Sustainability At Emory University
The sustainability initiatives practiced within Emory Dining are just part of what is going on at Emory University. For more information on ALL that Emory University is doing with sustainability click on Office of Sustainability Initiatives.
Earth Day 2008
Celebrate our local farmers by trying our Spring Asparagus and Mushroom Salad.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Campaign - Click on the subjects below to see how you can help protect the planet just by substituting your lunch with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
PB&J Day Station at Dining at Dobbs
PB&J Day at Cox Hall
PB&J Sandwiches Hot Off the Grill
Bio diesel at Emory
Emory Dining participates in a bio-diesel program to recycle our used cooking oils so they can be processed into bio fuel. With the introduction of the new fuel, Emory University reached a milestone in its efforts to reduce the amount of fossil fuel it uses. Of the 58 Cliff shuttles, 24 are using a bio diesel blend. The remainder of the fleet is fueled by either compressed natural gas or electricity. Emory's bus fleet is now 100 percent alternatively fueled. Learn more at www.ridecliff.org.
Grounds for Growth
Used coffee grounds are placed into the empty coffee bean bags and displayed for customers to take for their home gardens and compost piles at no charge
Weigh the Waste
Weigh the Waste is a program designed to educate our customers about the average amount of food waste each person creates daily and the impact of that waste on the environment. Emory Dining conducted this program at the Dobbs University Center during the week of February 25. During this week students were asked to place their left over food into an assigned garbage can, which was weighed periodically and recorded. The daily amount of food wasted and average per person are shown below.
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Total Waste (lbs) |
480 |
560 |
520 |
440 |
400 |
# of Customers |
2632 |
2282 |
2484 |
2410 |
2016 |
Average Waste per Person (lbs) |
0.18 |
0.24 |
0.2 |
0.18 |
0.2 |
The average waste per person was approximately 0.2lbs or 3.2 ounces. This is an improvement from last year's average of 4.6 ounces per person. There's still work to be done, though, because 3.2 ounces is equal to each person wasting a McDonald's Big Mac a day!
Charles "Chaz" Holt has been hired to serve as a Farmer Liaison to assist in sourcing local and sustainable food that can be used throughout Emory Dining locations at Emory University. Chaz is uniquely qualified for the Farmer Liaison job. A Georgia native, in 2006 Chaz returned to his family's farm in Kingston, Georgia, from Joliet, Montana where he ran an organic farm and farm supply business, started a farmers' market, and served as agricultural innovation coordinator for his area, providing growers with marketing and financial assistance, and helping them sell products to local restaurants and stores. "Chaz brings strong organic farming skills, as well as hands-on experience gained in Montana where he participated in building infrastructure for a local food system," said Alice Rolls, Executive Director of Georgia Organics. "Chaz has worked on both sides of the agricultural world - organic and conventional - and can bring those unique perspectives as we work to encourage more local farmers to grow using sustainable methods." Click here to learn more about the Farmer Liaison and Georgia Organics.
Emory Attends the Georgia Organics 11th Annual Conference
Regional District Manager Joe Mitchell, Director of Sustainability Christy Cook, and Campus Executive Chef Michel Wetli, represented Emory Dining at the Georgia Organics 11th Annual Conference. The conference was held at the NW Georgia Trade and Convention Center on February 28th - March 1st. The conference had over 30 educational sessions focusing on organic production, marketing, pastured livestock, local food systems, farm-to-school activities, and presentations from leaders in sustainable agriculture and foods. George Siemon who runs Organic Valley, a co-op that unites 1,200 family farm members into a network that carpets the country with sustainable dairies and farms was the key note speaker. A presentation was also given by Ken from the Crossroads Resource Center about "Finding Food in Farm Country." Peggy Barlett, Emory Sustainable Food Committee Chair, and Chaz Holt, Farmer Liaison, presented the purchasing guidelines.
