LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 9, 2007-- The nation's restaurant industry impacts 1/10th of the American economy and is the largest consumer of electricity in the retail sector. Imagine what the ecological impact would be if the entire nation's 935,000 restaurants were committed to being environmentally conscious like The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R)? The potential to make an impact on our nation's ecological stability would be tremendous and that's exactly what The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) is committed to accomplishing. Announced today by executives of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) is the largest retailer certified by GRA.

"Not only will The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) environmental accomplishments have a great impact, but the fact that they are the first chain of their size to become certified by our agency will demonstrate to the industry at large that becoming environmentally sustainable is not only the right thing to do, but that it makes business sense," said Michael Oshman, Executive Director, Green Restaurant Association. "The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) has shown tremendous dedication and determination in leading the way and they should really be held up as an example as a forward-thinking company, making a difference one location at a time for the greater good of our environment."

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) piloted their "green" process back in 2003 with all their San Diego locations and on May 9, all their 200 U.S. corporate-owned locations will follow suit and become Certified Green Restaurants(TM). Becoming Certified Green Restaurants(TM) is not just the end of a process, but a company must also show continuing improvement and dedication in various areas annually. In fact, a company must aggressively commit to implementing at least four steps per year in 11 GRA environmental categories to continue to be certified which include the following:

1) Energy Efficiency & Conservation
2) Water Efficiency & Conservation
3) Recycling & Composting
4) Sustainable Food
5) Pollution Prevention
6) Recycled, Tree-Free, Biodegradable & Organic Products
7) Chlorine-Free Paper Products
8) Non-Toxic Cleaning & Chemical Products
9) Green Power
10) Green Building & Construction
11) Employee Education

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) has already installed Energy and Water Efficient Spray Valves and High Efficiency Lighting and has implemented a reuse policy to cut down on paper cup use. In addition, all their paper products such as paper towels, bathroom tissues and napkins all use at least 10-percent post consumer recycled non-bleached paper.

"We are proud to be the biggest retail chain in the country to implement and become certified by GRA on a large-scale in our stores,"
said Tami Clark, vice president of marketing & strategic alliances for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R). "Our hope is that others will become inspired and follow suit to help our environment."

About The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R):

Founded in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) is the oldest and largest privately-held chain of specialty coffee and tea stores in the United States. With a reputation for excellence, the company is a leader in product innovations, having developed the original Ice Blended(R) beverage. Providing the highest quality coffees and teas for forty-four years, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf(R) currently has more than 520 stores, 275 of which are company owned and 245 are franchised. These stores blanket the world in markets such as California, Arizona, Nevada, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Brunei, Indonesia, UAE, Israel, Australia, China, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, and the Philippines and continue to expand both domestically and internationally. For address, store information and hours, visit WWW.COFFEEBEAN.COM.

About The Green Restaurant Association:

The Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. The GRA's model provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the U.S. economy, to become more environmentally sustainable. For more information visit WWW.DINEGREEN.COM.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, The

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, The

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