Skidmore College, NY Sustainable Food Initiatives
Type: Program
Status: Ongoing
Source File: http://cms.skidmore.edu/sustainability/test/food.cfm
Description:
Skidmore Farmer's Market: Every Friday, local Farmers come to Skidmore to sell their products. The Farmer's Market not only serves as a way to bring more local products to campus, it also is a great venue for community building.
Murray-Aikins Dining Hall: Thanks to the dining hall's 2006 renovation, the new dining program has reduced its food waste by an estimated 20%.
Trayless Dining: The trayless dining program in Skidmore's Murray-Aikins Dining Hall reduces the amount of wasted food. People are less likely to take more food than they can eat when they don't have a tray to carry it back to their table. By not having trays to wash, the dining hall also saves water and energy.
Expanded Vegetarian and Vegan Options: Through the generous support of a college trustee, Skidmore opened Emily's Garden, which offers fantastic vegetarian and vegan options. Emily's Garden has also expanded the amount of local, organic produce on campus as well.
Partnerships with Local Farms: Skidmore's dining services has created several partnerships with local farms. They have worked extensively with Saratoga Apple, receive their flour from King Arthur Flour, buy their shell eggs from Thomas Poultry and some dairy from Battenkill Farms.
Sustainable Food Consultant: Skidmore recently invited John Turene, a sustainable food consultant, to campus to give a lecture and facilitate a roundtable discussion on sustainable food on college campuses. His visit stimulated a rich discussion of sustainable food options at Skidmore.