University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

UCC Green Campus Farmer's market began in the spring of 2018, hosting stalls selling low impact products for the campus and surrounding community. The market included an organic vegetable stand and homemade jams.
The UCC Community Markets were held on Campus in 2021. These markets are a collaboration between Green Campus and the Student Environmental Society. The ethos of the market is centred around promoting circularity, involving students, staff and the general public and creating a real sense of community on campus. We had a wide range of stallholders ranging from sustainable consumption (rice, pasta, grains) focused stalls to activist stalls such as Extinction Rebellion Cork. Communicating the benefits of circularity and demonstrating that products can reused repaired and remanufactured while at the same time making this concept accessible to the UCC community.
On 18th May 2022, Fascination of Plants Day, a global initiative that aims to encourage as many people as possible to learn more about plants, environmental conservation, and appreciate the role that plants play in the production of food, pharmaceuticals, energy, and clean air. This was the perfect day for the UCC School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) to launch the University Urban Farm project, which was funded by the UCC Green Campus Living Laboratory Fund. The project uses an aeroponic system, an advanced form of hydroponics, which involves growing plants without any substrate (soil), using only water and nutrients. The plants are suspended in the air, and their roots are periodically misted with nutrient solution. Sustainability is central to this project. The Urban Farm operates on a closed-loop system, which uses 98% less water in comparison to traditional farms. A key feature of this project is that this system can be established anywhere, which makes it especially useful in non-traditional settings such as schools, airports, and rooftops.
Food is considered a “nexus” SDG, in that improvements in food production and provision would have significant knock on effect to all other SDGs. In addition a considerable number of sustainable food initiatives have been developed and promoted from within UCC, which positively impact both the University population and the wider community e.g. the Cork Food Policy Council, and the developments towards sustainable food provision on campus by the current main on-site catering contractor, KSG.
KSG takes responsibility for our impact on society and as a result integrate social and environmental concerns into their mainstream business operations. KSG build trust and develop strategic partnerships in local communities to secure long-term sustainability. This includes fundraising and volunteering initiatives with charities and support local charities COPE through employment schemes and volunteering activities.
Additionally KSG believe that being sustainable, considerate to the environment and delivering lasting business practices is a must do for the planet and for all of us. Their approach is unique and diverse, supported and delivered by Sustainability champions. As part of KSG's commitment to being sustainable, being considerate to the environment and delivering lasting business practices is a must do for the planet. Their approach is is supported and delivered by our Sustainability champions as part of their 5 year plan Environmental and Sustainability Commitments include a 10% INCREASE OF PURCHASES FROM KSG'S FARM PRODUCE YOY, reduction in general waste and an increase in recycling.

The Bio Green Cafe launched in September 2018, and is a single use disposable free cafe on UCC campus. The café has eliminated single-use plastics from its operations, all plastic drink bottles have been replaced with glass bottles and cans. There are no plastic sachets of sauces, disposable cutlery, or plastic wrapped snacks. Meats and cheeses are sourced from the local market and delivered without wrapping, while the vegetables come from the UCC/KSG farm.
More details on the cafe are available here https://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/irelands-first-plastic-free-caf-opens-today-37305145.html

In January 2020 Roots opened their second Cork Cafe in University College Cork’s main campus in the UCC Student Hub.
Roots cafés train adults with an intellectual disability in barista skills, customer service, communication, and cash handling.
They serve Java Republic Fairtrade coffee, local goodies from The Natural Foods Bakery. Many of the current young people on the staff at Roots are students at the Cope Foundation’s Bonnington Training Centre. Working at the café helps staff who have learning difficulties to develop their confidence, learn customer service skills and progress to secure other jobs in similar businesses.

Roots is an eco-friendly cafe only serving hot drinks in reusable coffee cups to minimise waste and reduce its carbon footprint. Customers bring their own cups or buy a Roots coffee cup and get your first coffee free. Roots focus on training and employment for the people Cope Foundation support.
https://www.cope-foundation.ie/

Meatless Mondays have been happening in the main restaurant in UCC for the five academic years. There are usually at least two events per semester.
Meatless Monday” is a global movement aimed at encouraging everyone to eat meat-free one day a week. 44 countries worldwide take part in this campaign, and UCC is playing its part. On Meatless Monday, the main restaurant will offer meatless meal options for students and staff that wish to take action to help our environment.
UCC believes that collectively we can have a real impact on our environmental footprint. On meatless Mondays KSG prepare a varied menu with many appetising vegetarian and vegan options for the day.
UCC’s Meatless Monday is supported by the Student’s Union, the Restaurant Committee, KSG, the Green Forum and UCC Health Matters.

