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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: Sheryl Kidwell
Title: Assistant Director
Date survey submitted: July 20, 2009
1) Total annual food budget: [$ 6 M ]
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: This is currently in progress. KU Dining has made this one of our sustainability initiatives for this coming year. In the last year we have planted a roof top garden growing fresh herbs; peppers and tomatoes that are currently used in our catering and fine dining restaurant recipes/menus. In addition we have partnered with a few local farmers to provide seasonal fruits and vegetables for this purpose.
As important, we are in the middle of a change of prime vendors (as of July1st) and part of the decision making process had to do with the vendors current status of local purchasing. Sysco, Kansas City, Inc.
Has a program in place for produce; dairy; meats; honey; nuts and others.
I have included information from Sysco on their program: “All the Good Natured Family Farm items are local. Sysco currently buys produces from Rich Hill and Stanberry Missouri Amish farms. We require a certificate of insurance and a “Hold Harmless Agreement”. In conjunction with Good Natured Family Farms and Sysco QA, we are working to get our suppliers GAP certified. Our Rich Hill farm is GAP certified now.”
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local farms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[ # 4 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 2 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Pendleton Farms, Lawrence, KS and Sysco, Inc, Olathe, KS
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ $93,776.00 ]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8):
Herbs, tomatoes, peppers (jalapeño, ancho, green, poblano, banana) watermelon, asparagus, apples, broccoli, honey, squash ( yellow, zucchini, patty pan, butternut, acorn), green beans, potatoes, sugar snap peas, peaches, grapes, eggplant, pecans, honey, cheese ( goat and feta), flowers, bison-ground/summer sausage.
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ #10]Number from which you purchase directly.
Bradford Farms-cheeses; Sleepy Jean’s –chocolates/confections; Lone Star Ranch- bison meats; The Roasterie-coffees, Tomato Alley, Ricetta Chocolates, Britts Garden Acres, Schlaegel’s Homegrown Popcorn, Wheatfield’s Bakery.
[ # 3] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Sysco, Inc. Olathe, KS ; Frito Lay, Topeka, KS .
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$ 152,000.00 ]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese): bison, breads, coffees, chocolates; cookies/muffins; tofu; soy milk; cheeses.
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ X] No
[ ] 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:
Our own roof top Herb Garden (basil, mint, sage, Italian parsley, chives, thyme, margarom,
lemon grass, tarragon, rosemary and chervil) green peppers, cherry tomatoes .
Flowers for table décor from student initiated/grown campus Rain Garden .
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe program: Over the last year we have worked to develop more consistent relationships with several local growers/processors in our geographic area (as listed in question #6) located within a 150 mile radius of Lawrence, KS. Our Executive Chef has visited many of these farms along with our student interns and cook staff as part of the educational aspect and support of the partnership. Dining Services staff frequents the Lawrence Farmer’s Market in support of our local growers and to “get the word out” of our desire to increase those relationships for quantity food service. In addition our Prime Vendor, Sysco, has solid partnerships with local Amish Farms that will be able to supply us even more options during peak growing season in the Midwest, as well as some dairy and meat products.
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:
We have an organic retail concept called Market Fresh that offers various Certified Organic items daily, such as sandwiches, hot soup; fresh fruits and salads, RTE meals. In addition we provide some organic snack items in our snack bars and student stores.
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list items: RTE meals; soups; produce; snacks; cookies; breads; sandwiches, garden salads, soy milk, yogurt, string cheese, honey.
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ 16,882.00 ]
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?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 25 %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product: beef items-i.e. steak; ground beef, ground beef patties, roasts, ribs.
[ %] 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?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
[ %] 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. King crab; blue crab; ruby red trout; catfish; clams (catering/restaurant)
[ 50 %] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used: Our catering dept. uses
approximately 50% Best choice or good alternative. This is always kept in mind when ordering-we opt
for the sustainable option whenever available in this geographic region.(Midwest)
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:
KU Dining serves/offers vegan and/or vegetarian items in all of our retail and residential dining centers on a daily basis for all three meals offered each day. In our recipe file of well over 3000 recipes, about 27% are vegan and/or vegetarian.
Our three retail cafes provide a vegetarian entrée at each of its stations. The three residential dining centers also offer vegan and/or vegetarian options at each of their food stations. In addition we provide vegan friendly proteins; fresh fruits and vegetables on our salad bars along with vegetarian hot homemade soups offered daily in all locations. Our snack bars also offer vegan/vegetarian snack options.
Our self-branded concepts pride themselves in making sure we have vegan/vegetarian options as part of our menus (Brella’s Sandwich Crafters/Quesaritos/Za Pizza/Garden Gourmet/Fresco Cuisine .
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainable 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 –we partner with a local coffee company –The Roasterie. They are personally involved in the growing of their coffees and pride themselves in their mission to provide fair and just work and pay for the growers/employees. This is why we are proud to partner with them and have them as our exclusive coffee company in all four of our self branded coffee shops (PULSE).
