CHICAGO National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show here. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Along with providing more sustainable menu items, foodservice directors are evaluating purchasing practices, trading kitchen equipment for more energy-efficient models and even encouraging employees to live more environmentally-friendly lives, said the group assembled for “Lean, Green and Clean: Environmental Practices in Collegiate Foodservice.” —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Rafi Taherian, the new executive director of dining services at Yale University, defined sustainability as meeting “today’s needs without compromising tomorrow.” Taherian said his department and the Yale Sustainable Food Project are adopting sustainable purchasing practices for the good of the next generation. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
“It’s all about investing for them and the future,” he said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
While outlining a guide to sustainable practices the two entities have developed, Taherian called many existing practices of raising animals for food “deplorable.” Animals should not be raised in confinement, given antibiotics or hormones, or fed animal byproducts, he said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Taherian further noted that Yale Dining Services is working with its suppliers to promote the more humane treatment of animals. When buying dairy products and beef, for instance, YDS avoids buying from suppliers that confine animals in industrial feed lots. Also, when purchasing poultry, his department avoids buying chickens and eggs from large factory farms where chickens are raised in small cages or large, overcrowded barns. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
“The way they raise pork is not right,” Taherian said. “Pregnant and nursing sows should not be confined.” —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
The foodservice director also pointed out some problems associated with the purchasing of fish, noting that Yale uses the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s seafood watch list when deciding which fish to buy. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
“We have lost a lot of our wild stock on both coasts,” he said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
While buying only fish that are not endangered limits the variety used in foodservice, he said, “there are a lot of things that can be done with farmed tilapia and wild-caught salmon.” —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
He cautioned foodservice executives to learn how to evaluate producers’ claims of humane treatment or sustainability. For example, chickens raised in “cage-free” conditions may still be confined in extremely tight quarters, and biodegradable packages may still contain chemicals, he said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Colleges located in agricultural states are able to work directly with local farmers to increase the amount of locally raised food they buy for their foodservice programs. The University of Oklahoma Food Service department uses the resources of its state’s Department of Agriculture to find local producers that are certified and insured, said David Annis, executive director of that school’s foodservice department, as well as president of the National Association of College and University Food Services, or NACUFS. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
“Being able to go to the farm and walk in the fields is very important,” Annis said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
He estimated that 30 percent of the food his department is buying for the next school year would be locally grown. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
The department is balancing sustainability with the food variety that students want, Annis said, noting that Oklahoma does not produce bananas or other tropical fruits. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
“We have to be very practical about our approaches,” he said. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
His department is buying wheat through a local farmers cooperative and making its own pizza crusts. Organic fresh-ground beef, cheese, cage-free eggs and tomatoes that a local farm grows year-round are among the other local products the department purchases. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Other panelists reported they are saving energy by building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified foodservice facilities on their campuses. The Cal Dining department at the University of California-Berkeley built the first certified green building on campus, which was then followed by all four of its dining halls, said department director Shawn La Pean. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Among his department’s socially responsible practices are composting, using biodegradable containers and cleaning supplies, providing used cooking oil for bio-diesel fuel, using fair-trade products, donating fresh food to local shelters, buying employee uniforms made in the United States, and providing employees with full benefits. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
Among the sustainable practices accomplished by the foodservice department at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, were the replacement of an old dishwashing machine with a more energy-efficient model that has saved approximately half a million gallons of water to date, said unit manager and executive chef Lester Prue. He also said he is proud of the two certified organic gardens that are tended by staff and students to raise awareness of sustainability. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s
At the University of Richmond in Richmond, Va., in addition to remodeling its building and gaining LEED certification, the foodservice department has landscaped with native plants that don’t require water and provided the most convenient parking spots to staff members who car pool or drive hybrid cars, said Diane Hardy, director of food and auxiliary services. —Colleges and universities across the country are stepping up their eco-friendly practices in response to the growing demand expressed by both students and faculty members, said a panel of foodservice directors during an educational session at last month’s