2014 Sustainability Report

Boston University Dining Services is pleased to report the sustainable progress that we have made in 2013 across campus. As we continue our mission to serve wholesome, delicious, and affordable food to the BU community and its guests, we strive to do so with the smallest environmental impact. As we operate to reduce our use of natural resources, we do so with a parallel goal: the extension of the dining hall as the classroom. As we change how things are done in our kitchens and dining rooms, we strive to communicate both the challenges and benefits to our main customers: students. By making students aware of our initiatives, goals, and challenges, we hope to create knowledgeable and empowered consumers and operators, who will demand high standards from their food sources, both while on campus and as they make their own path after graduation.

See how we did it this year!

Serious about sustainability:
20% by 2018

Boston University Dining Services aspires to improve the health of all members of the Boston University community and have a positive impact on our environment, by increasing access to fresh, healthy, and wholesome foods and beverages offered in University facilities. We promote agricultural practices that are ecologically sound, socially responsible, and economically viable with our purchasing strategies. We also strive to inform the University community of such practices through education and marketing.

By 2018, our goal is to have 20% of our food come from sustainable sources.

What we're doing now

  • Maintaining transparency and providing an ongoing dialogue and compliance reporting with the University community and encouraging participation in the development of sustainable and affordable food policies
  • Sourcing food locally as practical, from within a 250-mile radius, by partnering with local farms, producers, and distributors that are capable of consistently meeting our volume, quality, and service standards
  • Cooking and baking from scratch in University facilities as much as possible, recognizing the value of a freshly made quality product, made with hand-picked ingredients
  • Sourcing and purchasing foods that are grown without the use of potentially harmful pesticides and fertilizers
  • Sourcing and purchasing foods that are Certified Fair Trade
  • Evaluate our progress by participating in the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS 2.0), established through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Our next goals

  • Increase the percentage of sustainable and socially responsible food purchases to 20 percent of total food purchases by 2018
  • 100% gestation crate-free pork by 2017
  • 100% sustainable seafood by 2018

What makes a food purchase sustainable?

Food purchases must fulfill one or more of the following categories to be considered a sustainable or socially responsible purchase:

  • local and community based
    • or
  • third party certified: fair, ecologically sound, and/or humane

We're making a difference already!

Cage-Free Eggs

In September 2012, Dining Services began serving only cage-free & American certified humane eggs.

To put that change into perspective, that's over four million eggs every year.

We started with local sources

Our mission: BU Dining Services' sustainability program strives to create positive environmental and social impacts through its daily operations and programming. Through responsible procurement, a comprehensive waste reduction and diversion program, and efficient facilities operations, our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint by sending less waste to the incinerator and lessening our reliance on non-renewable energy sources. By sourcing food from local and sustainable farms and producers, our goal is to build and maintain a campuswide sustainable food system to provide the BU community with wholesome options, support the local economy, preserve farmland in New England, and support environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

Produce

Dairy

Grocery

Meat and Seafood

Beverages

We heard you!

On the 2013 dining survey, you said that locally grown foods are important to you. Look out for all our local items in the dining hall. Barley, wheatberries, cheddar cheese, seasonal fruit and vegetables, chicken and more.

We made meals that made a
difference from their farms to your table.

Fun facts

The deli in residential dining halls serve Cabot cheddar cheese, made from milk from dairy farms in New England
Our wheatberries and barley come from Four Star Farms in Northfield, MA
Our whole chickens are Certified Humane and come from a farm in New York
Meet the family behind Four Star Farms

Nestled along the banks of the Connecticut River you'll find Four Star Farms, a fertile piece of land, upon which the L'Etoile family live and work. Their heritage is deeply rooted in agricultural tradition, built and passed down by 14 generations, and driven by a steadfast commitment to responsibly balance what is right for the environment with what is viable for their farmland and family. You'll find their wheatberries and barley in soups, pilafs, and salads across campus.

See farmer profiles
Close Profiles
Four Star Farms

Four Star Farms

Northfield, Massachusetts

Wheatberries, Barley

Nestled along the banks of the Connecticut River you'll find Four Star Farms, a fertile piece of land, upon which the L'Etoile family live and work. Their heritage is deeply rooted in agricultural tradition, built and passed down by 14 generations, and driven by a steadfast commitment to responsibly balance what is right for the environment with what is viable for their farmland and family. You'll find their wheatberries and barley in soups, pilafs, and salads across campus.

Carlson Orchards

Carlson Orchards

Harvard, Massachusetts

Apple Cider

Carlson Orchards was founded in 1936 by Walter and Eleanor Carlson. Since the late sixties, the farm has specialized in fruits with apples being the main crop. The Carlsons are dedicated to growing the best tree fruits, and producing the best apple cider. Look for their delicious cider at BU, year round.

