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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:
Title:
Date survey submitted:
1) Total annual food budget: [$ ]
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: http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSSW/UnivofHouston/Sustainability/Sustainability.htm
Responsible Procurement: Environmentally Sensitive Purchasing Decisions
At UHDS, we consider the environmental impacts of our purchasing practices and how we operate our business every day. We seek to purchase and use environmentally preferable products and services, and recognize suppliers who reduce environmental impacts in their production and distribution systems or services. We partner with our suppliers, customers, and environmental experts to understand the impacts of available products and services on the environment and communities and to identify better solutions and alternatives.
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local farms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[ # 0 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 5] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Houston Avocado - Houston, Texas
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$40,000]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8):
§ Watermelon
§ Grapefruit
§ All Herbs
§ Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Kale
§ Blueberries
§ Micro Greens
§ Alfalfa Sprouts
§ Oranges
§ Yams
§ Cabbage
§ Yellow Squash
§ Bean Sprouts
§ Onions
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ # 0 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 4 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Sysco, Houston, Texas and Houston Avocado, Houston, Texas
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$ 25,000 ]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese): Processed produce (shredded or chopped lettuces, salad mixes, shredded carrots, etc), bread, ice cream
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[X] No Although nearly all is from the Texas/Oklahoma/New Mexico region
[ ] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location:
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe source and amount: The University has recently begun a produce garden which we are beginning to find outlets for. As the program has only just begun and the yields are still tentative we have not yet developed a comprehensive program for its use, but we are exploring all options.
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe program:
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:
Sustainable Food: Local, Organic, Sustainably Certified, Natural, etc.
At UHDS, we understand the power and centrality of food in our daily lives and interactions, and recognize that our food choices have a significant impact on our health, culture, environment, and local and global economies. We are committed to fostering new connections from field to fork and changing the culture of food by nourishing our guests with menus that emphasize fresh whole foods that are raised, grown, harvested and produced locally and/or sustainably wherever possible, and prepared in ways that respect and maintain quality, freshness and pureness.
http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSSW/UnivofHouston/Sustainability/Sustainability.htm
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[x] Yes. Please list items:
§ Herbs
§ Micro Greens
§ Alfalfa Sprouts
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ 2,000 ]
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?
[X] No
[ ] 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
[ ] 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?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[100%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat: Poultry
[ %] 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: Milk
[ %] 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?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate.
[ %] 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: 2 vegan entrees offered daily currently
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
[ X ] Some. Please describe:
§ All residential dining halls and convenience store locations serve Fair Trade coffee exclusively.
§ Catering supplies Fair Trade coffee upon request.
§ All retail brands that serve coffee have at least one Fair Trade option available daily.
§ There are currently two, all-Fair Trade retail coffee concepts on campus. We are converting an additional concept to all Fair-Trade certified coffee this fall, bringing the total all-Fair Trade retail concepts to three out of a total of five coffee concepts by August 2009. The remaining two locations vigorously support Fair Trade certified coffee, Rain Forest Alliance, Relationship Coffee, Swiss Water Process and organic coffees and products.
Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[] No
[] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ ] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item:
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).
[X] Plastic or polystyrene
[X]Postconsumer recycled content
[X] Biodegradable/compostable
[ ] Other
Description (optional):
26) Do your dining facilities offer discounts or cash incentives to individuals using reusable dishware, bringing a bag, or bringing reusable containers?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: We use in some venues as to-go containers but are researching recyclable substitutes
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.
[33%] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs. (2 of our 6 production locations)
[5] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
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.
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[ ] Sometimes--on specific days, on certain occasions, or in specific locations. Please describe:
[X] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption: Started program in August 2008. It is fully implemented in residential facilities and is urged as a matter of voluntary cooperation in retail facilities. In residential facilities it resulted in a 45% reduction in waste.
As part of our UHDS Green Thread environmental stewardship platform, our Waste Stream Management pillar looks for substantial impacts that minimize waste and conserve natural resources, while also providing a more sustainable solution. “Tray-Less”, removing trays from the dining venue, is one such action that promotes an immediate and tangible benefit in support of environmental stewardship.
Environmentally, Tray-Less dining reduces our client’s environmental footprint. It decreases waste, conserves natural resources (namely energy and water) and reduces the introduction of polluting detergents, rinse and drying agents into the water table. Socially, Tray-Less dining provides education and awareness while reinforcing healthy habits. Economically, it is a cost control measure, supporting broader client and UHDS financial responsibility. Collectively, it is a true Triple Bottom Line initiative, further supporting campus sustainability.
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): We recycle 100% of cooking oil
ABOUT GREEN STAKES
As part of our environmental stewardship program, we develop not only unique solutions for our clients and customers, but also commit to elevating environmental commitments to ALL of our 500+ Higher Education accounts. We call these global commitments Green Stakes™ - our stakes in the ground, and our national commitments to affect change:
By 2010...
We will implement an Energy & Water Conservation program at every site
We will purchase only paper products with recycled content
We will implement Daily Green cleaning products
We will divert 100% of our fryer oil waste
We will increase our level of sustainable food offerings, with a yearly growth goal of 5%
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ x ] Aluminum
[X] Cardboard
[ ] Glass
[X] Paper
[X] Plastics (all)
[ ] Plastics (some)
[ ] Other. Please list:
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: Recycling receptacles are located in the common areas of all residence halls. Additionally, recycling receptacles are provided to the “back of the house” to make recycling easy for the kitchen staff. Recycled materials are separated in back of the house areas and the university’s Recycling Department picks up the materials daily and transports them to the university’s recycling staging area, where the recycling is baled for pick up.
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[20 %]
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:
[ ] 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 Residential Food Service Director is Dining Services’ “Green Champion” for participation in all sustainability initiatives on campus and has participated in University Sustainability task force programs like Recyclemania as a Team Captain for the Residential Team.
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