Spring-Summer '14 PHE-FRC Campus Updates

Not alot to report since last update as business is slow right now.

We have a new wast hauling company and will be adding a bio bin for our current composting program as well as a compactor for both our trash and cardboard

We will open for the new semester with all of our retail units using fully compostable servicewear as well as introduce the same into our catering. Our kitchen and dishroom continues to compost on a large scale.

 

June and July have been very slow as the campus has closed down, however we did manger to digest over 500 lb.s of food with the ORCA program as we kept the food out of the landfill. We are working on programs for the upcoming semester that promote the ORCA program to the new students. We also making plans to work with the Seven Loaves Food Pantry for food donations with our students.

The composting initiative on campus saw it come ful circle this spring. Compost material was brough back and utilized on campus. See article: http://www.fandm.edu/bell-and-tower/article/f-m-sustainability-closing-the-composting-circle

Began composting for first time during summer camp season. The overall response and cooperation of campers has been outstanding.

Additional toters and professional signage has been added to help highlight and inform about composting on campus.

 

Sodexo at Juniata College currently uses the LeanPath system to track our food waste.  We are able to separte our pre-consumer waste from post-consumer which will allow us to create a "Weigh the Waste" promotion in the fall semester to coincide with other initiatives on campus.  We also provide reusable clamshells to students.  Historically, it wasn't popular, but a student group, Environmental Coalition, chose to build a promotion around it and participation has doubled.  They are suggesting to college administration that each incoming Freshman should recieve a clamshell as part of the welcome package, which we think could be a great start to creating a culture of sustainability on campus.

The College has recently begun composting using the waste that goes through the pulper.  We do not have any measurments on this to share yet.

We have recently hooked up with a chruch sponsored soup kitchen here in town.  So far we have donated approximately 200lbs and the relationship is progressing very well.

Millersville University began off-site composting on April 25, sending almost 6000 pounds to Environmental Recovery Corporation.

 

We finished the semester with the following accomplishments.

We successfully converted our retail operations to fully compostable disposable products. Based on our purchases we estimate a savings of approx. 3k per year as compared to the plastic – petroleum based products we had previously been using. Our production areas are also collecting food trimmings for composting, as well as the dish room which has been pulping waste for some time.

As part of our Commencement reception we worked with the Office of Sustainability on campus to use only compostable service wear.

Our Facilities Department has recently signed a new contract for waste removal. Moving forward we anticipate additional support of our sustainability initiatives on campus.

We are currently working with the Office of Sustainability and our Student Managers of our campus Organic Garden who will begin supplying our dining hall with the products they are growing.  We have had discussions on their crop plan as it relates to staggered plantings and anticipated yields to meet our needs. We received our first delivery this past week of beautiful lettuces. This week we are anticipating Radishes, Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard and a variety of lettuces.

As of the end of may our ORCA food digester has digested 6,000 lbs. of orgnaic food and keeping it out of the landfill. In May we also donated over 200 lbs. of food to Seven Loaves food pantry.

At Ship we have finally gotten on track with the input of all of our baseline data and goals.  We have also gotten up to date with the 2014 school year.  At this time our goal over the summer is to get better systems in place for tracking at each area dining location.  Up to this point there are several things we have been doing that we have no way of knowing what are savings are, these systems will help correct that problem. 

We plan on continuing with programs like Trim Trax that help to visualize to our associates the amount of kitchen prep waste being generated. 

In Fall 2014 as part of our Project Clean Plate initiative we will work on new marketing methods and incentives for students who "clean" their plate.

In Spring 2014 we began a local food donation initiative called Food Recovery Network.  Over the summer we will be training students, faculty and staff on the program and hope to expand our donations in the Fall.  Summer donations will be limited.

At this point we are at a stand still with composting as we are composting at maximum levels for the equipment that we have.

We continued the practice of composting pre and post consumer waste in the main Dining Hall for the spring semester. Noticing that fewer pounds are making it to the compost as the students and culinary teams awareness continues to grow.

We have also incorporated composting initatives into the catering services department for large events with success.

This summer during our camp season we will also compost for the first time.

Great semester at Westminster.

- We continue to reduce waste in the kitchen through staff awareness and training.

- Many events during Earth Month:

* Edible Waste Challenge. Students reduced edible food going to the dish room by 36% from the previous challenge.

* $25 refills for reusable mugs.

* No Bottle Fridays. No bottle beverage sold on Fridays in April.

- Still researching a practical solution for composting on campus.