Food

A lot of research and planning goes into every bite you take on campus. For example, whenever possible, BU buys locally to reduce fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions. BU currently purchases everything from milk, fruit, vegetables, and meat, to seafood, coffee, tofu and pizza dough from 45 local farms and growers. The University also seeks vendors that are committed to sustainable agriculture practices.

The Dining Services Sustainability Program is a campus wide effort to reduce environmental impacts. In order to accomplish this goal, Dining Services partners with their suppliers, Facilities, Management and Planning, Sourcing and Procurement, and recycling and composting companies like Save That Stuff. Together they’re working to identify environmentally friendly products and practices that encourage reuse and recycling, and the reduction of energy, fuel, and water use.

During 2010, Dining services diverted 1,120 tons of material from the University’s waste stream: 788 tons of food waste, 191 tons of cardboard, and 141 tons of cans and bottles.

In 2008, ARAMARK formed a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium to promote sustainable seafood procurement and have made a commitment to purchase only seafood from the green and yellow lists, including a variety of local seafood.

Vegan and Fair Trade

• Vegan meal options are labeled and offered in all dining rooms throughout the day.

• Fair trade, organic and locally-roasted coffee is served at all residential dining halls, the GSU Union Food Court, Law School Café, 575 Café, Granby St. Café and Healthy Blends.  Fair trade varieties are available for sale at Starbucks.

Dishware and Eco-Friendly Incentives

Dining Services made a conscious decision to eliminate all non-compostable disposables, including Polystyrene. All catering tableware, minus our cookie packets, is compostable.  All Late Nite Café tableware is compostable as well as the majority of disposable tableware at the GSU Union Food Court.  Dining Services continues to work with its national brands such as Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Einstein’s Bagels, to procure compostable tableware and reduce what we send to the landfill.

Dining Services offers a $.25 discount for using refillable coffee mugs at all of our retail locations. Reusable to go containers are available at the GSU Union Food Court as an alternative to disposable to-go containers.

Food Composting and Waste Diversion

91% of our dining facilities run pre-consumer compost programs.

70% of dining facilities run post-consumer compost programs.

The majority of our post-consumer food waste is generated in our residential dining facilities, which is collected for composting (5 in total).  The collected food waste is brought to local industrial composting facilities and resold as a soil amendment

During the academic year, leftover baked goods, bagels and pastries are picked up by the BU Community Service Center and distributed it to area meal programs, food pantries, and shelters.

In an effort to reduce energy usage, Dining Services is working with both National Grid and NSTAR on conducting energy audits of our large kitchens on campus.  We also purchase ENERGY STAR rated kitchen equipment when replacements are due.

In January 2009, Dining Services converted to green cleaning products.  The Ecolab green cleaning system includes dish detergent, Green Seal certified glass cleaner, and all-purpose cleaner used for floors, walls, countertops, equipment, fixtures, tiles, and sinks.  The products are designed to maximize operational efficiency and lower energy and water consumption without compromising effectiveness.  Additionally, the products are designed with minimal packaging, further conserving resources from the beginning of the product life cycle to the end.

Dining Services formed a Sustainability Committee in 2007.  The committee meets on a monthly basis and is comprised of staff from Dining Services, Facilities Management & Planning, Auxiliary Services and the Office of Sustainability.

In 2008, Dining Services hired a full-time sustainability coordinator to oversee sustainability initiatives within the dining program.

Some of the University’s ongoing projects:

• Partners with Save That Stuff, to recycle cardboard, plastic, glass, and aluminum containers, paper, and food waste
• Collects food waste at a rate of 1,120 tons per year; cans; glass, plastic, and aluminum at a rate of 141 tons; and cardboard at a rate of 180,000 pounds per year.
• Cooking oil is recycled locally at the rate of 4,800 gallons per year.
• Has converted over 90% of grab n’ go products to compostable containers
• Eliminated trays in all residence dining locations in September 2008
• Sponsors a weekly farmers market form June through October outside the Student Union featuring products from area vendors.
• Purchases local products from 37 farms and 124 producers in the region
• Converted to green cleaning products in all dining locations in January 2009. The Ecolab products are designed to lower energy and water consumption without compromising effectiveness. Additionally, the products are designed with minimal packaging.
• Consults publications such as Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Guide for more responsible product procurement
• Partners with campus groups to promote programs and develop new initiatives
• Regularly trains key staff on recycling, composting, green cleaning products and energy and water efficiency.
• Identifies recycling and reuse vendors for used kitchen equipment
• Raises awareness among BU community on sustainability issues related to food and waste reduction.
  
• Audits all locations on a bi-monthly basis monthly to ensure the highest standards are being upheld.
• Donates $0.10 of every single serve milk to New England dairy farmers through Keep Local Farms.
• All catered staffed events are Zero Waste.  Catering also offers a Zero Waste pickup option for drop-off orders and non-staffed events.

Projects Under Development:

• Conducting energy audits of large retail and residential kitchens on campus through NSTAR and National Grid
• Eliminating non-compostable disposable products.
• Developing a Green Catering Guide which incorporates zero-waste principles
• Developing an annual Dining Services Sustainability Report.

For more information contact Dining Services