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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: Rick Panfil
Title: General Manager Bon Appétit Management Company, Oberlin College
Date survey submitted: 7/14/09
1) Total annual food budget: [$3,000,000]
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
The fourth Oberlin Dining Guiding Principle is to purchase, prepare and dispose all food and products in the most sustainable, socially and fiscally responsible manner possible. Products that are produced locally, using sustainable and organic practices are preferred.
http://www.oberlin.edu/cds/mission%20principles.html
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3)From how many local forms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[ # 9 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 16 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: see attached document
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ 1,260,000 ]
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):
Fresh fruits, vegetables, naturally raised vegetarian chicken, grass-fed beef, milk, naturally raised turkey, some fish, maple syrup, (beet) sugar that is locally grown and processed
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ # 3 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 0 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$ 250,000 ]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese):
Vegetables, bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ ] No
[x]Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location: Hartzler's Family Dairy, Wooster, Ohio
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe source and amount: George Jones Memorial Farm
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe program:
Through our Farm to Fork program, we support many local farms and dairies. Our first choice is to purchase seasonal, regional and organic ingredients from a 150-mile radius of each café. By buying directly from farmers we have much more control over what types of agribusiness we are supporting. We support family farms and farm collectives who are preserving the diversity of our food choices.
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD
12) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to the purchase of organic and/or sustainably produced food?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
The fourth Oberlin Dining Guiding Principle is to purchase, prepare and dispose all food and products in the most sustainable, socially and fiscally responsible manner possible. Products that are produced locally, using sustainable and organic practices are preferred.
Bon Appétit at Oberlin College leads the food industry in sustainable practices to preserve flavor and to protect the environment and our local communities. The principle of sustainability not only drives the purchasing decisions we make in our kitchens each and every day, it’s also a core value for the 71 employees of Bon Appétit at Oberlin College. We have created an operational definition of “sustainability” that is specific to food service:
Food choices that celebrate flavor, affirm regional cultural traditions, and support local communities without compromising air, water or soil now and in the future
Here are the specific ways in which we address the problems and concerns in today’s food supply and support sustainable food practices in each Bon Appétit café.
Farm to Fork
This is our groundbreaking company-wide initiative to purchase locally. Our first choice is to purchase seasonal, regional and organic ingredients from a 150-mile radius of each restaurant.
Socially Aligned Coffee
Socially aligned coffee refers primarily to specialty coffee that has been produced with environmental goals and/or traded with social goals in mind. Bon Appétit at Oberlin College serves Crooked River Coffee[K1] .
Fair Trade
Bon Appétit support of Fair Trade Certified products extends beyond our socially aligned coffee initiative. We take pride in the fair trade offerings in our cafés, snack bars and convenience stores as well.[K2]
Responsible Disposables
Aware that our selection of to-go containers and disposable serviceware has environmental impacts, we primarily encourage the use of china and silverware in our cafés. When these disposables are necessary, we use plates, cups, bowls and flatware from renewable sources like corn, sugarcane, and potato starch in select locations[mlg3] .
Composting[K4]
To reduce our impact on the environment, we compost our biodegradable disposables. In addition, we collect our kitchen waste and customers’ food waste to be used as compost in George Jones Memorial Farm .[K5]
Sustainable Seafood
All of our seafood is purchased in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch guidelines for sustainability.
rBGH Free Milk
We serve milk free of artificial bovine growth hormones.
Antibiotic Reduction
The chicken and turkey breast served at Oberlin College come from animals raised without the use of antibiotics as a routine feed additive. In addition, all of our hamburgers are made from natural beef raised without antibiotics or hormones and on vegetarian feed.
Cage-Free Shell Eggs
Bon Appétit at Oberlin College only serves shell eggs that are cage-free and Certified Humane.
Low Carbon Diet
As part of the Low Carbon Diet program, Bon Appétit at Oberlin College has been working to reduce the food system’s impact on climate change. Through numerous operational initiatives, we committed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 25% in the highest impact areas by 2010.
For more information about our sustainability initiatives, visit CircleofResponsibility.com.
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please list items: Lettuce, peppers, onions, carrots, herbs, carrots, broccoli, eggplant tomatoes,
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ 40,000]
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?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[100 %] Percentage cage-free eggs (shell eggs, still sourcing liquid eggs)
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
16) Do you purchase any grass-fed animal products?
[ ] No
[x] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 100 %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product: ground chuck
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[85 %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat: Chicken
[ %] 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).
[100%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product: Fluid milk (cows raised fed from fields that have been organic-style (not certified) since the 1960’s. Fluid milk is 100%
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
19) Do you purchase seafood that meets Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines or Marine Stewardship Council standards?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate.
