Annual UCLA Foodservices Sustainability Policy Report 2009-2010 August 2010 Update Introduction The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has three main food providers on campus: Associated Students UCLA, Housing & Hospitality Services, and the Medical Center. This document serves to report the specific goals and progress related to the UC Foodservices Sustainability Policy for these three UCLA divisions.
The Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) is the not-for-profit organization governed by a studentmajority Board of Directors. The Services and Enterprises branch of ASUCLA operates the Student Union, Bookstore, and Restaurants on UCLA’s campus. The ASUCLA Board of Directors and management team has aligned its sustainability efforts with UC and campus-wide goals and practices. The ASUCLA Sustainability Policy is attached.
Housing & Hospitality Services (H&HS) incorporates Dining Services and is the department that is responsible for the operations of all the residence halls and eateries in the resident areas. H&HS has aligned its sustainability strategic planning to support UCLA’s sustainability goals and to meet or exceed the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices. This process has been expanded to include setting goals and implementing initiatives that meet the new UC Foodservices Sustainability Policy. H&HS has created an internal workgroup to address the Policy as well as participates in a campus-wide workgroup within the Chancellor’s Sustainability Committee. The H&HS Sustainability Strategic Plan 2009-2010 can be found at www.housing.ucla.edu/sustainability.
The Medical Center provides foodservices for guests, staff as well as patients. The Department of Nutritional Services at Ronald Regan Hospital (RRH), School of Medicine (SOM), and Santa Monica Hospital (SMH) has implemented sustainability practices in the areas of procurement, operations, waste reduction, education and external outreach in an effort to comply with the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices.
UCLA Foodservice Operational Goals
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Reach or exceed a minimum of 20% sustainable food as defined by the UC Foodservices Sustainability Policy by 2020.
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Provide healthy and sustainable food options for the campus community and educate students on dining sustainability efforts.
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Employ third-party certifications for oversight and recognition of sustainable operations. Certify one restaurant as a green business and expand to other restaurants if cost effective.
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Continue to innovate ways to reduce food waste; conserve energy and water; and otherwise reduce environmental impacts of all campus foodservice operations.
UCLA Foodservice Sustainability Initiatives and Progress ASUCLA – Associated Students UCLA
H&HS – Housing & Hospitality Services
MC – Medical Center
Initiative
Status
Assess current sustainable food purchases and formulate 10-year plan to reach policy goal of 20% sustainable food by 2020
ASUCLA: Through initial assessment, approximately 5% of all food purchased is sustainable. Looking to increase total to 6% by August 2011 by focusing on produce. H&HS: Currently source approximately 2.45% sustainable food through organic salad bar and tofu purchases, local fruits (started in July ’10), and cage-free humanely raised eggs (started in May ’10). Vending sources approximately 6% organic food. In the process of setting our 10-year plan. MC: Feasibility study initiated. Currently approximately 45% of produce and dairy purchased is locally sourced, in addition to a small portion of organic products.
Continue to cultivate relationships with vendors to maximize procurement of produce from local growers
ASUCLA: Working with distributor of local farmers to aggressively increase locally grown produce purchases. Currently 8% of produce purchased is locally grown. H&HS: Initiated discussions with vendors; currently sourcing local produce and continuing to increase amount purchased. MC: In discussions with vendors
Goals Addressed
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Explore expansion of Fair Trade product offerings. Currently offering some certified coffees, teas, chocolate and sugar.
Plant organic herb garden and integrate herbs into dining hall dishes
Educate students, raise awareness and publicize sustainability programs through restaurant signs, materials, tabling at campus events, and online information
Exclude trans-fats from food preparation
Implement Beefless Thursdays in dining halls
Expand Tray-less Dining Program in dining halls Continue research and testing of recycled and biodegradable food packaging for ASUCLA facilities Initiate ASUCLA employee education program to promote waste reduction and energy conservation
ASUCLA: In partnership with student organization, E3, increased awareness of Fair Trade coffees with promotional pricing in April 2010. H&HS: One boutique restaurant offers exclusively Rainforest Alliance certified caffeinated coffee. Investigating expansion of offerings including Fair Trade. H&HS: Complete and on-going. Plans to expand garden underway.
ASUCLA: Promotion of sustainable programs in all Coffeehouses. Table at campus events, such as resource fairs. H&HS: On-going. Signs prominently displayed year round in dining facilities. Impact of food choices highlighted in H&HS Sustainable Food Systems web pages and in new / newly created Green Guide at UCLA for all campus residents (publish date: Fall 2010). Student rep on Dining’s “Team Green” serves as liaison to other ORL student groups. MC: Education presented through UCLA Healthy Choices information, including nutritional information on retail food products on the UCLA Wellness website and sample portion sizes on the salad bar. H&HS: Complete. No trans-fats are used in food preparation in all dining halls and boutique restaurants. MC: Complete. No trans-fats are used in food preparation in any area of food service and no fried foods are included in the room service menu. H&HS: On-going during academic year. Currently targeting a 10% reduction in beef purchases and consumption for 2010-11. H&HS: Currently tray-less in one dining hall. Encouragement of dining tray-less through educational signage ASUCLA: On-going.
