An unofficial theme pervades this issue of Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine and I can describe it in one Hawaiian word that packs a lot of meaning: Kina'ole. This single word roughly translates into "doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, with the right person, with the right feeling, the first time."

I was introduced to this word in connection with a BusinessWeek.com story about a Hawaiian company that adopted this term as part of its name, Kina'ole Capital Partners. This small company partners with Patagonia (the company, not the country) to provide financing to put solar panels on home roofs in Hawaii. It's a great story that explores the possibilities for private sector financing used for public benefit. You can find the full story here.

After reading that story, it occurred to me this issue of FE&S has several stories embracing the philosophy of doing the right thing for the right reasons. For example, in this month's Green Tip (page 66) Amelia Levin explores the relationship between high efficiency and high performance in selecting new foodservice equipment. The CEO of a large manufacturer recently told a story about a huge pizza chain that just a few years ago was relatively unimpressed with a technological breakthrough that was going to result in a 20 percent energy savings in their ovens. Today, convinced of the positive financial impact of the move, that same chain is in the process of rolling out these high-efficiency ovens to all of their stores.

In another article, Full Bloom, Amelia explores the benefits of green walls and rooftop gardens in modern restaurant design. The results here may be a little bit more difficult to quantify, but it doesn't take much imagination to see how these design features can positively impact the perception of an operation committed to values that we know resonate, particularly with younger patrons, such as locally-produced, fresh and wholesome. (If you would like to see more articles about restaurant design please consider signing up for a free subscription to restaurant development + design, FE&S' sister publication, at www.rddmag.com)

Finally, in Parting Shot, Chris Heina of Cobblestone Ovens, talks about a very different way of doing well by doing right. Chris talks about the competitive advantage realized by his company in hiring a U.S. military veteran. I'll let Chris describe their success in his own words. I think that you'll find it as compelling as I did.

Enjoy the issue! We hope it delivers plenty to think about.