Vegan options are available in all cafes and restaurants in UCC.
The health and wellbeing of our staff and students are fundamental to achieving UCC’s mission. The University has been awarded formal recognition by the HSE South for its efforts in Health Promotion and Improvement, under the umbrella of the UCC Health Matters initiative. UCC is guided by the Okanagan Charter (the International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges) in this regard.
There is also a UCC Student Vegan Society who provide a social and educational environment for students who are vegan, or curious about veganism, at UCC.
https://www.facebook.com/uccvegsoc/

The main restaurant in UCC is decorated with displays informing students of the "Farm to Fork" initiative and the fact that the root vegetables that they are eating are from the campus farm less than 5km away. As students enter the food service area there is signage next to the menu board informing them of the sustainability credentials of the other foods on offer, for example local meats and sustainable fish.

UCC's catering company has adopted a Positive Carbon Measurement Tool. This tool enables staff to see where and when food waste is happening. Staff are equipped with the tools to allow them to effortlessly log their food waste at the end of the day. This tool registers food waste through the installation of our simple sensors - all the food waste your kitchen generates is automatically tracked.
This increases site profits & make your operation sustainable by bringing visibility to your food waste.
https://www.ksg.ie/`
https://assets.gov.ie/214106/7a126825-8deb-49f6-b4c1-0a0bc02d48f5.pdf

In UCC portion modifications are offered by the food charged per weight system. There are many benefits associated by the pay per weight option. Less food waste, helping staff and students choose only what you like, decide how much of each food you want, compose a meal of many diverse items and save money by enjoying lighter foods.

Food that is still sealed and unwanted is brought to Penny Dinners, a local service that provides meals to the homeless people of Cork. This is done on a ad hoc basis.
Cork Penny Dinners serves up to 2000 freshly made meals per week. Their aims are simple - to help all who struggle and those in need. Cork Penny Dinners provide a hot nourishing meal of soup, main course, dessert and tea/coffee daily. In addition sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and juice are also available to take away as an evening meal. Cork Penny Dinners are open 7 days a week all year round including Christmas Day.

Cooking oil is supplied by Frylite, who collect waste oil and return it to their depot to be cleaned and reused - http://frylite.com/uco/

As per regulations in Ireland, all pre-consumer food waste from KSG outlets is collected by GreenStar and taken to Acorn recycling in Tipperary. Here it is composted and it is then used on agricultural land in the Cork region.

Post-consumer composting is available in a number of the larger campus food outlets. Segregated bin systems with appropriate signage direct customers to dispose of compostable waste separately. The food waste is collected by GreenStar and taken to Acorn recycling in Tipperary. Here it is composted and it is then used on agricultural land in the Cork region.

Dine-in service ware is available in a number of the larger food outlets on campus, including the main restaurant.

All KSG outlets on campus utilise compostable coffee cups and reusable coffee cups. A trial reusable salad container was introduced in 2019 but put on hold due to Covid.

A 10cent discount is available across campus for customers who use their own reusable coffee cups.

The KSG wellness programme, ENRICH, aims to educate, enable and empower our customers to make the healthier choice, the easier choice. The health and wellbeing of our customers is very important to us at KSG and when people dine with us, we want them to go back to work with a spring in their step. The ENRICH programme is designed to fit the ever-changing health needs of our customers, encourage healthy choices and lifestyle while still delivering on taste and quality.

https://www.ucc.ie/en/greencampus/practice/food-health-and-wellbeing/

https://www.facebook.com/uccvegsoc/

https://www.ksg.ie/ourethos

https://www.ucc.ie/en/greencampus/news/launching-the-ucc-urban-farm.html

UCC Green Campus Living Laboratory Fund

http://corkpennydinners.ie/