Dining Services Goes Green with Compostable Packaging
University Dining Services started the semester by switching to commercially compostable packaging for all food and beverages served in disposable containers. Currently, 100% of the products used in Stout’s Residence Dining Halls for take-out food are compostable. In the University’s nine dining retail operations, over 80% of the packaging has been replaced with materials that are compostable. This includes cutlery, hot and cold cups and lids, plates, hot and cold bowls, straws, and clamshells (a type of packaging, often consisting of two parts attached by a hinge and that open and close like a clamshell.) The remaining 20% of packaging will be changed to compostable items just as soon as solutions can be discovered.
While the compostable products will be approximately twice the cost of petroleum-based Styrofoam and plastic, the production uses less energy than traditional counterparts and produces less CO2. Using a program developed by the primary supplier of compostable packaging, UW-Stout estimates savings of 2,755 gallons of gasoline and 27,146 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Dining Services has been making steady inroads into making their operations more sustainable. They recently determined that 37 percent of their $1.58 million annual food budget is spent on items from Wisconsin food-production companies, reducing the distance the food travels and reducing its environmental impact. They’ve also invested in energy efficient appliances and use green chemicals for manual and machine washing. The switch to compostable packaging came about after extensive research into the market of food packaging and included locating the right products to meet needs without sacrificing customer satisfaction.
Dining Services Participates in Million Gallon Challenge
University Dining Services is participating in Eco-Products Million Gallon Challenge. By using earth friendly foodservice containers, the University has saved 2,755 gallons of gasoline and 27,146 pounds of greenhouse gases in the last year. This is the equivalent of driving a new car 33,796 miles, or having saved 81 trees.
The Eco-Products Million Gallon Challenge is a campaign demonstrating how customers help the environment and save energy when using food service items utilizing earth-friendly materials. The goal is to count energy savings up to one million gallons of gasoline. For more information about the Challenge, go to ecoproducts.com.
Dining Services Buys Local
More than one-third of the food purchased by dining services at the University of Wisconsin-Stout comes from within the state.
A recent analysis of food purchasing by University Dining Service at the university determined that 37 percent of its $1.58 million annual food budget is spent on items from Wisconsin food-production companies. In addition, many more food items come from neighboring Minnesota and from cities within 200 miles of the campus.
“Buying products from Wisconsin companies not only reduces the distance the food travels, it also supports statewide businesses and encourages business growth in Wisconsin,” said Ann Thies, director of University Dining Service.
UW-Stout uses local producers and processors for its food purchases including McCain Foods, Swiss Miss and Silver Springs Garden. Annual purchases from Wisconsin companies include $211,628 for meat; $97,518 for dairy products; and $143,856 for general groceries.
“These local items help keep food miles to a minimum,” Thies said.
“Food miles” refer to the distance a food item travels from the farm to consumers’ homes. It is one dimension used in assessing the environmental impact of food. For instance, if food has to be transported longer distances, this increases its environmental impact: uses more fossil fuel, which releases more carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and other pollutants into the air that can contribute to global climate change, acid rain, smog, and air and sea pollution.
"Beyond purchasing, we continue to change and move toward more sustainable operations while maintaining our customer and fiscal responsibilities," Thies said.
Sustainability at UW-Stout video
Check out the Sustainability at UW-Stout video!
Spring Move Out
Your trash is someone else's treasure.
Bring your unwanted furniture to be reused/recycled/properly disposed on Friday, May 8, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., in Lot 29 (Fieldhouse Parking Lot on 13th Avenue across from the Applied Arts Building). You may also donate usable clothes, appliances, household items, non-perishable and unopened box or canned food. Please do NOT donate your garbage, recyclables, or any item you would never consider using yourself either due to being too dirty or broken.
All reusable items will be picked up by Hope Gospel Mission, a non-profit charitable organization. All food items will be collected for the Dunn County Food Pantry.
Volunteers still needed: For more information or to volunteer, contact Krista James (jamesk@uwstout.edu or call 232-1557) or go to Spring Move Out.
The Spring Move Out is sponsored by: Stout Student Association, Stout Inter-Residence Hall Association, Stout Environmental Sustainability Steering Committee, City of Menomonie, Dunn County Health Department, Dunn County Solid Waste/Recycling, Sustainable Dunn, American Edge Real Estate, Hope Gospel Mission, Veolia ES Solid Waste Midwest.
