Case Study
Missouri State University Reduces Carbon Output
265,000 Kilograms Through The Carbon Foodprint®
Summary
The Solution
Chartwells’ clients have a growing interest in creating a
strategic plan for lowering the carbon footprint on campus.
Commercial foodservice is a resource-intense operation
(both on-site and in the value chain leading up to and away
from it). Chartwells can provide its clients with cost effective
solutions that not only lower the environmental impact
of the campus dining program, but also realize savings
through reduced utility and operational costs.
The Carbon Foodprint toolkit guides users through four
strategic paths to reduce dining services carbon emissions:
menu engineering, kitchen services, site equipment, and
facilities management. Chartwells’ team at Missouri State
University implemented the Carbon Foodprint in all four
areas in January 2013 after working with the university
to find ways to more effectively maximize eco-emmisions
savings.
Introduced at the Blair-Shannon Dining Center in January
2013, the Carbon Foodprint is a web-based tool that allows
Chartwells’ clients and operators to build and facilitate a
step-by-step strategy for lowering the carbon footprint
of foodservice operations on campus. After measuring
results through the Carbon Foodprint’s dashboard (a
metric-gathering feature) and adjusting dining operations,
Missouri State University reduced its annual carbon output
by 265,000 kilograms January to May 2013 and is on track
to save over one million gallons of water, recycle 20,000
pounds of cardboard, and reduce food waste by an average
26,000 pounds (or 1.5 pounds per student).
“Chartwells has been an amazing partner.
The sustainability advisory committee is
thrilled that Chartwells is taking such an
aggressive action related to its carbon
footprint. The progress being made
by dining services in support of our
sustainability goals is amazing.”
Tammy Jahnke,
Dean, College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Missouri State University
The Challenge
Colleges and universities continue to prioritize campus
sustainability efforts not only because they are good for
the environment, but also because they lower utility and
operational costs over the long term. The Carbon Foodprint
provides Chartwells’ clients and operators with a variety of
tools that allow users to create a baseline for the carbon,
water and waste emissions of each foodservice location
on campus and build a step-by-step strategy to lower the
overall carbon footprint.
Using the Carbon Foodprint dashboard to collect and
review metrics related to energy consumption, the Missouri
State Dining team quickly realized that running the garbage
disposal 13 hours a day used a significant amount of water.
The team reduced usage to four hours a day, and then even
further to two hours a day. Reduced use of the disposal
saved over 113,000 gallons of water in one month.
Additionally, the team began promoting meatless entrees
each Monday, introduced hydration stations to lower
Continued...
Missouri State University Reduces Carbon Output 265,000 Kilograms
Through The Carbon Foodprint®
continued
student use of fountain beverage machines, and
implemented composting and recycling programs. Finally,
Chartwells’ team launched a comprehensive campaign to
educate students about the amount of food left on trays at
each meal in order to modify dining habits and reduce waste.
The Results
After monitoring results through the Carbon Foodprint
dashboard, Chartwells and Missouri State University reduced
carbon output by 265,000 kilograms January to May 2013.
The dining program is also on track to:
•
•
•
•
reduce student use of fountain beverage machines by
25 percent (driving them to water offered at hydration
stations instead)
save over 1 million gallons of water annually through
composting and lowered water usage
recycle an average of 1,600 pounds of cardboard each
month
reduce food waste an average of 26,000 pounds annually
(or 1.5 pounds per student)
According to Jennifer C. Cox, Associate Director of Facilities
Management at Missouri State University, Chartwells is
a valuable partner in helping the university achieve its
overall sustainability goals: “From its participation on the
Sustainability Advisory Committee to the support of efforts
for programming and education around sustainability,
Chartwells set the bar high for its own staff and facilities. I
am thankful to have the opportunity to work with Chartwells’
staff and have its support for campus sustainability projects. “
Case Study
About Chartwells Higher Education
Dining Services
Chartwells is the recognized leader in contract foodservice
management, hospitality and award-winning guest service
within 270 college and university dining environments
throughout academic institutions across the U.S. Chartwells’
new brand mantra, “Where Hungry Minds Gather,” signifies
its commitment to re-inventing the dining experience for
the next generation of students and beyond. Our nutritious
cuisine not only satisfies the unique appetites, lifestyles
and dietary needs of every guest dining on campus, but it
also brings people together to promote the high-intensity
relationships that will prepare students for the future.
For more information, visit Chartwells’ websites at
www.ChartwellsHigherEd.com, www.ChartwellsMagazine.com,
www.DineonCampus.com, and our social media pages at
www.Facebook.com/ChartwellsHigherEd,
www.Twitter.com/ChartwellsHE and
http://www.YouTube.com/ChartwellsHigherEd.
Network with Chartwells at
http://www.linkedin.com/company/chartwells-highereducation-division-.
Or call toll-free at 1-855-9-Gather (855-942-8437).
For Additional Information Contact:
Kristine Andrews
Communications Director/Media Relations
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (914) 935-5437