EMORY DINING SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES:
- Assisted with the funding and operations of a student operated coffee cart
- Serve Equal Exchange and/or organic/certified coffees
- Fresh Farmer’s Market outside Cox Hall every Tuesday from April-November
- Seasonal menus
- Menus feature Georgia growers/ranchers/companies
- Specials featuring a Georgia grown, organic, grass fed beef from White Oak Pastures
- Local organic granola
- Local fruit smoothie drink
- Local cheese
- Local milk
- Make our own ice cream with Georgia milk
- Purchased a digester to process compostable waste--deters about 4-6 tons of waste per month (pre-consumer waste only at this time)
- Implemented compostable containers
- Sustainability Chef Coordinator position and a Sustainability Program Educator position
- Education classes about "sustainable" foods held in a test kitchen
- Tour the farms of our local growers to solidify relationships
- Reusable coffee mugs, reusable food containers to reduce waste
- “Weigh your waste program” so that students know how much waste is being produced in the dining halls
- Founding members of the Green Foodservice Alliance. We are the test group for "green certification" for college and university food service
- Participants in the Zero Waste Program in Atlanta
- Employee and manager training
- Green office practices
- Cook to order and batch cooking reduces leftovers
- Micro filtration cuts the use of cooking oils in half
- Evaluate purchasing and shipping methods in determining product purchasing
- Pre-consumer leftovers that cannot be reused are donated to local food banks
- Purchase paper products that are compostable and recyclable
- Recycling includes cardboard, glass, plastics, mixed paper, fluorescent lighting, toner cartridges, motor oils and refrigerants
- Used cooking oils are sent to be converted into bio-diesel, and then used for Emory diesel vehicles
- Provide guests with recycling stations outside dining facilities
- Supply all office staff with desk-side mixed paper recycling containers
- Websites, table tents, displays, and posters promoting student involvement in Green Dining
- Support and participate in a student driven Sustainable Food Fair in September
- Use dorm demonstration kitchen to provide educational support to students with a hands on experience
- Sustainability Committee that is part of Food Advisory Committee
- Hands-on student cooking experiences
- Participate and showcase local food at student events
- Host a Sustainable Food Chef Lecture Series
- Food clubs for students
- Copper Chef cooking challenge with local food
- Donation of coffee grounds as compost