Sixteen Wisconsin colleges and universities compete in RecycleMania 2009
National college contest spurs recycling efforts
Each spring, college students across the country become “RecycleManiacs” competing for national supremacy to determine which school can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste. The 10-week challenge ignites classic college rivalries and rallies students, faculty and staff to increase on-campus recycling rates beyond their collegiate competitors.
Nationwide 510 college campuses participated in RecycleMania 2009, up from 400 campuses the previous year. Wisconsin’s participation increased from 10 state colleges and universities to 16. The main goal of this event is to increase student awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization.
RecycleMania wrapped up this year’s contest in late March, with participating Wisconsin campuses recovering over two million pounds of recyclables and organics.
Colleges and universities chose to participate in one of two divisions, Competition or Benchmark. The Competition Division houses the traditional competitive rankings based on standard tracking and reporting criteria. The Benchmark Division allows schools to unofficially compare themselves with other schools and to promote RecycleMania on campus without the formal reporting requirements of the competitive ranking. Within each division, schools participate in any of eight categories. Below are highlights of the final results for the Wisconsin competitors.
The Grand Champion top five Wisconsin finalists, determined by the percentage of overall waste that was recycled over 10 weeks, are:
UW-Stevens Point (37.64%)
UW-River Falls (32.16%)
UW-Whitewater (28.70%)
UW-La Crosse (23.53%)
UW-Stout (23.45%)
The Per Capita Classic top five Wisconsin finalists, determined by total pounds of recyclables collected per person over 10 weeks, are:
UW-Stevens Point (16.59%)
UW-Eau Claire (13.59%)
UW-Oshkosh (9.74%)
UW-Whitewater (9.69%)
Northland College (9.66%)
The Waste Minimization top three Wisconsin finalists, determined by the lowest overall amount of waste (recyclables and trash) per person over 10 weeks, are:
UW-Whitewater (33.76 pounds)
UW-Stout (34.39 pounds)
UW-Stevens Point (44.08 pounds)
The Gorilla Prize top five Wisconsin finalists, determined by the highest cumulative weight of recyclables over 10 weeks, are:
UW-Stevens Point (76.91 tons)
UW-Eau Claire (73.23 tons)
UW-Oshkosh (53.58 tons)
UW-Whitewater (51 tons)
UW-Stout (34.46 tons)
In addition to these main categories, schools also compete in targeted material categories to see who can recycle the most paper, cardboard, cans and bottles and food waste on a per capita basis.
The following Wisconsin campuses participated in the Competition Division:
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The following Wisconsin campuses participated in the Benchmark Divison:
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RecycleMania is administered by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), as a project of NRC’s College and University Recycling Council (CURC). RecycleMania is championed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program and The Coca-Cola Company.
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About RecycleMania
RecycleMania was launched in 2001 as a friendly challenge between Ohio University and Miami University to increase recycling on their campuses. The contest has expanded rapidly in eight years from two schools in 2001 to 510 colleges and universities in 2009 spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Over a 10-week period, campuses compete to see which institution can collect 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. For complete contest background and details, visit the RecycleMania website at www.recyclemaniacs.org.
The Stout Student Association- Sustainability Council
SSA has recently created a Sustainability Council which will be headed up by the SSA Sustainability Senator. Students on the council are not required to attend SSA meetings, but will meet outside the meeting as a council to promote and implement economical sustainability ideas. The council will be made up of four to six students. More information is available in the packet, or you can contact ssasustainability@uwstout.edu. To pick up a packet go to the SOC desk in the lower level of memorial student center after 3 PM on Monday, March 9.
Environmental Sustainability Focus Groups
The Budget, Planning, and Analysis Office is looking for students, faculty and staff to participate in focus groups to gather information on attitudes and ideas on Environmental Sustainability on campus. Eight focus groups will be held on the following dates:
Wednesday, March 25: 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 26: 9:05 to 10:30 a.m.
Friday, March 27: 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Monday, March 30: 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31: 9:15 to 10:45 a.m.
The information gathered in these focus groups will be used to develop UW-Stout’s Environmental Management Action Plan. If you are interested, please email bpa@uwstout.edu with your availability or with any questions you may have. Advanced registration is required.
2009 Sustainability Day |
Sustainable Dunn has set the date for the 2009 Sustainability Day. It will be held on Saturday, July 25, at Wilson Park at 9:00 a.m. to capture some of the traffic from the Farmer's Market.
Groups are invited to have a booth and should contact :
Linda Walsh
lindawalsh45@hotmail.com
Energy Fair at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center |
Energy Fair at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
UW-Stout students interested in attending should contact Glendali Rodriguez (rodriguezg@uwstout.edu or 232-1522)by Friday, February 20th. Travel expenses would have to be paid by the individual (about a 2.25 hour drive away). Conference cost and dinner would be free.
