| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.20 |
| Liaison | Maddie LoDico |
| Submission Date | Nov. 5, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Colby College
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Marietta
Lamarre General Manager of Dining Services Dining Services |
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a published sustainable dining policy?:
A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:
Bon Appetit believes a sustainable future for food service means flavorful food that’s healthy and economically viable for all, produced through practices that respect farmers, workers, and animals; nourish the community; and replenish our shared natural resources for future generations.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor source food from a campus garden or farm?:
A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
Dining Services provides financial and educational resources to the on-campus Organic Farm. The farm then provides fresh, local, and organic produce to the dining halls to use in meal preparation. During the summer and fall of 2016, the garden provided an estimated 3,000 pounds of food to the campus dining halls.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, and/or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
Dining Services has nutritional icons to make it easier for students to make healthy choices. These icons identify items that are mindful, gluten free, local, organic, vegan, and vegetarian. Additionally, each dining hall has vegetarian, vegan, and complete-protein options available, and the chefs are accommodating to special requests. Furthermore, one of the student dining halls, Foss, offers a primarily vegetarian and vegan menu and does not serve any red meat.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events (e.g. Meatless Mondays)?:
A brief description of the low impact dining events:
One of the dining halls, Foss, has Meatless Monday every Monday throughout the school year.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host sustainability-themed meals (e.g. local harvest dinners)?:
A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
Every fall, Bon Appetit hosts the Eat Local Challenge, which requires all ingredients used in the meal be sourced from within 150 miles of campus.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labeling and signage in dining halls?:
A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:
There are signs near the entryway of every dining hall which list the ingredients used that day that came from local sources, table stands that highlight the sustainable animal product programs and Bon Appetit's Farm to Fork Program, and labelled vegan and vegetarian meal options.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor engage in outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:
Dining Services collaborates with the new student orientation program, Colby Outdoor Orientation Trips (COOT), to support the trip "Cooking with Local, Sustainable Foods:" During this first-year experience, Dining Services helps instruct students on cooking with locally sourced food, including goat-milk cheese, wild blueberries, and sunchokes to experience the vibrant local foods community in Maine. This trip will begin with an introduction to the use of local, sustainable foods on campus. We will then expand out into the community visiting farmer’s markets and local businesses centered around the use of these foods. A guest instructor will provide guidance on cooking with your locally purchased treasures. In addition, Dining Services oversees the organic garden. Gardeners over the summer collaborate with local schools and day camps to teach elementary school-age children how to grow their own vegetables.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have other sustainability-related initiatives (e.g. health and wellness initiatives, making culturally diverse options available)?:
A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:
Dining Services has a robust Farm to Fork program, which targets small, owner-operated farms or artisans within 150 miles of Colby. Dining Services is also committed to Seafood Watch and targets local seafood sources through the Fish to Fork program. Dining Services promotes a Monthly Nutrition: Food for Well-being program which promotes different kinds of wellness options each month. One example was October 2016 when Bon Appetit hosted a vegan cooking class. They have also taught classes in conjunction with Student Health On Campus (SHOC). Additionally, on Bon Appetit's website, they promote healthy eating practices and good-for-you foods.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
Colby participates in the EPA Food Recovery Challenge and reports to this organization every year. The Food Recovery Network is a student club who collects leftovers from one to two dining halls two nights per week.
Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
There are no trays available in any of the dining halls at Colby.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
A brief description of the food donation program:
The Food Recovery Network recovers food from two of the three dining halls 2-3 days per week during the school year and brings it to a local free-meal program called the Evening Sandwich Program.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses (e.g. converting cooking oil to fuel, on-site anaerobic digestion)?:
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Cooking oil is picked up by Maine Standard Biofuels to be converted into biodiesel, bioheat, and other bio-based cleaning products.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
All of the food scraps created during food preparation are composted. All of Colby's composting is composted off-site at Exeter Agri-Energy where the composting is turned into energy to power a dairy farm.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
All food waste from all dining halls is composted, as well as food scaps put into composting bins in the student center, where students can buy meals and there is a grab and go station. This compost is also collected by Exeter Agri-Energy.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
The service ware at dine-in events consists of washable Chinaware and metal utensils. In our to-go service area, students have an option to dine-in and those that do receive their meal on a metal tray instead of in a cardboard box.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
In the student center, the Joseph Family Spa to-go food provides nearly all compostable food containers (cups, napkins, silverware). The only non-compostable items are coffee cup lids.
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?:
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
In our to-go dining service, The Spa, people who purchase a beverage who bring their own cup receive a $0.10 discount.
Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented other materials management initiatives to minimize waste not covered above (e.g. working with vendors and other entities to reduce waste from food packaging)?:
A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
N/A
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.