Czajkowski Farms

Czajkowski Farms

Rochester, Massachusetts

Vegetables

Meet Joe Czajkowski. Joe and his workers provide BU with fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables throughout the growing season. We are able to enjoy Czajkowski produce throughout the year as well, thanks to the Franklin County Processing Center and their fantastic processing and freezing facility. Czajkowski Farm is in its 3rd generation, and was founded by Joe's grandfather, John Czajkowski. The farm is 300 acres, 100 of which are certified organic.

Red's Best

Red's Best

Boston, Massachusetts

Fish, Seafood

Jeff Goode is a fisherman based out of Plymouth Port. On his day boat, he catches flounder, scallops and much more. He is one of many local fisherman that sell their catch to Red's Best, BU's local supplier of fresh fish. It is the mission of Red's Best to support the livelihood of small, day boat fishermen in New England. Look out for Jeff's fresh fish every Thursday night on campus.

This year,
we set the bar for waste reduction in Massachusetts.

In 2013, BU Dining Services was asked to serve as a case study for the Mass DEP's Recycling Works program, to help other Massachusetts institutions and businesses prepare for the upcoming organics waste stream ban.

Student recycles at Boston University

Total recycling by BU Dining

Graph of Total Recycling by BU Dining
Total recycling in tons
1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0
Calendar Year
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
508
696
1,131
1,135
1,090
1,059
Our long-term goal is to reduce overall waste while maximizing waste diversion from the landfill. Our waste numbers are declining in the graph for this reason.

2013 progress in a nutshell

Supporting our community

Dining Services donates on a daily basis to several local food banks and shelters through the Community Service Center's Student Food Rescue at Boston University, including:

  • Rosie's Place
  • Boston Rescue Mission
  • Kenmore Abbey
  • Safe Haven for Women
  • On the Rise Women's Shelter

Student Food Rescue was founded by a group of BU student volunteers in the spring of 1988. Volunteers collect nearly 150,000 pounds of food annually from Boston restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, grocery surplus facilities, and coffee shops.

Our employees created an 8% reduction in food waste this year by weighing their food prep waste as part of a food waste reduction program.
70% diversion rate at the GSU in 2013
31 tons of waste diverted during the 2014 Commencement weekend
At Subway, we eliminated plastic sandwich bags and replaced them with paper. We always ask first if you want a bag!

In 2013, we recycled 2,282,000 pounds of glass, aluminum, plastic, cardboard, paper, small electronics, printer cartridges, and fryer oil.

SOMAT extractor and pulper

At Marciano Commons, our food waste pulper and dewatering system helps us lower our carbon footprint by extracting 85% of the water from organic prep scraps and post-consumer food waste. We also have a food waste tracking program for our staff and do outreach throughout the year with students to help minimize our food waste in the first place. The pulper helps us reduce pickups and hauls to the compost farm from 6 days a week to 1, which lowers our carbon footprint by close to 400 tons of CO2 per year. That's enough energy saved to power 50 homes for an entire year!

This apple reduces to
85% less mass
What happens to food waste in the SOMAT extractor?

We spread the word through community outreach

From Farm to Table

BU Farmers' Market

The farmers' market connects consumers to their food sources, emphasizing the importance of supporting local agriculture and producers as well as introducing and fostering the notion of seasonality in New England. Equally important is bringing in local farmers and producers from surrounding communities and establishing a close relationship that fosters trust, understanding, and reciprocity. By connecting local artisans, farmers, producers, and artists, the local economy is stimulated and the University is engaged with the local agricultural and artisan community.

See the Farmers' Market

Ward's Berry Farm CSA

A University-wide farmshare or CSA (community shared agriculture) program started in 2010, offering avid locavores the opportunity to order a weekly box of seasonally harvested produce from Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, MA. The CSA is the best way to get in touch with New England seasonality and try new fruits and vegetables, grown by your local farmer. Ever cooked with kohlrabi, popped your own popcorn from the kernel, or baked a blueberry pie with some juicy, New England blueberries?

See the CSA Program

Six years of sustainability

2007

A commitment to sustainability

Impact this year: 4.43 tons of waste saved
In partnership with Save that Stuff, all Dining Services employees and managers are trained on how to sort food waste and organics, recycling, and cardboard
2008

Fueling the initiative

Impact this year: 508 tons of waste diverted from the landfill
All dining halls go trayless

Food waste is reduced by an estimated 33%

Fryer oil begins diversion to biodiesel
First Farmers' Market
The first sustainability coordinator for Dining Services is hired
The Dining & Sustainability Committee is created
2009

Commitment to Zero Waste

Impact this year: 696 tons of waste diverted from the landfill
25-cent-mug discount is offered for reusable mug usage on campus
Compostable tableware replaces non-compostable
Zero waste catering begins

Compostable tableware and recycling is sorted behind the scenes at staffed events. Garbage cans begin to disappear from the floor of events in 2010!

