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“We have a responsibility to use our resources wisely and to protect them for future generations.” » a better tomorrow starts today, local efforts

Health & Wellness are a balance of lifestyle choices and events - physical, mental, and emotional. » for your health, meet the dietitian, nutrition calculator

Thirty-five million people in the United States are at risk of hunger. You can help STOP Hunger. » campus events, news bites

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 at Seattle Pacific University. In addition to the many initiatives we take on as a company, we have implemented the following programs specific to Seattle Pacific University.

Environmental

Waste Minimization Action Steps

Trayless Dining ‐implemented September 2009
Bulk condiment dispensers – partial implementation Gwinn dining
Purchase bulk products over small sizes (ex. Purchases 50# sugar instead of 5# bags)
SCA Xpressnap – implemented winter quarter 2010
Weigh the Waste – 2009 & 2010 waste studies
Use of durables (reusable plates, silverware, cups, mugs, etc.)
Reusable Bags ‐ retail
Used cooking oils for biofuels
Recycling all cardboard, plastic, paper and glass
Composting all waste from our dining hall through Cedar Grove Composting
Show the Waste Minimization Overview to employees for training purposes
Use sustainable cleaning solutions and concentrates
Compostable service ware implemented September 2010 for all take‐out food items
Meatless Mondays implemented in the dining hall at two entrée stations

Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction / Kitchen Carbon Footprint

The following is a list activities we engage in to ensure we are running as efficiently as possible:

Create a production schedule to meet culinary needs following the culinary planning process
Keep refrigeration organized and clean
Air curtains on cooler/freezer
Turn off computers and lights when not in use
Calibrate all equipment: filters, ovens, fryers, refrigerators, griddles, char broilers, hoods, etc.
Use sustainable cleaning solutions and concentrates
Create a thaw schedule to align with menu needs – no running water over frozen product
Use fewest number of deliveries possible
Follow the recipes, portion properly and batch cook
Follow Culinary Foundation Cold Prep Techniques (good knife skills reduce waste)
Order local products as available from approved local sources
Use reusable products as appropriate
Limit the overuse of paper napkins, condiment packets, small products, disposable hats, aprons, etc.
When feasible collect grease and waste oils, use contract collectors to refine waste for biodiesel
Install APEX ware washing chemical system
Use Green Seal certified chemicals

Supporting our Local Economy

We purchase locally grown produce from growers in Washington whenever and wherever possible
We also purchase locally processed milk and milk products which are antibiotic and rBGH/rBST free
We create value to stimulate the economy by offering special frequency cards and deals to our customers
We foster employee training and development
We hire students and local workers at our dining locations on campus
Purchase from local suppliers whenever possible
Milk is sourced locally
Advertise local producers on map

Local vendors supplying Sodexo at Seattle Pacific University

Yakima Valley Farms / Pride Packing Company
Darigold Dairy
Smithco Meats
Auvil Fruit Company
Rainier Fruit Company, Selah, WA
Duckwall‐Pooley Fruit Company, Hood River, OR
Easterday Farms, Pasco, WA
Valley Pride, Mount Vernon, WA
Hilltop Produce, Portland, OR
Yamhill Mushrooms, Portland, OR
Duck Produce / United Salad Company

2010 Food Waste Study Results

For each 10 week quarter, customers at Gwinn waste on average 11,993.8 lbs. of food, with 2,257 lbs. being blatant waste.
This equates to enough food to feed 15,352 people, with 2,889 meals from the blatant food waste.
For an entire 3 quarter academic year, the total food waste equals 35,981 lbs., with 6,771 lbs. from blatant waste.
This amount would feed 46,056 people for a day, with 8,667 people fed from blatant food waste.
The cost of the wasted food would support another 10 week quarter of food service!

Steps to take to reduce waste

Take less food per trip.
Sure everything looks good, but you may not be able to eat it all! Take smaller amounts and come back if you want more. This is one reason we serve smaller portions.
Eat what you take.
It’s pretty simple. Don’t take something you’re not going to eat, just because it’s available. Almost 7,000 lbs. of food is wasted that is barely touched or not touched at all.
Work Together.
Talk to each other. Police each other. If we all think about it, it will get better!
The Good News!!!!
This 1,200 lbs a week of waste is DOWN 700 lbs from 2009, when we averaged 1,900 lbs of edible food waste a week!!!

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 foodservice 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 foodservice 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.

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.