Two of Los Angeles-based Loyola Marymount University’s dining venues earned 3-Star Certification by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) in December. The first university in California to receive this level of certification, the outlets earned GreenPoints in water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable furnishings and building materials, sustainable food, energy, disposables, and chemical and pollution reduction.
“As an industry, we’re interested [in sustainability], but we don’t know all about it. There’s a whole lot more to sustainability, and the GRA gives us the tools and the insight to do more … and to make quick substantial impact to our business,” explains Jason Adams, resident district manager with Sodexo. “It’s a very comprehensive certification. From locality of food, to using recycled content in the carpets in your dining rooms to where the parking lot is located and how far away it is.”
Some of the changes made to gain certification include placement of timers on all walk-ins, incorporation of LED lighting, installation of a pulper unit and waste-water collector, as well as integration of food dehydrators and waste compactors. “One of the tougher parts of the process,” Adams says, “is engaging our suppliers to do things a little bit differently. We’ve had really good partnerships with the people we work with, and they’re moving in the same direction. It’s just a catalyst for change for everyone.”