St. Francis Green
By: John Clay
Updated: March 31, 2010
A local university is going more green when it comes to dining and we are not just talking about the food. Supervisors of the dining hall at St. Francis University stepped up to a green challenge in a number of ways. Buying local reduces the carbon footprint for the university.
Dining services started a program focus on 5. They focus on using 5 local products like milk from Gallikers in Johnstown, potatos from Blue Goose Farm in Nicktown and the univesity now makes their own pizza dough. The general manager of dining services says the program is a win, win. And it helps the students learn new things even while they are eating.
Dining services is also getting rid of styrofoam take out containers and replacing them with re-usable plastic ones. Napkins now come in pull out dispensers where students have to work harder to take them. They only take what they need, versus just picking up a handful. Paper posters at each food station are being replaced by reuseable signs.
Another green initiative at St. Francis is getting rid of trays two days a week. Students just use plates. Some students don't like trayless days, but others realize this is just a small price to pay for saving the water and energy used to clean them. Especially since the dining hall prepares roughly 1700 meals a day.
