Ithaca College

My name is Stephanie Piech, I am a Senior Environmental Studies student and have worked for Ithaca Dining Services (Sodexo) as a Sustainability Intern for 3 years.

During my internship I have worked with other students and directly with Jeff Scott, General Manager for Sodexo Campus Services, to implement new sustainability initiatives and projects.

Sofia Johnson ’12, and I will be presenting on our work as sustainability interns on Thursday March 31, from 3:25-3:45 in the Park Center for Business. If you would like to know more about sustainability and Ithaca Dining Services, come to our presentation; visit our website, or the interns’ blog, listed below. In addition, I have highlighted a few ways that Ithaca Dining Services and Sodexo have partnered with Ithaca College in the spirit of sustainability for the NCUR conference.

Ithaca College regularly strides to reduce waste, energy and resources and promote a healthy, sustainable lifestyle and Ithaca Dining Services has committed to following those standards. Ithaca Dining Services always encourages faculty, staff, students and visitors to be conscious of their decisions the environmental and economic impact they may have and NCUR is a perfect opportunity to spread our sustainable philosophy with our guests.  When attendees arrive at NCUR, they can look for a leaflet in their program which describes in full all of the sustainable aspects of NCUR.

Local, Organic and Sustainable Foods

When students attend NCUR meals, they can expect to see local, organic and seasonal items on the menus.  Supporting local upstate New York farmers and food producers is important to us, especially when hosting such a large event.  The conference meals will be served in a buffet format, although students will be able to “grab and go” with select items. Vegetarian and vegan foods will be available, with gluten free meals upon request.  Information on each food will be provided, including nutritional facts to help students make informed food choices. 

In addition, we are requesting that NCUR attendees be conscious of the food that they take at our buffet, although the meals are “all you can eat,” we are encouraging them to take all that they will eat, and come back for more if necessary

Partnership with S.W.I.F.T.

Any leftover, un-served food will be taken to a food pantry by the Stop Wasting Ithaca’s Food Today (SWIFT) student organization. 

CRT Stations
Ithaca Dining Services always composts pre and post consumer waste in the dining halls and has bins available at retail locations. CRT stands for compost, recycling, trash. During NCUR, the Resource and Environmental Management Program (REMP) will be working with Ithaca Dining Services and providing CRT stations around campus. CRT stands for Compost-Recycling-Trash. Ithaca College has an extensive recycling program, which includes composting all pre and post consumer food from the dining halls, and using all compostable serviceware in our retail locations.

 

Spotted Program
We are expanding our Spotted program for NCUR! If any NCUR attendee is spotted using a reusable mug, by an NCUR volunteer, they will receive a coupon for a hot beverage at any on campus location during the conference. We will also continue our regular reusable mug discount of $0.15 off of a hot beverage purchase for filling a reusable mug. In addition, we will be selling mugs at all retail locations for $4.99 with all proceeds going to Slow Foods Ithaca. 

-Stephanie Piech, Ithaca Dining Services Intern

 For more information, please visit:

 www.ithacadiningservices.com, icdiningsustainability.blogspot.com

Sodexo in North America
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), a member of Sodexo Group, is a leading provider of Comprehensive Service Solutions serving more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care, retirement, schools, higher education, government and remote sites. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexo, Inc. operates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. The Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org) is an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12.7 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions
Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations.  Based on this conviction, Sodexo is the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees, in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled range of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates and to the fulfillment of its employees.