Going Green
"Going green" can mean many things. Since 2000 PACES has been making a commitment to a sustainable future. We are proud to say that PACES has been "doing green" for sometime. Our efforts to help our planet's future are simple but important. Join us in our efforts to create new solutions, to reduce waste, and to save resources.
Farm to Table Program
Dining Services "thinks globally and purchases locally." Whenever feasible, we buy local goods, helping to support our economy while reducing our carbon footprint. Transporting food long distances wastes fuel, clogs highways and creates pollution. A basic meal made from non-local ingredients uses and produces four times as much energy and greenhouse gas emissions than one made with local ingredients.
In 2006 and 2007 PACES paid local vendors over $259,319 for goods. We buy quality items from Birchland Farms, Kilcoyne Farms, North Country Growers Cooperative, Purple Rice, Upstate Farms, New Hope Mills, and local farmers.
Dining services
- prepares the majority of its products on site
- composts vegetable and fruit scraps for use by local farmers
- donates oil from fryers on campus for use as bio diesel fuel by a local farmer
- conserves through its Waste Not Want Not Food awareness program at Lehman Dining Center, our all you care to eat facility
- Lehman Dining Center goes trayless, preventing food waste and excess water consumption
- awarded the Growing Community Award in 2003 in recognition of PACES' efforts to buy locally
- purchases approved disposable environmental cups at most dining locations
- instituted a reusable enviro container program at Becky's Place
- eliminates plastic "to go" bags and started an envio friendly tote bag program
- installed a hydration station at Crane Commons to encourage the refilling of water bottles, not the purchasing of them
Sustainability at work
Tomorrow is another day, so PACES is constantly visioning and exploring options for the future. George Arnold, Dining Service Director, is also working with others in the local community to explore the idea of a local food processing plant. The plant would be built to process local produce so that they could be available to the college marketplace all year round.
PACES, in 2006 adopted the Global Sullivan Principles which advances a development framework that enables businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to pursue their business objectives while being mindful and respectful of employees and the communities in which they operate.
Fair Trade Coffee
PACES Dining Services is proud to carry a line of Fair Trade and Shade Grown Certified coffees. These products come from all over the world, but share a common history. Farmers who grow Fair Trade products receive a fair price, and their communities and the environment benefit as well. Fair Trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. It helps family farmers in developing countries gain direct access to international markets and to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
H.E. Washers and Dryers
In the summer of 2006, PACES and MacGray installed 150 new washers/dryers on campus: they had a choice to buy less expensive models but choose to purchase new energy efficient washers and dryers. It is estimated that the new equipment is saving about a million gallons of water a year. It is also anticipated that the new dryers are significantly decreasing electricity usage.
Recycled Stationary Line, Specialty Items
The College Store has a dedicated retail section of recycled goods. The store sells-T-shirts, notebooks, paper, tote bags, lanyards, water bottles, travel mugs, and stationary items made from recycled products. The Union Market, our campus convenience store, sells earth friendly cleaning supplies, energy efficient small appliances and light bulbs.
Used Textbooks
The College Store buys and resells textbooks. When a student purchases a used textbook from our shelves, they are reducing the carbon footprint because:
- no freight trucks are needed to move the books from location to location
- resources are saved because the edition is not reprinted