| Overall Rating | Reporter - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | |
| Liaison | Amy Spark |
| Submission Date | April 5, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Bow Valley College
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
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Part 1: Sustainable Dining Initiatives
Sustainable Dining Policy
Yes
A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:
Our dining services contractor completes an annual "Better Tomorrow" report, outlining their current sustainability initiatives and dining polices.
On-Campus Sourcing
No
A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
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Local Community Engagement
No
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
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Vegan Dining Program
No
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
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Low-Impact Dining Events
No
A brief description of the low impact dining events:
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Sustainability-Themed Meals
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
Every few years, our dining services contractor partners with the Student Association and other student groups on campus to host a "Rich Man Poor Man" event. This event provides education and engagement around the global food distribution system, outlining the social and environmental impacts of globalization of food. This year, we Bow Valley College is on the planning committee for the city-wide "Feeding the 5000" meal, creating a meal for over 5000 people entirely from food diverted from landfills. The event will be hosted across the street from the college, in the City of Calgary Olympic Plaza.
Sustainability-Themed Outlet
No
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
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Labeling and Signage
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:
There is permanent labeling and signage outlining our Choose-to-Reuse program, Fair Trade products, and sustainable seafood sold in the dining hall. Our contractor also posts fliers about current initiatives (for example: going strawless, and charging 5 cents for a plastic bag). There is also information on the benefits and rationale behind Fair Trade products.
Outreach and Education
Yes
A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:
Our dining services contractor is a member of our sustainability committee, and volunteers at several sustainability-themed events throughout the year.
Other Initiatives
Yes
A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:
We have a high number of Immigrant students, and our dining services contractor offers many culturally-diverse options, including halal beef and plenty of vegetarian options.
Part 2: Food and Dining Waste
Food Recovery Program
No
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
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Trayless Dining and Portion Modifications
Yes
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
There are no trays available in any of our food service sites.
Food Donation
Yes
A brief description of the food donation program:
Our dining services contractor donates any unused food to LeftoversYYC, a local nonprofit food distribution organization, at the end of the week.
Food Materials Diversion
Yes
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Our dining services contractor donates used cooking oil to a citizen who uses it as fuel in his biofuel vehicle.
Composting
Yes
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
Our dining services provider have composting bins in all of their food prep areas.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
Yes
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
We have organic collection bins throughout campus.
Dine-In Service Ware
No
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
N/A
Take-Away Materials
Yes
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
All of our certified compostable containers come from GreenShift, a Canadian company: http://greenshift.ca/products/. We recently began stamping all of our containers with a stamp that says 'compostable' to ensure they end up in the right bin.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
Customers who bring their own reusable mug receive a large discount on hot beverages. Customers may also participate in a optional Choose-to-Reuse program where they can 'rent' reusable containers instead of a disposable compostable container. Participants in the program buy a $4 'Choose to Reuse' card, which they use as a deposit each time they want to borrow a reusable container. At the end of the meal, they return the container and get a Choose-to-Reuse card back. It is a $4 investment, but they can use the card as many times as they want.
Other Materials Management Initiatives
Yes
A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
Our dining services contractor use bulk dispensing techniques to serve milk, cream, and sugar (instead of individual). Recently, the Market on campus went strawless, and started charging 5 cents for a plastic bag.
Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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