Sustainability on Campus

At ARAMARK we have a deep respect for - and commitment to - preserving our environment.  We are connecting and developing environmental stewardship programs and policies - called Greed Thread - that weave throughout our buisiness operations.  These include sustainable food and agriculture, earth-friendly procurement, energy conservation, waste management, and buildings and system design.

Green Thread at Emerson in conjunction with Emerson College, ARARMARK is committed to supporting sustainability initiatives on campus.  Examples include:

SUSTAINABLE FOOD

Our produce supplier, Sid Wainer and Son, is committed to purchasing from New England farms.

- Seasonal Foods
We seek to use seasonal products.  Fall menus feature recipes with late-season berries, tomatoes, corn and other vegetables.  Winter menus bring hearty greens, potatoes, squashes, root vegetables, apples & pears.  Spring finds us celebrating the first shoots of spinach, asparagus, peas, & wild fare like ramps, fiddleheads & mushrooms.

We purchase bread from Fantini Bakery, Haverhill, MA and bagels from East End Bakery, Ipswich, MA.

We purchase frozen potato products from McCain's in Easton, ME.

We serve Vermont's own Green Mountain Coffee in our Residential Dining Room and in our other retail locations.

We serve Pierce Bros. Coffee Roasters coffee in Emerson's Cafe.

- Organic
We are committed to enhance the integration of organic products into our daily menus whenever possible.  We use Pierce Bros. Coffee Roasters coffee, which works with growers in Costa Rica and Africa to provide fair wages for families of plantation owners & workers.  All Pierce Bros. coffee is Organic & Fair Trade.

We purchase our dairy products from H.P. Hood in Lynnfield, MA and Highlawn Farms in Lee, MA.

- Artificial Growth Hormones- Because of an increasing number of consumers, especially those in New England, at this time, all Hood Milk processed in New England is from famers who pledge not to use artificial growth hormones.

We only purchase seafood that is designated as a "Best Choice" and "Good Alternative" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

We recycle all glass, cans, paper and plastic.

All of our plates, bowls, soup cups and to-go containers are compostable.

We use SCA brand 100% recycled napkins.  These dispensers reduce napkin usage and related waste by 40%!

We support Trayless Dining to save water, energy and reduce the amount of chemicals in the water stream.

We urge and support customers to take the Zero Food Waste Challenge, to take only what they are goint to eat, to reduce the amount of uneaten food that is thrown away.

Careful planning & production, small-batch & just-in-time cooking, & keeping track of which menu items students prefer, helps us minimize overproduction.

Vegetable oil is converted into Bio-Diesel and used to fuel vehicles within the local economy.

Food waste in the Little Building Dining Hall is composted through a third-party composter, Planet Police.

We support the efforts of Earth Emerson.

RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT

We buy 100% recycled printing paper for our office.

We purchase in bulk to reduce packaging waste.

Our cleaning supplies are all natural.  These products lower water and energy use while reducing chemicals and waste released into the enivronment.

- Environmentally Responsible Cleaning
ARAMARK has been a long-term partner with Ecolab, a supplier of cleaning supplies.  We use their newest program, EcoLogic, which supports environmentally responsible cleaning, using products that help prevent toxice pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, & minimize global warming & ozone depletion, & promotes a healthier and cleaner environment.