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product). Numi teas;
[ 30 %] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item: offered in all retail and coffee shop locations.
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): Our retail dining locations have all switched to a biodegradable or made from recycled materials for their disposable ware: all eating utensils; straws; covered to go containers; plates; hot cups; cup sleeves. This past spring we introduced a reusable beverage bottle/container and a resusable bag program. Our residential dining centers continue to use regular/resusable dishware , silver ware, cups and glasses. We continue to research new biodegradable/compostable disposable ware as it comes on the market comparing quality and cost to the consumers’ expectations for environmentally safe products.
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: Last spring, when we introduced our reusable cup and take out bags, we did a marketing campaign that continues thru the summer into this fall. The customer receives the carry out bag at no cost w/ purchase of a combo meal in our retail locations. If they bring it back and use at their next visits they receive a discount off the price of their meal. With the resusable beverage cups, they get can refill at a reduced cost.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Polystyrene plates (NOT Styrofoam-two different items) in our retail cafes..
FOOD COMPOSTING AND WASTE DIVERSION
28) Do your dining facilities compost preconsumer food scraps?
[ X ] No-not currently however, KU Dining is represented on a campus committee researching an on campus composting program using in-vessel type containers. Since Dining Services would be one of the largest contributors with our pre-consumer waste, we are prepared to work with the university in this venture within the upcoming year.
[ ] 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.
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ X ] No-Not currently, however, we are researching the estimated amount for our campus composting committee research.
[ ] 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.?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: KU Dining Services partners with a campus group called, “Daily Bread”, a volunteer student organization that works with dining services in picking up specific food items prior to our down times and take the food to local shelters and Salvation Army locations.
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: We conducted a one location tray less trial in April of 2008.
The results were impressive and so we decided to conduct another more in depth trial with all 3 of our residential dining locations in the fall of 2008. We did so in September and implemented tray less dining on 9/24/08 and have continued it throughout the academic and summer months. The students were well informed prior to and after with the results-the majority understood the rationale as related to sustainability measures and it is now a non-issue at KU. KU Dining was the second Big 12 University to implement tray less dining. We have mentored two other universities in their tray less service venture.
The percentages of trays to tray less dining related to post consumer food waste reduction was/is:
Overall in all 3 dining centers:
37% reduction in food waste
55% in beverages
20% in paper
With trays avg. waste per student per day was: 4.2 oz. food/0.42 oz. beverages/0.71 oz. paper
With out trays waste per student per day is approx.: 2.3 oz. food/0.17 oz. beverages/0.52 oz. paper
We were able to do some calculations related to water consumption. Based on information provided through our Dept. of Housing (dining shares utilities), we saw a reduction in water use of over 115,000
gallons in the first 6 months of going tray less. We’re currently gathering data on chemical and energy savings.
It has been a successful venture for KU Dining!
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 have partnered with our campus KU Recycling program for the past 8+ years-recycling over 140 tons of cardboard annually; 6 tons of tin cans; in addition to aluminum cans; plastic and glass bottles; news paper and office paper.
We partner with our campus Bio-diesel Fuel Research department. We have done this now for almost three years and are increasing our used cooking oil amounts as they request more to conduct research on our bus/transit system. This will amount to over 150 gallons each week this academic year.
We partner with Coca-Cola as a pilot school for their latest recycling program “Give it Back” and have worked with them on our dining resusable cup and bag program. They also provide each residence hall room with a “Give it Back” recycling bag to help in the efforts.
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)
[ X] Other. Please list: tin cans
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe: We have recycling centers and/or recycle bins/receptacles in or near all of the 20 dining locations across campus. We also have them available at athletic events/campus special events/vending locations.
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[ 35 %] estimate based on annual amount diverted through partnering with KU Recycling.
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] School operated. Please describe:
KU Dining Services is a self-operated department of the Kansas Memorial Union Corporation -affiliated with the University’s Student Success dept. We operate 20 different food service venues- 5 retail cafes; 3 residential dining centers; 7 snack bars; 4 coffee & smoothies shops; a full service restaurant; campus catering, Grab n’ Go service and oversee the KU athletic training table.
[ ] 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: Sheryl Kidwell, Assistant Director serves as a staff ambassador on the KU Center for Sustainability. She is also part of a sub-committee to recruit more student ambassadors. In addition, she is also a part of the KU Composting research committee.
All of our staff are also trained on our sustainability initiatives in a new staff training module entitled ‘”SHOWTIME” developed by our dining service director, Nona Golledge, and committee. In this program the staff learns about our “Thinkin’ Green” goals and how they can contribute to helping us attain those goals.
More information on KU Dining Services and our sustainability mission can be found on our web page
www.kudining.com
I have also attached a brief one page summary of our sustainability achievements over the past 1 ½ years.
As a result KU Dining Services received the KU Center for Sustainability Campus Program Award
for 2008-09!
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