Whether you’ve recently started cracking crab claws over newspapers at an East Coast-style seafood boil or you’ve begun dipping the last piece of bread in a pot of mussels, the warmer weather means seafood is back on the menu for many Americans. For those days when the sea calls your name and you can practically taste the salt on the air, the fast-casual seafood restaurant Luke’s Lobster serves sustainable seafood across the United States.
What started as a small seafood shack serving Maine lobster rolls on a hot buttered bun, has grown into one of the most enjoyed seafood restaurants in the country. As a major force in the industry, they’ve worked with local fishermen to pioneer the concept of sustainable seafood. In honor of Earth Day this year, Luke’s Lobster announced they would source 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources, and they are working towards net-zero carbon operations not just for their restaurants but for the entire lobster industry.
From the beginning of Luke’s Lobster in 2009, protecting the environment was at the top of their priority list, so they identified ways that they could serve outstanding seafood while remaining good stewards of the environment. They took great lengths to ensure all of their seafood came from local, sustainable sources implementing strict regulations to ensure their operations weren’t harming the environment.
This year, Luke’s Lobster decided that wasn’t enough, and starting May, Luke’s Lobster will work to source 100 percent renewable energy at all of their production facilities, buying stations, and restaurants. “Choosing 100 percent renewable eliminates those emissions from our business and supports the continued growth and affordability of renewables for all–a goal we need to achieve as a society to stave off the most disastrous consequences of climate change in the future,” the company announced in a press release.
Starting immediately, Luke’s Lobster will work on identifying and tackling their carbon footprint across the entirety of their operations. Through an ongoing partnership with Island Institute, Luke’s Lobster is on the path to net zero across the full scope of their business from the fishing vessels that reel in the lobsters to the airplanes that deliver them across the country. That’s because the true goal of the partnership is not just net-zero emissions for Luke’s Lobster, but for a cleaner lobster industry and beyond.
Luke’s Lobster and the Island Institute will collaborate with the local fishermen they’ve built relationships and worked with over the years. By identifying ways to make the fishing industry more efficient, they hope to change the way we consume seafood. Anything they find, they’ve promised to make public, so that even their competitors can benefit from the work they’re doing to revolutionize the lobster industry. “We want our competitors to take what we do today, and beat us to the next step tomorrow. The race against climate change is one we will win or lose together,” they shared. “This Earth Day, Luke’s Lobster is tackling our role in the greatest existential threat to our world, and we ask you–our customers, suppliers, teammates, neighbors, and competitors, to tackle it with us.”
Check out the episode of the Consensus in Conversation podcast featuring Luke’s Lobster.
