Sustainability Trip

  By Bev Tappan, RiverWoods Resident  

The Environment Committee took a field trip this week to learn more about sustainability practices at the University of New Hampshire particularly in the area of food services.  UNH has long been a leader in sustainability, which has become a guiding principal in every area of their operation.  Our trip was made possible by Inge Lock, retired UNH Director of Food Services.

Arriving at the Memorial Union, we first stopped to admire an abstract stained glass window created by artist John Hatch, late husband of one of our founders, Maryanna Hatch.. In addition to viewing the Hatch window,  we viewed the display of Women in UNH History,which includes former Women's Studies Professor Phyllis Killam-Abell, who was with us on the trip. Then we proceeded to the huge two-story dining area with its many different food centers catering as healthfully as possible to a wide range of  tastes from vegan/vegetarian fare and sushi to hamburgers and hot dogs.  

Our executive chef, Norm Lanagan, and healthcare dining manager Dan Hartman had a chance to confer with their UNH counterparts.  Facility Manager Tim Bishop was able to ask relevant questions as well.  Following a tour of the kitchen facilities, including batch freezers, rotating tray ovens and the assembly line transfer of food wastes to a pulverizer, we  moved to  a meeting room for a power point presentation on UNH sustainability practices in food management, conducted by business administrator Rick MacDonald.  

UNH is a longtime leader in the practice of sustainability, which influences every area of their operations.  Their food composting program sends all of their waste food into a pulverizer which turns it into an oatmeal--like product that is trucked by students to their farm, loaded into windrows and periodically turned to create compost in 30 days.  This compost is then used in landscaping, organic gardens and greenhouses. 

We found the whole experience to be both educational and inspiring.  Some items were of special interest to us, such as their energy-saving freezer temperature sensors  (Ecubes) and their corn-based biodegradable food containers and utensils from Manchester Central Paper.  We know we can turn to UNH for guidance in making our own facility sustainable.  

Thanks from all of us to Rick and Inga and the many staff members who made us feel like welcome guests.  

-Bev Tappan, November 2011  

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More Information: RiverWoods Resident Committees

RiverWoods residents not only have three voting seat on our Board of Trustees; they also run many of the enterprises at RiverWoods- the libraries, the country stores, the in-house television station, campus newspaper, the art galleries and approximately 30 different RiverWoods Resident Committees (including the Environmental Commmittee mentioned above in Bev Tappan's blog).  

 

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