Dining Services Sustainability
Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the abilities of future generations to meet their own needs. Our choices today affect the world we will live in tomorrow.
Skidmore Dining Services is committed to reducing the negative impact on the environment and promoting the health of its students and that of the local economy. We are proud of the sustainable practices that we have in place. They are as follows:
Tray less Dining: Implemented for over thiteen years. The Tray less Dining Program has made a significant impact in reducing waste and overall consumption. It has had a direct impact on water, chemicals, and energy reduction, as well as reducing food waste.
Locally Sources: Commitment to providing locally sourced, fresh, healthy foods when possible. We define local as sources within a 250 mile radius. We strive to support local growers and farms, local food hubs, our distribution supply chain, Fair Trade Coffee producers, artisan cheesemakers, sustainable aquaculture, and B-Corp manufacturers.
Food Waste Reduction Initiatives: Knife training for all of our student employees to help reduce the amount of avoidable pre-consumer food waste, periodic food waste reduction audits in the dining hall to promote education and awareness, "Taste it-Don't Waste It" slogan and signage throughout the dining hall, small plates and portion control.
Composting: All coffee grinds from Dining Services are composted and used by our grounds crew to support seasonal gardens on campus. We also compost all pre-consumer waste in the Dining Hall, approximately 300 lbs. - 400 lbs. per day which is picked up by Natural Upcycling Co. and turned into usable compost and sold to local farms throughout New York and New England.
Feed More: A student supported group on campus whose primary mission is to divert usable leftovers to local soup pantiries. We donated a little over a ton of food in the 2017-2018 academic year.
Skidmore Student Garden: "Grown on campus", which is supported by Dining Services. We purchase all fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on campus to utilize in our Dining Services operations.
Low Impact Wednesday: Every week Skidmore Dining Services provides a plant forward menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner reducing the amount of meat proteins on their menus by 60%. This reduction allows us to offer more locally sources items on the menus.