Earth Day at my place of work...

For anyone who doesn't already know me - I work at the University of Portland (in Oregon) as an AmeriCorps VISTA/Environmental Justice & Sustainability Coordinator. Somehow, I'm not personally planning any Earth Day events (I know, what's wrong with me?) BUT there are some great things happening on campus anyway-

Our wonderful food providers, Bon Appetit, who were also heavily involved in our banning the sale of plastic water bottles on campus (that awesome story can be read about here, we were the first University on the west coast to do this...hopefully not the last.) are planning a wonderful homegrown menu for Earth Day on campus. The menu reads like a fancy 5 star restaurant... I'll definitely be in the dining commons tomorrow for some of the "flavors of the turmeric trail".

University of Portland to serve “Low Carbon” menu options to celebrate Earth Day, Thursday, April 22

The University of Portland, in partnership with food service provider Bon Appétit Management Company, will serve a low carbon, sustainable dining menu on Thursday, April 22 to celebrate Earth Day. “Low Carbon Diet Day” is a tradition at the University, taking place annually on Earth Day since 2007, and is part of a series of steps the school has taken in its commitment to environmental sustainability.

Low Carbon Diet Day at the University Commons, on campus at 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., is open to the public, with lunch costing $5 and dinner costing $7.

The menu is the highlight of Bon Appétit ’s Low Carbon Diet campaign, which continues beyond Earth Day at its 400 café locations nationwide, including the Commons and Cove on campus where the University community dines.

“This is something we try to practice throughout the year,” said Kenneth Bong, dining manager for Bon Appétit at the University of Portland. “Bon Appétit is trying to be socially responsible – we are a company that cares.”

Nationally, the goal of Bon Appétit’s Low Carbon Diet is to reduce by 25 percent emissions from the foods that have the highest impact on climate change. As part of this initiative, since 2007 Bon Appétit has reduced the amount of beef used by 23 percent, is transitioning to purchasing all non-tropical fruits and vegetables from North American sources, reducing coffee purchases and brewing by 10 percent, and reducing disposable containers and utensils by 10 percent. Steps to reduce waste while still providing diners with all of the options they’ve traditionally enjoyed have also been taken.

Each café, including the University Commons and Cove, will be stocked with educational materials about what diners can do to lower the carbon footprint of their food while shopping, at home and when eating out. Also available is an online personal calculator to tally your meal’s carbon score: http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/. All low carbon food products are clearly marked with an identifiable icon to indicate that its preparation resulted in lower emissions of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere than conventional preparation. According to Bon Appétit officials, the world’s food system is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse emissions.

Founded by University of Portland alumnus Fedele Bauccio, Bon Appétit Management Co. is an onsite restaurant company offering full food service management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all its cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs with Environmental Defense, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, the Humane Society of the United States, and other leading conservation organizations.

For more information, please contact Kenneth Bong at kbong@cafebonappetit.com.

University of Portland Low Carbon Menu for April 22, 2010:

· Oat crust wild-caught salmon fillets with braised greens, local berry sauce and gaufrettes.

· Slow roasted Draper Valley chicken with broccolini and herb-crusted fingerling potatoes.

· Flavors of the turmeric trail: Central Bean lentil dahl, garbanzo and spring vegetable curry, grilled naan, apple-pear chutney, rhubarb chutney and hummus.

· Pasta with smoky tomato marinara or local squash pasta toss.

· Shepherds grain focaccia sandwiches with Diestel turkey, caramelized shallot spread, local lettuce, tomato and spring onion; roasted asparagus, bell pepper, onion and carrot with scallion chimichurri.

· Soup and salad: Central Bean lentil soup, Diestel turkey soup with carrot and smoked mushroom, and salad bar with local greens, grains, legumes and local vegetables with house made dressings.

· Dessert bar featuring local berry crisp and lemon bars.