Sustainability in the Dining Room
A few of the ways University Culinary Services supports sustainable practices is by using environmentally sustainable cleaning products, recycling used fryer oil and turning it into Biofuel, and adopting trayless dining.
Environmentally sustainable cleaning products
University Culinary Services purchases their cleaning products from Value Products Inc., whose products are made with plant derived, non-petroleum based compounds and other earth friendly ingredients. They are DfE (Design for the Environment) certified through the EPA, and are active members of CleanGredients, a nonprofit that equips business with the science and resources to make products more sustainable.
Trayless Dining
Food trays need to be washed after each use and have been found to increase food waste. By “going trayless”, we are reducing our food and water waste, conserving energy, and encouraging healthier eating habits. Studies show that when trays are offered, more food is collected, most of which ends up in the garbage. An ARAMARK study of 186,000 meals at 25 colleges and universities found a 25 percent to 30 percent reduction in food waste per person on trayless days.
Oil Re-Use
University Culinary Services has partnered with Yokayo Biofuels in Ukiah to recycle our used fryer oil. Yokayo picks up the used oil and converts it into biodiesel that is then sold to their customers. This ultimately decreases the amount of oil that is being disposed from the Dining Room, while producing what is currently the most sustainable, “carbon neutral” biodiesel available.
For more information, please visit the following sites.
"Almost Half US Colleges Go Trayless. Why?"
The Business and Cultural Acceptance Case for Trayless Dining (pdf)