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Weigh the Waste Study
Back in May 2007 when residential had trays, we did a study on how much food is wasted. We were averaging approximately 430lbs! After we went trayless in 2008, we did another study in November and averaged about 250lbs. Wow, what a decrease in food waste!
We just did our study this year and averaged about 180lbs between 2 of our residential commons. We're on the right path!
 UCI was ranked 27 out of the 135 most Eco-Enlightened U.S. Universities by Sierra Magazine. To determine rank, Sierra sent out hundreds of detailed questionnaires to sustainability experts at various schools. Eight topics, including efficiency, energy, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, and administration, all in regards to sustainability, were used to identify which schools were the most eco-friendly. UCI pulled in a total of 60 points, trailing 9 points behind the top university. Hospitality and Dining was able to secure 6 points for UCI within the food category. UCI ranked above fellow UC’s, such as UCLA & UCSB, in the food category. Go Anteaters!
For more info, please check out http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200909/coolschools/allrankings.aspx
Spring Quarter 2009
FOOD related? UCI has made a change in their carbon foodprint by building awareness with patrons dining at our residential dining locations. Look for our identifiers to make a difference in your carbon FOODprint by eating low carbon foodprint entrees!
What can you do to reduce your FOODprint?
- Replace red meat & dairy with chicken, fish, or eggs at least one day a week. On average, red meat is 150% more GHG-intensive than chicken or fish.
- Eat lower on the food chain: vegetables, fruits, and grains
- Taste, don’t waste. Reducing your food waste also lowers our carbon footprint
- Buy local and organic foods
RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over a 10-week period, schools report recycling and trash data which are then ranked according to who collects the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. With each week’s reports and rankings, participating schools watch how their results fluctuate against other schools and use this to rally their campus communities to reduce and recycle more.
Contest ends March 28, 2009.
Support UCI and your environment by recycling your cardboard, plastic bottles, and cans on campus.
http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/
 UCI Residential Dining has gone Tray Less.
Tested and approved by students over the summer, UCI's very own residential dining commons are now TRAY LESS! UCI Dining has used the savings accrued on washing trays and food wastes to continue to grow a healthier meals through organic foods and more nutritious products.
Did you know ARAMARK measured food wasted from more than 186,000 meals served at over 25 higher education institutions during the academic year? ARAMARK reported food waste quantity was reduced by 1.2 to 1.8 ounces per person per meal when trays were removed from dining facilities. This represents a 25 to 30 percent reduction in food waste per person.
Furthermore, UC Irvine is the first UC school to have already implemented this program. WOW!
Fair Trade Certified Coffee is always available at the campus Starbucks and Cyber A Café. Cyber A Café is a licensed Java City coffee house.
 Fair Trade offers a unique trade model that organizes small farmers into cooperatives and links them with coffee importers. Fair Trade regulations guarantee that farmers receive a minimum price for their coffee, which in turn helps them to afford healthcare, education and housing for their families. Some Fair Trade principles include: fair price, fair and safe labor conditions, protects against child labor, and environmentally sustainable farming methods. Transfair USA is the nonprofit certification organization that manages the rules, membership and certification process of Fair Trade. For more information visit: http://www.transfairusa.org/
To learn more about sustainable coffee practices by Starbucks, please visit their website at: www.starbucks.com/aboutus/origins.asp
To learn more about sustainable coffee practices by Java City, please visit their website at: www.javacity.com/ecogrounds.php
Organic Eggs. . . the sustainable choice.
Organic eggs are now available for breakfast items at Phoenix Grille, BC's Cavern on the Green and Cafe Med. Organic eggs are produced from free-range hens that are allowed to roam freely outside a poultry barn, rather than housed in battery cages.
Raising hens in a free-range environment is considered to be a more humane treatment of animals and the optimal practice in poultry farming, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Free-range hens are assured a better quality of life because they have the freedom to roam around and partake in natural activities, such as scratching and dust bathing as needed.
Organic egg production is the only type of egg farming regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has set strict standards for eggs to be classified as "organic", which include:
-free-range hens
-a natural product
-no antibodies
-no hormones.
In addition, organic egg farming contributes to sustainable farming practices by producing less environmental pollution than battery-cage farming.
America’s Second Harvest
America's Second Harvest is the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization. It is made up of more than 200 local food bank organizations throughout the United States.
UCI Dining works with America’s Second Harvest to donate left over baked goods to the local community. These left over baked goods are comprised mostly of different breads and are collected from Pippin, Mesa, and Brandywine Commons. To ensure that a sustainable balance is made between preparing just the right amount of food and having a minimal amount left over, our knowledgeable food service managers estimate the amount of diners expected for each meal service. This estimation is based on dining traffic and food consumption trends.
To learn more about America’s Second Harvest, please visit their website at: http://www.secondharvest.com/
Biodegradable Plates and To-Go Containers
UCI Dining is constantly looking for ways to engage in sustainable food service practices. We are proud to announce that as of Spring 2007, we will begin to phase in the use of biodegradable plates and to-go containers at all retail dining locations. We expect all retail dining locations to be using these products by the end of the Spring 2007 quarter.
Biodegradable products offer many benefits to the environment. The biodegradable products we will be using are made out of bamboo, which takes only 6 months to grow back, while a tree would take 60 years to grow back. Other product benefits include: product breaks down and can be used to fertilize land, no harmful materials leaching into the ground or landfills, and doesn’t exploit the natural environment or disturb the ecological system.
UCI Dining Leads by Example and Encourages Recycling
At all retail dining locations recycle bins are available to dispose of your recyclable items, such as glass and plastic bottles. At the dining commons all service ware is reusable, resulting in no waste of plates, cups, or utensils. The UCI Recycling and Waste Management website provides helpful guidelines. The information provided below is from their website, which can be found at: http://snap.uci.edu/viewXmlFile.jsp?resourceID=1448.
Do RECYCLE:
- aluminum cans
- steel and tin cans (ie. soup cans)
- mixed paper
- glass beverage containers
- type 1 & 2 plastic beverage containers (ie. bottled water and sodas)
Do NOT Recycle:
- garbage
- food
- plastic bags
- yogurt cups
- milk jugs
- foil
- Styrofoam
- candy wrappers
UCI Dining Partners with Recycling and Waste Management
A coffee discount is offered when you use your personal mug for coffee.
Fill up your personal coffee mug for the price of a 12oz coffee. Offer good at the following locations: Phoenix Grille, BC’s Cavern on the Green, Café Med, Cyber A Café, and the C3 Convenience Stores.
FREE UCI Recycle Mugs are available. Contact Suzanne Hibbs at shibbs@uci.edu or 949-824-9047 to get your FREE Mug today! (Offer good while supplies last.) |