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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Joseph Barboza
Title: Coordinator of Special Projects
Date survey submitted: July 13, 2009
1) Total annual food budget: [$ 6.2 million]
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
Brown Dining strives to purchase locally grown and fairly traded foods through its Community Harvest program. We prioritize local support for state agriculture and business through purchasing directly from farmers and local businesses over a singular focus on organic products. More information: http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Food_Services/community/index.php
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3)From how many local farms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
We currently partner with more than 20 local farms. Our relationships with these farms include the purchase of local products. In addition we provide farmers with production waste from our scratch kitchens for composting. Since 2003, we have organized and hosted a local Farmer’s Market on campus which begins in late August and runs through early November. This mid-week market provides local items for the Brown and surrounding communities and is part of Rhode Island’s network of weekly Farmers Markets.
Number from which you purchase through a distributor.
Additionally, we purchase from five produce distributors that also source locally grown products.
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ 150K ]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8):
apples, peaches, sunflowers, tomatoes, apple cider, apple sauce, corn, nectarines, plums, pumpkin, apple butter, cucumbers, eggplant, pears, melons, watermelons, peppers, squash, salad mix, fish, shellfish, potatoes, turnips, carrots, celery, onions, beets, bok choy, arugula, kale, cilantro, shallots, zucchini, lettuce, cabbage, cherries, tomatillos, berries, milk, honey, eggs, cranberries.
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
Number from which you purchase directly.
We purchase directly from approximately 31 local processors.
Number from which you purchase through a distributor.
We do not purchase locally grown/processed foods from large broad line distributors. We’ve chosen, instead, to build relationships with local processors and distributors when sourcing our regional and local goods.
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
$2.3 million
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese):
bread, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, preserves, poultry, fish, baked goods, baking ingredients, beverages, granola, chips & snacks sauces dressings, cookies, soups, coffee, potatoes, pasta, pickles.
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location:
Rhode Island Dairy Farms Cooperative (Rhody Fresh)
67 Cucumber Hill Road
Foster, RI 02825
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe source and amount:
Brown University Student Garden Project; herbs, beans, squash, tomatoes, lettuce mix, basil, eggplant, beets, potatoes, herbs, zucchini.
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe program:
Community Harvest of Brown Dining represents a commitment to socially and environmentally sustainable purchasing practices. http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Food_Services/community/communityharvest.php .
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD
12) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to the purchase of organic and/or sustainably produced food?
[X] No
We prioritize local support for state agriculture and business through purchasing directly from farmers and local businesses over a singular focus on organic products, while purchasing organic whenever possible.
[ ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ]
[ X ] Yes. Please list items:
Equal Exchange fair-trade coffee, tea, and chocolate, and organic breads;
These products have been made available through the use of a local bakery as well as a relationship with United Naturals, a local distributor of organic and products produced from natural origins.
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$58K ]
For questions 15-19, please indicate percentage based on annual dollar amount spent.
15) Do you purchase cage-free eggs and/or confinement-free meat products?
[ X ] No, However our purchasing team is currently evaluating the conversion from locally sourced to cage free.
[ ] Yes.
Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage cage-free eggs
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
16) Do you purchase any grass-fed animal products?
[X] No, However they will be menued for a locally themed dinner on September 23, 2009.
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
18) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ Unknown %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product: Milk
19) Do you purchase seafood that meets Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines or Marine Stewardship Council standards?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Brown Dining Services purchases most of its seafood from Clipper Seafood, a locally based company committed to both sustainable fishing and the conservation of local fish species. Clipper Seafood follows the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service guidelines in order to purchase fish from sources that are not currently overfished. In addition, many of these purchases are also considered to be sustainable under the guidelines set out by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide. The following seafood purchased by Brown Dining Services fall under the "Best" category according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guide: Catfish, USA Farmed; King Salmon, Wild caught; Albacore Tuna, Wild USA; Yellowfin Tuna, Wild Atlantic; Bay Scallops, Farmed in China; and Pollock, wild caught USA. The following seafood purchased by Brown Dining Services range between ratings of "Good" to "Best" depending on availability: Clams, Wild Caught USA; Lobster, Wild Canadian; and Greenland Turbot, Wild Canadian.
[ Unknown %] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used:
20) Do you offer specifically labeled vegan entrees on a daily, weekly, or other regularly scheduled basis?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please specify number of options and the frequency with which they are offered:
Brown Dining Services provides a separate service area for vegan and vegetarian selections at every meal, seven days per week.
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above:
MEAT: We purchase chicken from Warwick Poultry, a local distributor in Warwick, RI. 50% of the chicken comes from Pennsylvania and 50% from Maryland and Delaware. Other local meat distributors include Cacciola Provisions and A.J. Martin, both located in Warwick, RI. We also purchase meat from the independent, family-owned distributor Agar Supply Co, Inc., in Taunton, MA.
DAIRY AND EGGS: Brown University collaborates with Rhody Fresh - a Rhode Island Dairy Cooperative - to bring fresh local milk to our dining halls and retail units. Some of the milk and ice cream we serve also comes from Garelick Farms, which is based in St. Franklin, MA. On occasion, we also purchase ice cream from the local Warwick Ice Cream and from the Ice Cream Machine Company, in Cumberland, RI. We get some of our cheese from Cabot Cheese, a dairy cooperative based in Cabot, VT. Brown Dining Services purchases all of our eggs from two different local egg producers: Little Rhody Farms (part of Rhody Fresh), located in Foster, RI; and Imondi Eggs, located in Warwick, RI.