[100%] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used:
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
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:
Creative and flavorful vegetarian and vegan options are provided in all dining halls. Approximately 50% of the food offered in the dining halls are vegetarian and/or vegan. The precise average number of options available on a daily basis as well as the average number of vegan meals served per week is unclear. Vegan entrées are provided a minimum of three times each week during lunch and at every dinner period. In addition, those following the vegan diet plan may select from vegan protein options are readily available at the deli, exhibition, soup and salad bar stations to make a self styled vegan entrée. We also offer vegan pasta at lunch and dinner.
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above:
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ x ] All
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes Numi tea
23 B) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate fair trade certified chocolate products: Omanhene milk and dark chocolate mini bars, Omanhene hot chocolate mix (retail container) and Divine Bars (3 flavors), Kopali dark chocolate covered banana bits, goji berries, mangoes
[ 50% ] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item: Chocolate (Retail)
[ 15% ] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item: Tea (Retail)
DISHWARE AND ECO-FRIENDLY INCENTIVES
24) Please indicate which of 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): First, and foremost, we offer a reusable to-go container program. Once signed up, students receive containers to use at purchase point. After use, the container is returned and cleaned and sanitized by our dishwashers, and the process repeats. We encourage students to first use china, then the reusable to-go container. Our last resort is the biodegradable container. Biodegradable packaging is utilized wherever possible for to-go use. Approximately 45% of annual packaging is biodegradable. These include a 15 oz salad bowl, 30 oz salad bowl, corn-based cutlery, cellophane bags, recycled cookie bags. Biodegradable containers make up 10% of all containers used.
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:
A reusable mug program began in 1998 that provides $0.50 discounts on fountain sodas. In addition, Oberlin has had a reusable carry-out container program that rewards with $0.15 of flex points for each use since 2007 and a reusable bottle and grocery bag program since 2008.
Our incentive program has changed. Our incentive program now awards $0.10 flex points on fountain soda in a OC mug or OC bottle, and $0.25 for use of the reusable carry-out containers. We also offer the reusable grocery bag but do not provide an incentive.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[x] No
[ ] 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.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
100% of food grade oil from fryers (91 gallons/week) reused at campus farm and local vendors. 16% of preconsumer food waste (400 pounds/week) is composted each week. We would compost more, but the farm can not process any more. We are writing grants to purchase a pulper/grinder to make both pre- and post-consumer waste more usable.
80% of coffee grounds each week (25 pounds/week)
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ x ] No
[ ] 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.
We are pursuing a means to do so.
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[x] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
Although we attempt to arrange a donation each semester, we have not successfully created a program.
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[ x ] Sometimes--on specific days, on certain occasions, or in specific locations. Please describe:
The trays at Stevenson and Lord Saunders Dining at Afrikan Heritage House have been removed but trays remain at some dining locations. In August, 2008, Stevenson and Lord Saunders at Afrikan Heritage House, our two all-you-care-to-eat facilities, removed trays. The other cafés are retail operations and have high customer traffic during a short period of time. We feel that it would be counter-productive to ask our diners to go trayless in these programs.
[ ] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption:
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):
Food Waste Audit: We approached this on two levels; pre-consumer waste and post-consumer waste audits were both conducted this year.
Pre-consumer waste: In January, 2009 we began a daily pre-consumer waste program that will be on-going. Our first intent was to educate our kitchen personnel and then to garner their input on how to improve our kitchen processes so that less waste would occur.
Post-consumer waste: For the month of February and the first month of March, we measured post-consumer waste. Each week, we posted the results and the percentage of decrease in waste from the previous week. We noted that peer pressure drastically decreased the waste. However, we also noted consumer fatigue due to the stresses of the semester. We continued to provide the containers used for the audit in March and April, but we did not post results again until Earth Day, when we again conducted a one day audit. We intend to resume this program in the Fall.
Recycling: As mentioned in question 28, we recycle cooking oil, coffee grounds, etc. The oil is donated to the college farm and to local vendors for use in farming implements and in the heater for the greenhouse at the farm.
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
[ ] Paper
[ ] Plastics (all)
[x]] Plastics (some) Ohio does not offer recycling facilities for plastics other than #1 and #2 plastics
[ x ] Other. Please list: vegetable oil, We actively conserve and repurpose items. For instance, we donate tomato cartons from our vendors to local farms for their use. We ask our vendors to use minimal packaging or to reuse boxes/crates/containers.
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ x] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[ 16 %] Currently we divert 16% of our pre-consumer waste from the traditional waste stream by composting at the college farm. We would do more, but the farm is unable to accommodate more. We are in the process of writing grants so that we can purchase a pulper/grinder that would make both pre- and post-consumer waste more easily composted.
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:
[x] Contracted. Please describe: Bon Appétit Management Company
[ ] School operated. Please describe:
[ ] 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: The General Manager, Registered Dietitian and Director of Residential Dining are involved in initiatives and committees with environmental/sustainability goals.
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