Sustainability Initiatives:

Dining Services

• A golf cart-sized vehicle was purchased to be used instead of a full-sized van for smaller-volume deliveries and pick-ups of food and supplies around campus, saving fuel.
• All coolers in the Gull's Nest dining operation are changing from water-cooled to air-cooled condensers. This will save water continuously used to cool current refrigerated units.
• Lighting has been replaced with energy-efficient fixtures in the Commons and retail operations of Dining Services and the SU Bookstore.
• Cardboard boxes are separated from other trash and disposed of in a specified container to be sent for recycling.
• Delivery pallets are returned to purveyors for reuse instead of being sent to a landfill.
• Motion detectors in offices throughout the Commons building turn off lights when they detect that a space is not being occupied.
• Timer and temperature-change sensors were installed on air conditioning and heating units to adjust temperature by demand and usage.
• Frozen/refrigerated units are turned off or consolidated during summer and downtimes to reduce energy use and lower inventory.
• Financial and correspondence information is saved electronically to eliminate unnecessary usage of paper.
• Napkins are placed on tables in dining halls instead of in food service areas so students may use only what they need instead of taking handfuls from a centrally located counter that they may or may not use.
• Traditional toasters have replaced conveyor-style bagel toasters in many dining areas. The conveyor-style toasters must remain on constantly, while the traditional toasters may be turned on only when needed.
• SU donates its used cooking oil to a local entity, Greenlight Biofuels, for conversion into a renewable resource, biodiesel fuel.
• A new high efficiency dish washer system was recently installed in the Commons kitchen which is resulting in a significant reduction of electricity and water consumption. The system features a high efficiency food separator which allows efficient collection of food particles for composting.
• An agreement has been reached with Blue Hen Organics to compost vegetable and food waste from the Commons at their facility which is located near Frankfort Delaware. Under this agreement, Blue Hen Organics will convert this material into environmentally friendly soil amendment and keep tons of material out of the landfill.