First Zero Waste commencement: 11 tons are diverted
2010

CSA and Composting

Impact this year: 1,131 tons of waste diverted from the landfill
First CSA box offered with Ward's Berry Farm

The brainchild of BU student Joe Nangle, SMG '12, the Farmers' Market partnered with Ward's Berry Farm to offer a weekly box of seasonal and fresh-picked fruits and vegetables each week to students, staff, and faculty at BU.

Began post-consumer composting at the GSU
Boston University received a Silver rating from AASHE STARS

Dining Services was awarded points for sustainable purchasing, trayless dining, and more

2011

Building Community Outreach

Impact this year: 1,208 tons of waste diverted from the landfill
Make a Difference Monday begins once a month in dining halls

Make a Difference Monday is a special meal at breakfast, lunch, and dinner in residential dining halls, which celebrates foods with a lower carbon footprint. Dining halls feature more vegetarian options, sustainable seafood, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, and organic third-party certified foods, instead of higher carbon foods such as beef and pork.

Dining Services holds Sustainable Seafood panel
First field trip, to local dairy farm — Smith's Country Cheese in Winchendon, MA with Keep Local Farms
Field trip to AD Makepeace cranberry bog and apple orchard for apple picking
Presented on Zero Waste at the AASHE Conference 2011
Boston University received a Silver rating from AASHE STARS

Dining Services was awarded points for sustainable purchasing, vegan dining, and more

2012

Leaders in Sustainability

1,149 tons of waste diverted from the landfill (due to waste reduction!)
GSU is awarded 3 stars from Green Restaurant Association, the highest GRA restaurant rating in New England and the only food court in the country with a GRA Certification
Field trip to Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary for Flapjack Fling
Presented on Third Party Certifications at the AASHE Conference 2012
Presented on Zero Waste at the NECSC Conference 2012
Mayor Thomas M. Menino awards BU Dining Services the City of Boston Sustainable Food Leadership Award
Dining Services hosts Sustainable Agriculture panel
100 Bay State Rd Executive Chef Adam Pagan teaches improv cooking classes using the weekly produce in the Ward's Berry Farm CSA box
Boston University received a Silver rating from AASHE STARS

Dining Services was awarded points for sustainable purchasing, composting, and more

Make a Difference Monday goes weekly in dining halls
2013

Educating the Masses

For Lobster night, we purchased 8,000 Maine lobsters, 500 pounds of Cabot butter, 24,000 potatoes, and 4,000 cobs of corn! In 2014, Lobster night will be 100% local.
Certified Marciano Commons, Rize and Late Night Kitchen as 4-star Certified Green Restaurants®
Chosen as a case study by the Mass DEP's Recycling Works website to prepare other institutions for the organics waste ban in October 2014
Presented on Organics Diversion at the TURI Conference in Marlborough, MA
Presented on Organics Diversion at the MIT Sustainability Summit 2013
Participated in Mass Farm to School's Harvest of the Month
Installed a new energy-efficient dish machine at the George Sherman Union, saving millions of gallons of water and tons of energy each year.
2014

Working Together to Improve

During the 2014 school year, BU bought more than 100,000 local apples!
BU Dining Services partnered with the School of General Studies' student service group, Club GiiVE, to host "Composting Comes Out" in all residential dining halls, to encourage lower food waste
Hosted a Cabot farmer and local fisherman during Earth week
Converted 156,000 plastic sandwich bags at Subway to paper
Installed 2 new energy-efficient dish machines at Fresh Food Co. at West Campus, saving millions of gallons of water and tons of energy each year!

In 2014, we're continuing our impact

Marciano Commons, Rize, and Late Night Kitchen at 100 Bay State Road are awarded 4 stars from Green Restaurant Association

BU Dining Services chosen as case study for the Massachusetts DEP's Recycling Works program—to help businesses and institutions prepare for the upcoming organics waste ban

We are continuing to expand our vegan options across campus to promote a plant-based diet, such as with Beyond Meat, our favorite meat alternative.

Of all the colleges and universities across the country, Boston University has three of only four university 4-star Certified Green Restaurants in the country — period.

BU's commitment to sustainable dining enabled the University to become the first in the country honored with four-star ratings from the Green Restaurant Association. Additionally, the George Sherman Union's Union Court dining facility received a three-star rating from the GRA, the only food court in the country to be certified.

Certified Green Restaurant - 4 stars

And our commitment to our community doesn't stop there.

Our Student Food Rescue, part of the Community Service Center, donated 4,300 pounds of food in 2013 alone Get involved

Their hard work helps fight hunger every day in the Boston area.

From everyone here at Boston University Dining Services, thank you for your continued support and another successful year.