-----About the Conference-----
Farmers and homeowners of Northeastern Iowa and Southeastern Minnesota readily acknowledge the responsibility they have to make the changes necessary to improve the environment. In order to aid them, the Fillmore Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is hosting an Energy Fair at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, 28097 Goodview Drive, Lanesboro, Minnesota starting at noon on Saturday, February 28th, 2009.
The afternoon sessions will be focusing a variety of areas for both farmers and homeowners including: on-farm bio fuel production and use, small scale wind and solar, and energy conservation and incentives. At 5:30pm in the Discovery Center Auditorium, Architect Sarah Nettleton, will deliver a keynote address entitled, "Carbon Neutral: How can be all be a part of the solution?" Nettleton is an Architect who authored the book entitled, The Simple Home The Luxury of Enough.
All afternoon sessions and the keynote address are offered free of charge. Following her speech those who have made reservations for dinner will move into the Eagle Bluff Dining Hall for a 7:00pm dinner featuring local foods. Pre-registering with SWCD is required by calling 507-765-3878 and the cost of $10.00 per person must be submitted by February 20th. During dinner SWCD Conservation awards will be handed out and Nettleton will be available to answer questions.
The Keynote speaker, Nettleton was "talking green" fifteen years ago when it was radical to consider "green solutions for the built environment." Now that Class A office space is LEED rated and homeowners are asking for low impact design, good air quality and natural daylight, Carbon Neutral can now become a reality. "What does a building or house that is Zero Net Annual Energy look and feel like?" is a question that will be answered by Nettleton. She believes that "Designing for this Sustainable standard is an opportunity to reduce unintended consequences and to create value. Zero net annual energy describes reducing total energy consumption by 100% not merely by a 20 -30% load reduction. Is this possible? Yes."
These sort of fringe conversations are now mainstream topics and Nettleton's experience as "an Architect working with a wide variety of clients, from a Marine Biology Field Station to a renovated cabin in the north woods gives her an ability to talk about where we are in the green conversation, why it has lacked solutions, and show houses and buildings that meet or approach a 'carbon neutral lifestyle'. She is able to identify practical cost effective sustainable strategies." relays Joe Deden director of Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center.
Nettleton's biography states that she is "a registered Architect with a Masters from Tulane University, Sarah is principal in the firm Sarah Nettleton Architects. In addition to professional practice, Sarah has taught at the University of Minnesota, College of Design and is a past chair of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment. Her design experience includes a broad range of institutional, commercial and residential projects, integrating architectural and landscape design where Sustainable is more than a concept, it is a measurable outcome. The recipient of seven local and national Honor Awards for her work in both landscape and architecture, Sarah is the author of the book The Simple Home The Luxury of Enough."
By attending Nettleton's presentation, participants will learn to:
- Recognize where we are in the conversation about 'Green'.
- Describe what Carbon Neutral really means, and how it is attainable.
- Recognize the carbon neutral lifestyle benefits of sustainably designed buildings.
- Identify practical cost effective Sustainable solutions for your own home or business.
Green at UW-Stout and In Your Life
Find out more about what Stout is doing in the “green” world and what individuals can do to be a little more earth friendly. Plan to attend an informational session, sponsored by Women’s Academic Staff Mentoring, Friday, Feb. 13, from 12:20–1:20 p.m., in the Northwoods Room of the Memorial Student Center. Light refreshments will be provided.
Midwest Regional Collaborative for Sustainability Education Workshop at Northland College June 22 to 26, 2009
The four individuals who will be representing the four colleges at UW-Stout are:
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Jeff Mullins
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
Jeanne Rothaupt
College of Management
Anne Hoel
College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
Krista James
New Reusable Mug Program at UW-Stout -- Get Your 10 Cent Discount!
The UW-Stout University Bookstore and University Dining Services have partnered to offer the campus a reusable beverage container program.
All the beverage containers that the bookstore sells will be accepted in the dining locations across campus for any dispensed beverage. The customer will then receive a 10 cent discount on that beverage - Plus - the first fill is free.
This partnership is to encourage a reduction in packaging waste and its impact on our environment.
