Hartwick College, NY Sustainable Food Services Policies
Type: Policy
Status: Ongoing
Source File: http://www.hartwick.edu/x428.xml
Description:
Hartwick College currently contracts for food service with Aramark. Across the nation, Aramark has begun to provide more sustainable food choices for College's and at Hartwick has implemented several great initiatives.
Fair trade, organic coffees are offered in all eateries. All dairy is regional (Byrne Dairy) and hormone free, eggs are cage free and for baking, Aramark uses mostly unbleached four. Regional, organic dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt) are offered for purchase in the Table Rock Cafe.
Some local foods are purchased for dining hall use and catering when asked for and/or when available. Due to our regional climate, it is impossible to find any supplier large enough, or farms numerous enough, to provide for all of the College's food needs. When available, the Commons will serve local salad items and in the fall, we serve locally produced cider. Local breweries, such as Ommegang, have been featured at campus events and local meat producers have also been used for BBQ's.
Aramark teams up with the Grass Roots student environmental club to host an all organic (and largely local source) dinner for campus every Fall. To further promote recycling and waste minimization, since 2003, students have been allowed to use their own reusable drink bottles in the Commons.
Increasing vegetarian options across campus via a campus wide "you design-it" sandwich competition during Spring 2007 is one way Aramark has been working with the College on promoting a healthy diet.
Excess food produced in the dining commons is given away to local food banks via the Beyond Boundaries program. The College has created a composting yard and begun collecting landscaping waste for composting. We have also conducted trails of pre-consumer food waste production in order to determine composting recipes for future campus wide pre-consumer food waste composting. The Campus Sustainability Office is currently seeking funds for a small used pick-up truck and front end loader for the student-run operation. To further recycling efforts in the Commons, Aramark uses unbleached, 35% recycled disposable napkins where such items are needed.
Departments and offices on campus hosting events, and using the Aramark catering service, can also help make a "food statement" and promote sustainability. Catering services can provide an entirely local foods and non-disposable items service when asked--several groups are now beginning to ask for such services.