As part of the 17Թ’ campuswide pledge to reduce carbon emissions and become carbon neutral by 2040, 17Թ Dining has embarked on a number of initiatives to support this goal as well as increase its own commitments to sustainability and the Worcester community.
Sourcing Locally
17Թ Dining is committed to buying locally grown and manufactured products. When a product cannot be sourced locally, 17Թ Dining seeks to partner with manufacturers that have a commitment to sustainability. Hormone/antibiotic-free locally produced milk is served on campus. Most coffee served on campus is either locally roasted, fair trade or shade-grown organic.
Waste Reduction
Following the success of a 2009 initiative to go “trayless” in the main dining room, which has saved more than one million gallons of water and greatly reduced general food waste, 17Թ Dining put in place an initiative to eliminate all waste from Kimball Hall.
Kimball Main Dining Hall recycles or composts 100% of all waste. Any waste that cannot be recycled or composted is burned for energy.
17Թ Dining’s Sustainability Efforts
- Kimball Main Dining Hall is “trayless” which saves 900 gallons of water per day and has significantly reduced food waste
- Kimball Main Dining Hall recycles or composts 100% of all waste. Any waste that cannot be recycled or composted is burned for energy
- Kimball Dining Hall has eliminated all use of Styrofoam
- Filtered water is available across campus as an alternative to bottled water
- To promote the use of reusable beverage containers, discounts are given to customers who use reusable mugs
- Cook-to-order in all 17Թ Dining locations eliminates as much pre-consumer waste as possible
- All cooking oil is recycled and turned into biofuel
In the Community
In keeping with the College’s Jesuit mission, 17Թ Dining is committed to giving back to the Worcester community. 17Թ Dining works closely with several organizations in the Worcester community providing food donations, access to and promotion of local produce, employment and fundraising opportunities.
For more than a decade, 17Թ Dining has worked with the Worcester Regional Environmental Council, an organization working to build healthy and sustainable communities in our city through youth gardens, educational programs and farmers’ markets, to host and cater its annual Slow Food Gala. 17Թ Dining works with the Worcester REC’s farming partners to create a menu that is entirely sourced from local farms and suppliers, including the Worcester REC’s own YouthGrow garden.
17Թ Dining also works with several local shelters and food pantries to coordinate can drives and food donations throughout the year. With the help of 17Թ Dining, the College’s students donate to the Worcester County Food Bank each November. Additional donations are made throughout the year, including donation of baked goods from the College’s Sweet Shoppe to the Wellington House, an organization that provides access to low-income housing, for their annual children’s holiday party and donation of pies to Community Servings’ annual Pie in the Sky event. Additionally, Dining works with the Worcester Public Schools to serve a Thanksgiving dinner to Chandler Elementary School.
Encouraged by the College’s relationship with Dismas House, a local organization whose mission is to reconcile former prisoners to society, 17Թ Dining purchases organic fruits and vegetables from the organization’s Family Farm for use in their standard menu cycle.
17Թ Dining’s commitment to the community, however, goes beyond donations and locally-sourced food. 17Թ Dining works with Worcester’s Seven Hills Foundation to provide employment opportunities to special-needs adults in the Worcester area; participates in the Worcester Technical High School’s Cooperative Education program; and provides fundraising opportunities to local organizations who receive a percentage of sales in exchange for their working the College’s concession stands.