A community is healthiest when all of its parts take care of each other. And thanks to Stockholm’s Restaurant & Brewpub, Geneva and the entire Fox River Valley are getting some tender loving care. For the third time now, owner Mike Olesen and his staff at Stockholm’s have put a water charge in place, charging patrons 50 cents per glass of water in an initiative called 50 Cents For The Fox.
Stockholm’s server Robb Cleave came up with the water charge idea a few years ago after experiencing frustration at the waste of clearing completely untouched or only partially consumed water glasses from the restaurant’s tables. Robb wanted to change people’s perceptions of how water is used and remind them that every ounce of water served requires more water to wash it, make the ice in it, and clean it again after anything left in the glass is thrown away. Robb’s boss Mike, a Geneva native and lover of the Fox River, wholeheartedly supported the idea, but wanted to take it one step further. Knowing that it takes three gallons of water to make one gallon of Stockholm’s delicious beer, Mike felt as passionate as Rob about starting the conversation about water use, water quality, and water conservation through this minimal charge, and decided Stockholm’s would donate all proceeds of the water charge to The Conservation Foundation to support our work caring for the Fox River and other watersheds in our region.
This year’s water charge was put in place on Earth Day, and funds raised are supporting our new Winter Chloride Watchers program. Sitting on the Stockholm’s patio on a warm August day, alternating between sips of water and artfully brewed beer, the snow and ice of winter seem awfully far away. But they’ll be here before we know it, which makes now the perfect time to get educated on how winter salting operations affect our waterways. Just like too much salt on your food is unhealthy, too much salt in our rivers and streams is unhealthy for wildlife and harmful to our landscapes, vehicles, and drinking water. There are ways to “salt smart,” practices that help keep surfaces safe while protecting our water supply and the environment. The donations from 50 Cents For The Fox at Stockholm’s will purchase kits for citizen scientists, our Winter Chloride Watchers, to help improve the water quality of the Fox River by monitoring winter chloride levels in the river and other local waterways.
The goal of The Conservation Foundation’s Fox River Initiative is to bring more care and attention to the Fox River and we are so grateful to Stockholm’s Restaurant & Brewpub in Geneva for their generosity and this extremely creative and impactful idea that is accomplishing just that. Visit Stockholm’s at 306 West State Street in Geneva for a delicious beer and stellar meal – and be sure to thank them for their environmental efforts!
