Local Sustainable Initiatives
Your Sodexo Campus Dining Team is dedicated to sustainability. We know we can all work together to make a positive impact right here. In addition to the many initiatives we take on as a company, we have implemented the following programs specific to Eastern University.
Sustainable Disposables
Our goal at Eastern University is to stay ahead of the curve with offering green plates, cups, and other small wares. Traditional disposable small wares are made with petrochemicals like polystyrene foam. Even most paper cups and plates have an oil-based plastic liner. At Eastern, most of the disposables we use have already been replaced with more sustainable options. As quality and availability improve we will switch even more. As of right now...
- All of the large plates, small plates, and small bowls used at the Breezeway and Eagle's Nest are made in the USA with 100% recycled paper fiber, and are municipally compostable.
- All of the hot coffee cups used in the Eagle's Nest, Jammin Java, and Dining Commons are annually renewable, municipally compostable with a biological liner. http://www.internationalpaper.com/US/EN/Products/ecotainer/ecotainer.html
- The cup grips used in the Eagle's Nest & Jammin Java are with recycled (and recyclable) cardboard grips that are 100% recycled, and between 35-80% post consumer. www.lpbmfg.com
- The soup bowls used in the Eagle's Nest are made with renewable, municipally compostable cups with a biological liner. http://www.internationalpaper.com/US/EN/Products/ecotainer/ecotainer.html
- The Dining Commons Aspretto coffee is made with entirely sustainable disposables, from the cup, to the stirrer to the paper on the sugar packet. Even the green backdrop behind the coffee pots is made in the USA with 100% recycled aluminum.
- All of the napkins on campus are made with recycled fibers.
- The boxes used for Simply to Go sandwiches on bread (such as PB&J or Turkey and Cheese on Wheat) and the boxes for the Simply to Go wraps are both made with 100% recycled material (35% post consumer).
- The clear plastic Simply to Go salad containers and the clear cold cups used at the Jammin Java are made with traditional plastics, but they are recyclable on campus and recycling containers are located at the Jammin Java, Breezeway, and throughout the campus.
- We are continuing to look for replacements for our soda cups, but the ones we offer now are recyclable on campus.
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Locally Grown Produce
We serve locally grown produce whenever possible. Most of our produce comes from Kegel's, a Lancaster-based distributor. Within the past year, we have been able to feature locally grown...
| Acorn Squash | Cucumbers | Red Peppers |
| Apple Cider (at the Jammin Java)* | Grape Tomatoes | Strawberries |
| Apples (six different varieties) | Green Peppers |
Tomatoes |
| Asparagus | Green Squash (Zucchini) | Various Gourds |
| Butternut Squash | Jersey Yams (Sweet Potatoes) | Various Herbs* |
| Cabbage | Peaches | Various Mushrooms* |
| Cantaloupe | Pumpkins | Yellow Squash |
| Yellow Watermelon |
*Denotes items that are available from local sources almost all year.
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The Leola Produce Auction is a big part of our locally grown program. The auction is a place where small local farmers, who are often too small to have a consistent relationship with a distributor, can bring their produce. It also gives us the opportunity to offer unique varieties of produce (like yellow watermelon) that are not available from larger farms. |
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Fair Trade Coffee, Tea, and Sugar
Fair Trade certification empowers farmers and their families to lift themselves out of poverty. This is made possible by companies investing in these farms and communities, and by paying the farmers a fair wage for their goods.
- All of the coffee & espresso on campus is Fair Trade certified.
- All of the dining locations on campus primarily serve Fair Trade, Organic teas. However, traditional Lipton Tea is available.
- The Jammin Java uses exclusively Fair Trade sugar, and the Dining Commons offers both Fair Trade and traditional sugar.
We are always looking for more Fair Trade products as availability increases.
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Composting Coffee Grounds
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During the summer months, we offer all of the spent coffee grinds from the Jammin Java to the Eastern community for free to use in their personal composte bins at home - for free. This prevents extra landfill waste and provides a great boost to your composte. |
No Artificial Bovine Growth Hormone Milk
All of the farmers that provide fresh milk for Eastern University sign a pledge to not treat their cows with artificial growth hormones including rBGH. This includes all of the milk used in the Dining Commons, the individual Chug milk pints sold at the Jammin Java and Breezeway, and milk used for all of the made to order drinks at the Jammin Java. In addition, the farmers for the Ben & Jerry's ice cream sold in the Breezeway sign a similar pledge.
All of our fresh dairy products are supplied by Balfard Farms, a distributor based in the Lehigh Valley.
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APEX Dishwashing System
As part of its commitment to increase the sustainability of its operations, Dining Services uses Ecolab's Apex dishwashing system. Apex combines technology and products designed to save water and energy, minimize the impact of products on the environment, and has a built-in method of measuring results. Apex uses a unique combination of detergents, rinse additives, equipment and consultative services to address the operational challenges in food service operations. The Apex management approach uses a tablet PC and wireless technology to communicate with the system's controller to download, process and analyze data to establish each food service operation's rack-to-guest ratio.
By monitoring and improving this ratio, the system helps reduce the amount of water and energy used at each facility, and improves total operational efficiency. All locations will receive the benefits of using less water, energy and labor, thus minimizing their operations' overall impact on the environment. In addition, the Apex system further supports Dining Services' sustainability initiatives with non-caustic chemistry and 95% less packaging material than current methods. Apex products come in a compact solid form that significantly reduces transportation shipments compared to bulkier liquid detergents.
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Xpress Nap Holders
XPressnap dispensers are another solution to reducing energy and waste. They save 30% in paper over traditional napkin dispensing mechanisms. The great thing about these dispensers is that they help the environment while helping to keep costs down. The napkins are made of 100% recycled paper and the dispenser will encourage customers to take (and waste) less napkins. Energy is saved because less power is used to recycle paper products than to create them from virgin material. According to Xpressnap, enough is saved through utilizing recycle napkins to power 600 American homes for an entire year! More than half a million gallons of oil was saved 38 tanker trucks worth and 41 tons of pollutants were kept out of the environment. 4,131 cubic yards of paper were diverted from landfill space. This is enough to cover an entire football field with a two and a half foot deep stack of paper.
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Recycling
Recycling is important both in the dining rooms, and in the kitchens. To help with this we have recycling containers in the dining rooms at the Eagle's Nest/Jammin Java and the Breezeway plus recycling containers in the back kitchens at every dining facility on campus. When we switched we saw the trash volume at the Dining Commons drop by about 40%, and about an 80% reduction in back of house trash at the Jammin Java.
In addition, all of the used cooking oil on campus is recycled into bio diesel and other products.