Campus Dining

Sustainability

Campus Dining is continually increasing its sustainable practices while serving the campus community high quality foods and top-notch customer service. Below is a list of our current sustainability initiatives.

 

Local Vendors:

  • Produce: Sysco MI produce line, when available
  • Bread Crumbs: Drakes, Marshall, MI
  • Ice Cream: Hudsonville Ice Cream, Hudsonville, MI
  • Baked Goods: Sandy’s Bakery, Grand Rapids, MI
  • Concessions: Kowalski Hot Dogs, Detroit, MI
  • Dressings: Chadalee Farms, Lowell, MI
  • Vending: Karr’s Nuts, Detroit, MI
  • Concessions: Grand Rapids Popcorn
  • Dairy: Country Dairy
  • Engrained uses a variety of local vendors, look for more information on the digital menus inside this restaurant.
Note: Using local vendors are an important sustainability initiative because it requires the use of less fuel to deliver the food to campus.

Waste Management/Recycling:

  • Waste sorting stations used for composting, office paper, plastic and glass bottles are used in Fuel, River Landing and Engrained.
  • Metal, plastic and glass are separated and recycled in campus kitchens.
  • $1 coffee refills at all Campus Dining locations
  • All locations have collection sites for pop cans, plastic bottles, glass and paper.
  • Used kitchen oil is utilized to make bio-fuel.
  • Campus Dining participates in Recyclemania, a 10-week competition among colleges and universities. More information can be found at www.recyclemaniacs.com. Results specific to GVSU can be found here.
  • The use of trays at Fresh Food Company was eliminated to reduce energy, water and detergent usage. This resulted in saving 1,619,000 gallons of water from 2007 to 2008.
  • Low emission fluorescent lights are used in Campus Dining coolers
  • A flex-fuel vehicle is used for food deliveries.
  • Composting programs at Kleiner, Kirkhof, Connection and Commons that directs waste from landfills.
  • When requested, Campus Dining offers "Zero-Waste" meals, where all disposable-ware is either compostable or recyclable.
  • Campus Dining also uses compostable trash bags in dining locations.
  • Compostable take-out bags used in C-Stores and retail locations.
  • Implementation of digital menu boards at The Connection.
  • Use of eco-friendly cleaning products in dish machines.

Sustainable Products:

  • Coffee and Tea brands including Java City, Seattle's Best, Starbucks, Bewley's and Tazo offer Fair Trade Coffee and Tea.  Rowster's Coffee, served at The Connection is roasted locally in Grand Rapids. 
  • Fair Trade chocolate, dried tropical fruit, ice cream, sugar and tea are available in Campus Dining restaurants.
  • Biodegradable disposable-ware is utilized as often as possible.  This includes plates make of sugar cane, corn-based cutlery and portion cups made from natural and renewable produces.
  • Uniform shirts are made from 100% organic cotton.
  • The Freshens locations in Fuel and The Lobby Shop both use biodegradable cups.

 

General Sustainable Efforts:

  • Campus Dining participates in the Adopt-a-Highway program.
  • Healthy food options are available in vending machines.
  • Employees are educated on sustainability through a mandatory training course.
  • Campus Dining has a manager dedicated to sustainability.
  • Participation with Sustainability Week and Sustainable Chef Challenge.
  • Participation in GVSU Farmer's Market.
  • Management of plot in the GVSU community garden.
  • Campus Dining also participates in Meatless Monday at Fresh Food Co., Engrained and River Landing.  More information about this effort can be found here.

Resources:

For more information on sustainable food, visit Sustainabletable.org.

For more information about sustainability at GVSU visit www.gvsu.edu/sustainability

Page last modified May 13, 2013