling process uses only __________________________ the energy required
by traditional methods.

6. The research team maintains __________________________ with local communities to ensure

their findings remain relevant and applicable.

5
  Discussion

a. Discuss these questions.

• Do you think ‘zero waste’ is a realistic goal for most businesses?

• What role does consumer behaviour play in waste creation?

• How might the ‘zero waste’ philosophy be applied to other industries beyond hospitality?

6
  In your own words

a. Work in small groups to create a proposal for a sustainable restaurant concept such as Baldío.
Think about the answers to these questions before you start:

• What local traditional farming practices could your restaurant partner with?

• How would you go about implementing a zero waste system in your restaurant?

• What fraction of your ingredients could realistically be sourced locally?

• How would your concept go one step further than existing sustainable restaurants?
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 ‘It really is possible to be zero waste’: the restaurant with no bin

Level 3: Advanced
Include the following details in your proposal:

A. Restaurant Concept

• Name, location and target market

• How your concept represents a new wave of sustainable dining

B. Sustainability Strategy

• Zero waste implementation plan

• How to cut down on environmental impact

C Cultural and Social Impact

• How to work with local communities

• Plans to build on existing traditional practices

b. Share your proposals with your classmates.

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