"Green Thumbs-Up" to Dining Services for Its New Brand: "Sustainable. Healthy. Fresh."

10/03/07

Bravo to Dining Services for phasing out petroleum-based plastics in its retail operations and integrating compostable serviceware into the Food Court and La Vincita in the Campus Center. Some of the packaged prepared-food products in the Smart Market (e.g. fruit and yogurt parfaits, and clear soda cups) have been made of compostable bioplastics for some time now, but now, in these areas, you'll only find compostable corn-based plastic cold cups and potato starch-based eating utensils, and biodegradable paper plates, napkins and hot cups.

Now that everything in the Food Court has "gone compostable," Dining Services and the Resource and Environmental Management Program (REMP) request the support of the IC community to use the proper collection containers in IC Square to separate compostable food packaging and waste food. Look for special "Compostable" ports in the waste receptacles, or look for the big green "C" -- for "compostable" -- on special large collection barrels reserved for these materials.

All these biodegradable materials will be transported to our compost processor to be turned into mulch and soil amendments. It is important to carefully separate these compostable items from trash that will be landfilled, and to please continue to separate out recyclable cans and bottles.

Also note that there are more organic and natural products being offered in the Smart Market area. New introductions spotted this summer include Organic Valley dairy products, Stonyfield Farm yogurt, Earthbound Farm packaged salad greens, Odwalla bars, and Guayaki Yerba Mate drinks.

Be sure to use your reusable beverage mugs, and save yourself 15 cents on refills of your favorite beverages, like fair trade certified Green Mountain or Starbucks coffee, or hot Tazo tea. If you need a reusable mug, these are also for sale in the Food Court, as are new polycarbonate water bottles.

For more about sustainability in Dining Services: http://ithacadiningservices.com/community.html

And for more about social responsibility: http://ithacadiningservices.com/comm_social.html

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