SMART and SUSTAINABLE It’s Not Easy Eating Green The sustainability movement reaches the kitchen on college and university campuses. H By Ann McClure and what works for the environment becomes trickier for campus dining services. “Duke recognized the food we bring on campus has a huge impact,” says Tavey McDaniel Capps, environmental sustainability coordinator at the university. “We want to minimize that impact.” There are two strands to sustainable dining: organic and local. Although not mutually exclusive, there can be some tension between them. Organic is good for your health and the environment because fewer or no chemicals and pesticides are used to grow such AVING TO EAT YOUR VEGETABLES takes on a whole new meaning when you start thinking about the process involved in getting them to your plate. Whether the produce is local or imported, the conditions the farm workers labored under and whether or not chemicals were used on the crops are all factors to consider. As students become savvier both nutritionally and politically, finding a balance between what’s healthy, what tastes good, and Every October Green Mountain College (Vt.) hosts a Welsh Harvest Festival featuring local food tastings. In addition to promoting local farms, it is good for town/gown relations, as it draws many visitors from surrounding communities. 37 | June 2007 universitybusiness.com
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - June 2007