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ASUCLA: Creation of ASUCLA Energy Management Committee to reduce use of resources in all ASUCLA facilities including
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Restaurants Construction of and outreach on LEEDÂŽ certified eateries
Certify one boutique restaurant as a green business through the Green Restaurant Association (GRA)
Support of and collaboration with studentrun initiatives to promote and further sustainable practices
ASUCLA: Construction of the South Campus Student Center is underway in 2010, Grand Opening scheduled for 2011. H&HS: Renovation of one dining hall underway. Completion scheduled for 2011. H&HS: Contract set for one dining hall; evaluation to begin August 2010.
H&HS: On-going. Stakeholder for Education for Sustainable Living Program research projects. Expanding student-run Waste Watchers program to utilize students’ residential community service hours. Work with student organizations for on-going progress and outreach.
Use only biodegradable or recyclable to-go containers at H&HS operated boutique restaurants
H&HS: All clamshells, napkins, pizza boxes, cups, and some bowls are compostable. Other bowls, lids, and straws are recyclable. Continuing to explore other options to reach exclusively biodegradable to-go containers.
Reduce material packaging and source prepackaged products in compostable containers
H&HS: On-going. MC: Over 90% of all disposable packaging and service ware products in the Department of Nutrition are sustainable, renewable Bagasse products. ASUCLA: On-going.
Continue research and testing of recycled and biodegradable food packaging for ASUCLA facilities
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Retrofit all dining hall kitchen hoods to variable flow with the Melink system
H&HS: On-going. One installed, others to be installed over next 3 years.
Refillable mug programs: providing beverage discount for bringing reusable mug for use
ASUCLA: On-going. Substantial discount for UCLA Coffeehouse mugs and nominal discount for any reusable mug. In partnership with students and funding from TGIF, refillable mug program will be promoted with price reduction in Fall 2010. H&HS: Piloted a program Fall 2009. Continuing to look for ways to re-approach the program to be more successful. MC: Discount on coffee in cafeterias with personal reusable mug.
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Expand pre- and post-consumer composting in H&HS services
H&HS: On-going. All food waste composted at every dining hall and at two boutique restaurants. Currently diverting approximately 60 tons of food waste per month.
Paperless menus and ordering for dining services
H&HS: Complete, excluding use of some reusable menus in one boutique restaurant.
Reduce landfill waste with expanded recycling and reusable service ware
ASUCLA: Kitchen recycling initiated in Fall 2009. MC: Recycling glass, plastic and aluminum in front-of-house. Use china for all patient services. Additional funds allocated to switch to biodegradable cutlery in cafeterias and patient areas.
Assess all Styrofoam use and determine where it can be eliminated
Use SOMAT water recycling pulping system in Medical Center dish rooms and recycle cooking oil
ASUCLA: Eliminated all Styrofoam food packaging from ASUCLA-operated food operations. H&HS: Purchase and use of Styrofoam completely eliminated, including recent elimination of Styrofoam coffee cups by vending. MC: Purchase and use of Styrofoam completely eliminated. MC: On-going.
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ATTACHMENT ASSOCIATED STUDENTS UCLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ASUCLA SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE To advance sustainability by fostering a culture in which ASUCLA and the broader UCLA community are actively engaged in education, business operations and community involvement that promote long-term commitment to ecological health, economic viability and community welfare. To that end the following principles will be used to guide policy development, planning and day-to-day operating decisions.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES Increase general awareness of sustainability concepts throughout ASUCLA and the broader UCLA community through education, marketing and training. Examples include awareness campaigns targeted to visitors and training for all ASUCLA employees. Develop, implement and maintain operating practices that promote long-term ecological health, including green construction and renovation, purchasing decisions, resource conservation and waste management. Examine the economic impact of sustainable policy development, planning and day-to-day operating decisions, recognizing that financial stability is integral to fulfilling long-term sustainability objectives. Establish indicators for sustainability that include inquiry and regular assessment, emphasizing clearlydefined initiatives, achievable goals, responsiveness and flexibility. Utilize ASUCLA’s strengths as a constituency-based organization to provide the broader UCLA community with opportunities to contribute to sustainability by supporting student-initiated education
programs, by facilitating open communication on ASUCLA sustainability efforts and by engaging with community and government partners. Fulfill ASUCLA’s commitment to the welfare of the broader UCLA community—comprised of student, faculty, staff and campus visitors—by actively contributing to the improvement of individual safety, health and quality of life as outlined in the ASUCLA Policy on Social Responsibility.
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
Resource Conservation - Minimize overall consumption of limited resources and waste production in day-to-day operations, developing flexible, efficient and endurable systems to support long-term sustainability. Capital Planning, Construction and Purchasing - Factor sustainability into construction and purchasing processes, considering the ecological and economic impact over the life of all investments and purchases. Leadership/ Community Education/ Civic Participation – Assume responsibility for informing the broader UCLA community about ASUCLA sustainability efforts and provide user-friendly opportunities for individuals to practice sustainability; support student organization programs promoting sustainability; partner with University departments and government organizations. Transportation – Reduce UCLA’s impact on traffic by providing on-campus services, products and employment to the broader UCLA community. Economic Development Indicators – Regularly assess the business environment at-large and market trends to take advantage of opportunities to improve overall sustainability in harmony with sound financial policy and practice. Broad-based Continued Review – Recognizing that our understanding of sustainability will evolve over time through experience, research, economic analysis and technological advances, ASUCLA will continue to assess its progress towards overall sustainability.