For a Reusable Mug flyer, click on this link:
http://greensense.uwstout.edu/0902_Reusable_Mug_Program.pdf
For more information, contact Ann Thies (thiesa@uwstout.edu), Director of University Dining Service
Open Mic Night to Kick Off RecycleMania
This is UW-Stout's third year competing in RecycleMania, a nationwide college recycling competition. Last year UW-Stout was in the top 10 percent for waste minimization and also ranked in the top 50 percent for the Grand Champion, Gorilla Prize, Paper and Bottles/Cans categories.
This year UW-Stout is kicking off the 2009 RecycleMania competition by collaborating with Blue Devil Productions and GreenSense to host an Open Mic Night, Jan. 29, at the Underground in the Memorial Student Center from 8-9:30 p.m. Students who bring a recyclable item to the show will receive a raffle ticket for coupons and gifts provided by Menomonie businesses.
For more information about RecycleMania, contact UW-Stout RecycleMania student coordinators Jake Pulfer at pulferj@uwstout.edu, Steve Zweber at zwebers@uwstout.edu and Hope Larsen at larsenh@uwstout.edu.
Sustainability @ Stout: Presentation for the Professional Development Workshop on January 13, 2009
If you missed it, here is the Professional Development Workshop presentation on the campus sustainability initiative at UW-Stout: Professional Development Workshop Presentation
RecycleMania Registration Open until January 15
Registration is open through January 15 for colleges and universities to register for the 2009 RecycleMania competition. During the 10-week period from mid-January through late-March, schools compete in multiple categories measuring everything from highest per capita recycling to overall diversion rate and waste minimization. Schools report measurements on a weekly basis in pounds recycled per student living on campus. The RecycleMania event provides students with a fun, proactive
activity in waste reduction. So far there are 311 schools registered for the 2009 competition. More details about the competition can be found at www.recyclemania.org/
A teleconference is being held Thursday January 8, so it's important to sign up soon.
Wisconsin campuses that have registered as of January 6:
UW-La Crosse
UW-Madison
UW-Milwaukee
UW-Oshkosh
UW-River Falls
UW-Stout
UW-Whitewater
UW-Extension
St. Norbert College
Northland College
Sustainability @ Stout: EDGE Presentation
If you missed it, here is the EDGE presentation on the campus sustainability initiative at UW-Stout:
Sustainability at Stout [PowerPoint]
Featured Green Commuters
Seventy faculty, staff and students signed up to be part of the first UW-Stout Green Commuter Pledge, for the week of September 22, 2008. The purpose of pledge is to motivate the campus community to change its commuting habits in small and large ways and help reduce the university’s carbon footprint.
Go to the green commuter page to see more featured commuters and learn more about the pledge.
Anita Wiese, Barb Cloutier and Cindy Knopps of Student Financial Aid Services
"Financial Aid Counselors love going green! Anita and Cindy have been green commuters for several years, I started (consistently) this summer. Cindy walks and Anita walks or bikes most days. I generally ride my bike at least three days of the work week. Benefits? Many! Less fill-ups at the gas pump, calorie burning…and most importantly at this time of the year: stress release!" ~Barb Cloutier
1. Sign up: email Raina Clark, the sustainability coordinator, at clarkra@uwstout.edu, with your name and chosen mode of green commuting to receive your Green Commuter Pledge button. Green commuting options: carpooling, non-motorized transportation or down-sizing your ride (moped, motorcycle, hybrid, etc.).
2. Wear your pledge button during the week of September 22.
3. Use a green commuter option to get to campus at least three days during the week of September 22.
Click here to read more about the pledge.
New Faculty/Staff On-Line Rideshare Board
Because of the overwhelming response to a call for faculty and staff interested in carpooling to campus, the sustainability office and the parking office have created an on-line rideshare board at www.uwstout.edu/parking/rideshare.html.
Check out the rideshare board to find individuals interested in carpooling from your area, then contact those individuals to see if your schedules and routes are a good fit.
To submit your information to the rideshare board, email parking@uwstout.edu with “rideshare board” in the subject line. Include your name, location you are commuting from, and your work/commuting schedule.
Recyclable Art Competition (2nd annual)
People of all ages residing in Dunn County, Wisconsin are invited to participate in a unique Recyclable-Art Competition event on Monday, November 11th, 7 p.m. in The Great Hall of the Memorial Student Center at UW-Stout, Menomonie. Click here to register for the contest on-line.
The Recyclable Art Competition is being held in honor of America Recycles Day (ARD), the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products.
Since its inception in 1997, the ARD campaign has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work, and to buy products made with recycled materials.
Go to the on-line Recyclable Art Competition registration page.
Contact the Coordinator
For questions or comments, contact the Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Sarah Rykal, at rykals@uwstout.edu.