The Fresh Food Market is a program that educates and offers recipes menus and food products that feature the use of Organic, Local, Natural and Sustainable grown products. The menu reflects seasonal items with a focus on fresh food. Additionally, the area features educational information about nutrition and news stories as it relates to sustainable issues and campus dining. This area also features packaged items such as Guayaki Yerba Mate and Terra Chips. Look in this area for new and exciting products that rotate frequently. Attach the picture, with a caption or something that says located in Cox Hall food court.
Recycle Mug Program
The average American produces 3.5 pounds of garbage every day. This equates to 1,300 pounds of garbage per year for every man, woman and child in the U.S. We are running out of places to put that garbage. Sodexo is committed to working together with our customers, clients and manufacturers to reduce that waste and to build a better environment for ourselves and our future generations.Our most successful and generous support comes with our national Recycle Mug program. Not only does use of this mug substantially reduce waste, but every sale of the mug directly benefits the health of our nation's fish and wildlife and their respective habitats. We market this Recycle Mug program to colleges and universities across North America in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Recycle Mugs will offer discounted prices for refills of coffee and carbonated soft drinks to encourage more frequent use and reduce waste. Sodexo will donate $.15 from the proceeds of every mug sold to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The results have been outstanding. Since the inception of this program in 1993, more than 800,000 cups have been purchased and over $200,000.00 presented to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. This money helps support the nonprofit foundation's goals of environmental education, natural resource management, habitat protection and ecosystem restoration.
"The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation relies upon public and private support to fund conservation projects. We applaud Sodexo and those who have purchased the Refill Mug for becoming active partners in our conservation efforts," said Amos Eno, Executive Director of the Foundation.
"Purchasing a Refill Mug takes just a minute, but the funds raised through each sale support projects that will preserve and protect the environment for years to come. Sodexo's Refill Mug program is an exemplary partnership because it facilitates the involvement of many individuals in environmental protection and provides the seed money necessary for conservation projects across the country."
Find out more about the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation at http://www.nfwf.org/.
Environmental Awareness Policy
Sodexo's Environmental Action Program is complex and multifaceted, offering solid information and tools to make our customers, clients, employees, and society at large aware of environmental problems and how they can help. This is a "living program" with an open-door policy: We will add to, amend, update and keep our programs current through publications, posters, newsletters and similar marketing and communication materials. Our program will be enhanced as new information is discovered and as we hear suggestions from our customers and clients. The following are key steps we follow to maximizing the impact we can make with our environmental programs:
Use a Waste Stream Audit to identify the key campus opportunities.
Review the audit summary with our customers and ask for your direction.
Solicit campus support. Develop an action plan to focus on the initial issues.
Draw together a task force of interested parties and delegate tasks.
Meet with the task force and review progress as necessary.
Support the objectives of the task force as needed.
Our Manufacturing Partners
Sodexo has been an active member of industry coalitions which encourage legislators, manufacturers and consumers to jointly develop rational, not reactionary, strategies to today's environmental needs. We select our manufacturing partners watchfully. Fort Howard, our largest contracted supplier of paper, napkins, tissue and towels, uses recycled fiber exclusively in the manufacturing process. Mobil Chemical, our primary contracted source for plastic can liners, uses from 30% to 90% recycled materials in their plastic liners.Sweetheart Cup, Solo Cup, Amoco, Dart and Mobil all use pre-recycled material in the manufacture of foam plates, bowls and food containers. Sodexo will continue to form alliances with business organizations that are ecologically sound and responsible. We will continue to work with consumer organizations, governmental agencies and industry groups to implement new strategies and tactics as they evolve. We will actively participate in the long-range planning process at the local and national levels to ensure that our environment and economy are protected for future generations to come.
You can help us help the environment in a number of ways:- Take only the number of napkins you need per meal.
- Take only one cup for each beverage purchase.
- Use paper bags for carryout, where provided.
- Join our Recycle Mug Program or bring your own mug from home for beverage purchases.
- Recycle aluminum cans throughout campus at the designated recycling stations as well as at home.
- Dine in rather than carrying out.
- Get involved with your University and the Food Service Recycling Program.