Sodexo Intern Update #6: Honey & local greens

The Commons is now generally serving a “minimal meat Monday” menu on the classics line and healthy choice line for dinner. It is not advertised as such, but it is part of the goal to be more sustainable by using less meat-intensive meals. There has also been an increase in vegan foods and labeling them as such, which is fantastic for individuals who prefer not to eat animal products. 

On the other side of that, the EGOR honey that was in the Commons at the beginning of the semester has been replaced with another local honey source: Henry’s Honey in Redgranite, WI. Here is a link to their Facebook page if you want more information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Henrys-Honey-Farm/170454659631298.

 

In terms of sustainability, the Commons featured an educational campaign in the hopes of reducing straw usage as unnecessary waste in some cases. The straws are still available at the cashier’s stand, but are less accessible, and so individuals need to consciously make the decision to use a straw rather than do so out of habit. Also, Sodexo is part of the Recyclemania challenge and the campus “We proudly serve Starbucks” has a punch card program where after buying 10 drinks with a reusable mug, you get the 11^th free. You win and so does the environment! 

Projects that are currently being worked on include how to include more local produce into the menu and also considering the possibility of incorporating some seasonal foods either more or less into the offerings according to the season. In a future blog, look for the results of a 14 for ’14 grant (through the President’s Office) that I wrote to increase food sustainability on campus. This is another project that is currently being worked on; but more on that later!

Keep our Electricity demand down

Thank you to all the members of the campus community who have been making the effort to reduce our electricity load during this very hot week.  As I've walked through buildings on campus to escape the outdoor heat, I see lots of closed doors with friendly notes asking passers-by to come in.
Here's a picture of a door in Smith Hall (and it's not mine!)

On another matter, I visited the farm where organic waste from The Commons kitchen is taken earlier in the week.  Sodexo employees separate compostable, raw fruits and veggies which are then transported to Frasier Farms. There they are added to the compost pile where they decompose and are eventually used to build up the soil on the farm.  Rather than ending up in the landfill in Berlin, the waste helps local veggies grow.