Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. - Sustainability Timeline

Fall 2012

Began providing used fryer oil to Midwest Grease for use in biofuels and livestock feed.
Contracted fruit and vegetable purchases with Bix Produce. Bix offers numerous local products.
Local fruit and vegetable options offered when in season and when available. Items include: apples, beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers and several more.
Researched converting fryer oil into fuel for trucks used by Dining Services.

Summer 2012

Began collecting coffee grounds and filters for composting.

Spring 2012

Recycled 200 black tempered glass mugs to a facility in Fargo, which uses the glass for things like gravel, paint remover, and other services.
Purchased recycling bins for coffee grounds. All coffee grounds will be recycled starting by summer.
Began researching more sustainable water bottles for retail locations and catering.
Featured local, free-range turkey.

Fall 2011

Introduced locally made Juneberry ice cream.
Offered local, free-range turkeys at Thanksgiving dinner.
Switched food supplier to Sysco, a leader in the sustainable/integrated pest management (IPM) program. Sysco is also an active participant in the Sustainable Food Laboratory and started the Electrical Energy Use Reduction program.
All wild rice now comes from the Red Lake Nation in Minnesota.
Began using electronic menu boards instead of printing on paper. Screens in Anderson Commons are energy star certified. Each semester, Anderson's reduction in paper usage will save one tree.
Hired a student sustainability researcher.

Spring 2011

Researched recycling used coffee grounds.
Developed position description for student sustainability researcher/coordinator.

Fall 2010

Featured locally grown, free range turkeys at annual Thanksgiving Dinner in Anderson Commons.
Began offering locally produced jalapeno pesto in Anderson Commons.
Began research on switching paper signs to electronic signs.

Spring 2010

Switched chemicals used in the Anderson dish machine, which now uses less chemicals per load than before.
Formed a partnership with Hornbachers in order to get all plastic bags used in Dining Services recycled. Over 3,000 plastic bags per month are now recycled.

Fall 2009

All fresh potatoes (baked, roasted, mashed, etc) in Anderson Commons replaced with local, organic potatoes from Hugh's Gardens. 13,650 fresh potatoes are used annually.
Found out the Pan O'Gold bread used throughout Dining Services is made with locally grown and milled flour and sugar.
Replaced disposable salt and pepper shakers in Anderson Commons with permanent shakers. Waste reduced by 720 plastic shakers per year.

Summer 2009

Giving fruit and vegetable scraps to the science department to feed animals.
Anderson Commons becomes a trayless dining facility based on recommendations led by Dr. Jim Aageson and the Sustainability task force, the food and waste working groups, Student Government Association, Student Environmental Alliance and President Pamela Jolicoeur.
Began purchasing Gold'n Plump chicken breasts. Gold'n Plump is located in St. Cloud, Minnesota (only 170 miles from Concordia) and is run by family farmers.

Spring Semester 2009

Purchased floor cleaner that uses water rather than chemicals.
Planted herbs in the camps greenhouse that will be used in recipes in Dining Services.
Hosted small footprint meal that featured sustainable foods.
Researched offering local pasta from Dakota Growers.
Featured local bison burgers.
Researched replacing disposable salt and pepper shakers with permanent.

Fall Semester 2008

Developed President's Christmas dinner menu that specifically included local products in each menu item.
New LED Christmas lights placed on the trees, garland and wreaths in the Centrum. The new lights use 88% to 93% percent less energy than traditional Christmas lights.
Began preparing for local foods meal.
Local potatoes from Hugh's Garden are offered.
Local pork from Thomas Organic Farm is offered.
Catering by Concordia begins research on greener options for disposable plates, cups, utensils, etc.
Performed a two day study, removing trays from Anderson Commons.
Began offering a .25 discount on coffee in The Maize and Coffee Stop when guest supplies a reusable mug.
Tested a floor cleaner that doesn't require chemicals to clean the floor.
Local honey is purchased for academic year from Three Bears Honey.
Plastic bags are no longer offered in The Maize or Korn Krib.
Coffee Stop opens. Offers Rainforest Certified coffee.

August 2008

Arranging for local honey from Paul Luthi for the academic year.
Reusable bag program ready for implementation.
All take-away packaging for retail now from renewable resources/biodegradable (except souffleé cups and pizza boxes)
Contacted Lake Ida apple farm but crop only 50% of last year; not looking good for this year
Brad Bachman of Lakes Processing, Detroit Lakes, making custom bratwurst using local beef & Perham cheese.
Began only serving Fair Trade Certified Coffee. (Fair Trade guarantees that the coffee was purchased at a set minimum price from farmers, ensuring fair wages for coffee growers and profits that flow back into their communities)

May 2008

Cleaning products have been changed to greenest options available.
Contact made with Sperry Apiaries to procure next year's honey from them (Kindred).
Reusable bag program almost ready to roll for retail next year.

April 2008

Initiatives

Local foods meal featuring 16 different local foods from producers/growers within 50 (+ or -) miles of Fargo-Moorhead.
Shannon Perry identified greener take-away packaging materials for The Maize and Korn Krib next year.

January 2008

Began using an environmentally friendly ice melt spray on the walkways outside entrance doors. It is extremely effective and has the added benefit of not tracking damaging sand and grit inside onto floors and rugs.
During operating hours in Anderson Commons, only fluorescent lights are used in the dining room. DS began experimenting with using NO lights on bright days, and adding an additional setting using only minimal lighting on days that are a little darker.
Gathered information on greener take-away packaging for retail food service operations. There is an abundance of new products on the market lately.
Tested a biodegradable/compostable/made from renewable resources trash bag for dining services. The compostable factor is somewhat moot here but the bags are still a greener option.
Almost ready to change several of our cleaning products to greener options. Except for dishwashing chemicals, we think we can change about 50-55% of our chemicals over to more ecofriendly products.
Dietetic intern began planning a theme meal featuring local foods for later this semester.
Now providing used fryer oil to Lynn Brakke's organic ranch to use for biofuel.

Fall 2007

Local apples all fall from Lake Ida apple farm; approximately 40 cases
Changed all incandescent bulbs possible to CFLs, including in coolers & freezers
Stove hoods installed that improve indoor air quality and efficiency up to 50%
In the main Anderson Commons dish room, water is filtered and recycled, saving hundreds of gallons of water a year
Installed an energy efficient dish machine in Anderson that captures steam and uses the energy to heat water through a heat waste recovery system, a system that is required in Europe due to energy savings. Energy savings in this machine are 50% a year
Grease inceptor installed in the sink that captures grease, including grease from pots and pans, which is then recycled

Prior to Fall 2007

Started recycling cardboard, paper, glass, aluminum, tin, and plastic. (50% of the cardboard, 25% of the mixed plastic and 100% of the steel/tin collected and recycled on campus comes from Dining Services)
Utilized steam from the boiler plant in order to power equipment.
Freezers equipped with curtains to stop cold air from escaping
Compact fluorescent light bulbs became equipped with motion sensors so electricity is only used when need be

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