BAKERY: All of the baked goods available on Brown's campus are either baked or distributed locally. In addition, we have our own bakeshop on campus, and bake our own muffins and pastries fresh everyday.
BEVERAGES: Dining purchases coffee for the dining units from Autocrat, a local, family owned roaster located in Lincoln, RI. We also purchase maple syrup and coffee syrup from Autocrat. We purchase India Pale Ale from Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, RI and beer from Newport Storm in Newport, RI for special catered events. Catering also purchases wine from Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton, RI.
RETAIL DINING: Starting in 2008, a Brown Dining convenience store has had a shelf specially designated to hold products from local farmers and artisanal producers.
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[X] Some. Please describe:
The coffee and teas sold at our retail venues and cafes are both organic and Certified Fair Trade. We purchase certified organic and fair trade coffee, tea, and chocolate from Equal Exchange, a local worker-owned co-op based in West Bridgewater, MA. The Brown Dining convenience stores also sell Fair Trade Certified Choice Organic Teas.
[ ] All
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
Fair Trade bananas when available.
[ Unknown %] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item:
DISHWARE AND ECO-FRIENDLY INCENTIVES
24) Please indicate which of the following your university-operated/contracted dining facilities offers.
[ ] Disposable dishware
[ ] Only reusable dishware
[X] Reusable and disposable dishware
25) If you offer disposables, please indicate materials used (check all that apply).
[ ] Plastic or polystyrene
[ ] Postconsumer recycled content
[X] Biodegradable/compostable
[ ] Other
Description (optional):
Our current products are comprised of cornstarch, bamboo, and sugar. They are predicted to biodegrade (in appropriate conditions) in as little as 2 years.
26) Do your dining facilities offer discounts or cash incentives to individuals using reusable dishware, bringing a bag, or bringing reusable containers?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe:
Reusable grocery bags and mugs are sold at all retail locations. We eliminated the use of plastic tee-shirt bags in the fall of 2008. As an incentive to use mugs, coffee and tea are discounted to $1.10 at all retail units.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[X] No.
Brown Dining Services eliminated the use of Styrofoam in 1997. Further, in addition to biodegradable to-go containers and corn based biodegradable cold cups we have stopped using napkin dispensers and now only use baskets on dining tables to eliminate the “grab-a-handful” of napkins by customers. We only use non-bleached napkins made from recycled paper.
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
FOOD COMPOSTING AND WASTE DIVERSION
28) Do your dining facilities compost preconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted. See Below
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of postconsumer compost.
In 1994 we removed all garbage disposal units in dining services and contracted with a local pig farmer to remove all pre and post consumer waste that would normally be ground and sent into the waste stream via these disposals. Additionally, and at the same time, we installed Grease Reduction Units (GRU’s) on all significant drain lines in an effort to eliminate oil based solids in the waste water. In 2006 we began a composting program with a local orchard. In the last year we have diverted approximately 180,000 pounds of pre-consumer food waste to this farm specifically for composting.
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe:
Between 2005 and 2008, Brown Dining donated nearly 8,000 pounds of food to local organizations as part of our commitment to fight local hunger. Some of the places we have donated to include: Providence Rescue Mission, Boys & Girls Club, Mary House, The Rhode Island Food Bank, Pawtucket Soup Kitchen, and Crossroads Family Center.
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[X] Sometimes- Using trays is discouraged but optional in Sharp Refectory.
[X] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption:
On October 15th, 2008, the Verney-Wooley Dining Hall went trayless during an inaugural "Waste Not, Want Not" themed dinner. This dining hall serves from 230 to over 1000 people per meal and trayless dining conserves 155,000 gallons of water per school year and avoids approximately 25% food waste in that operation. None of the 8 retail operations use trays.
32) Please tell us about any other steps your dining facilities have taken to reduce waste (e.g., food waste auditing, recycling used cooking oil for biodiesel production):
Brown Dining Services has partnered with Newport Bio-diesel to help turn our used fry-oil into usable fuel for diesel engines and home-heating. On average, Newport Bio-diesel takes 100 gallons per week from the Sharpe Refectory and 150-200 gallons per week from the Verney-Wooley Dining Hall to convert into clean, sustainable fuel. They also pick up the used fry-oil from Josiah’s in addition to taking approximately 1,200 pounds of meat scraps per month from Brown Dining, which is then composted at Earthcare Farms in Charlestown, RI.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[X] Aluminum
[X] Cardboard
[X] Glass
[X] Paper
[ ] Plastics (all)
[X] Plastics (some) #1 AND #2
[X] Other. Please list: Fryolator grease
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe:
Containers for bottles and cans and paper waste are located throughout every dining facility next to waste receptacles.
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[40%]
AFFILIATIONS
Questions 36-37 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
36) Indicate if your dining services are:
[ ] Contracted. Please describe:
[X] Self-Operated.
Please describe:
Brown Dining Services (BuDS) operates under the division of Campus Life & Student Services at Brown University.
[ ] Other. Please describe:
37) Is the dining services director, or another dining services staff person, a member of any campus-wide environmental/sustainability initiatives or committees at your school?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe:
Gina Guiducci- Health Promotions Committee
(Environmental and sustainable initiatives are often topics of discussion)
Peter Rossi – “Real Food” Initiative team member
Gretchen Willis – “Real Food” Initiative team member
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