RUNNING HEAD: Sustainability Research Paper

Sustainability Research Paper

Maya Yoder and Marisa Mongioi

Food Systems Management Rotation

19 October 2020
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Introduction

Improving sustainability practices within a foodservice facility has become an important

step in running a productive establishment. Sustainability is a factor that is important to

consumers and therefore should be important to the foodservice operation. “Being

environmentally sustainable means to interact responsibly with the planet to maintain natural

resources and avoid jeopardizing the ability for future generations to meet their needs.” (Evans,

2020). By being sustainable, there is an impact on air quality, water quality, soil quality, plant

life, animal and wildlife habitats, hazardous waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The

foodservice industries play an important role in what happens to the quality of the environment

and therefore, they can have the largest influence on the ecosystem. Ways to be environmentally

friendly include using eco-friendly cleaning products, cooking menu items by season, using less

meat in recipes, buying sustainable equipment, taking part in recycling and composting and

using little to no paper and plastic. By abiding by these practices, food service facilities can

avoid adding to the steady decline of the earth’s environmental health.

Background

Prior to the pandemic, the Abington Heights School District has been very

environmentally conscious. They have taken measures such as recycling, installing water bottle

filling stations throughout the school, and using paper products over plastic whenever they can;

mostly paper trays, cups, and bowls. Currently, the cafeteria is serving meals only a few days a

week and they do so on styrofoam trays with plastic cups and bowls. These meals are packaged

by the cafeteria staff in plastic containers, plastic cups and bowls, and are then carried out in

plastic bags. It is estimated that they go through about 3,000 of each plastic item per week for

just the high school; with this number, it is estimated that the school would use about 540,000 of
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each (plastic bags, cups, and bowls) per school year. The school spends about ​$1,850.43​ per

week on plastic supplies and ​$33,106.55​ per school year if these practices continue. If the school

would switch to the more sustainable practices discussed below, there is a potential total cost

savings of about ​$47,416.80​ per year for one school building.

Benefits of Sustainability

Many people are aware of the benefits of small scale sustainability; whether it be in their

homes or at the grocery store, it is very common for people to be more environmentally

conscious these days. What many people don’t think about, however, is the importance of large

scale sustainability practices in areas such as the school system. Many restaurants and other

foodservice establishments around the world have adapted to being more environmentally

conscious, but schools seem to be staying relatively the same in terms of their waste, plastic use,

and meat consumption. The following paragraphs will discuss some small changes that Abington

Heights High School can participate in that will really improve the overall health of the

environment.

The first sustainable practice suggestion could be to switch all plastic serveware with

paper or other more biodegradable materials. It is extremely likely that most, if not all, of the

students have silverware that they can use to eat with at home. A great way to decrease plastic

use in this area is to send out a letter or email to all families in the district saying that they will no

longer continue to provide plastic serveware under the assumption that all families have

silverware at home. There will also be an option to opt out of this decision, in the event that

some families do not own silverware. All meal containers and other meal accessories (such as

plastic bowls, lids, and cups) are packaged in plastic bags to be picked up by the students. Many

organizations including grocery stores and restaurants have gotten rid of plastic bag usage
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altogether due to their widely negative impact on the environment. Some alternatives to these

plastic items include using paper bags, or having students bring their own reusable bags with

them when they come to pick up the food. The Abington Heights School District could also use

biodegradable, composable meal containers instead of the plastic hinged containers. There are

several options available, all at different price points, so AHSD can pick which option would be

best suited for their needs and budget. If the foodservice facility interchanged plastic for

biodegradable options, they could potentially save a substantial amount of money.

Some complaints about biodegradable or paper meal containers are that they are flimsy

and do not last very long; a great (and still sustainable) alternative to this is plastic reusable meal

containers. The initial cost of these containers may be more expensive than single use containers,

but it will save AHSD a lot of money in the long term. If these containers were used to deliver

food, students would simply need to return the containers

prior to preparing and packaging the food for the next week.

These containers will be able to be cleaned and sanitized

when put through the dishwasher, and therefore have a longer

use. These lunch containers would cost about $6,828 for

1,200 to go containers which would be enough for the whole

school district for more than 2 meals a week. Once the students bring back their containers to be

washed, they can be reused for another meal that same week.

The next suggested sustainable switch option is a bit unconventional for the United States

and is something that is being further looked into lately. In order to decrease the amount of

greenhouse gas emissions, decrease the amount of water being used by the food system, and

decrease the amount of energy the food system is using as well, the school could simply decrease
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the amount of meat they serve to the students at lunch time. Since any amount of decrease in

consumption would prove beneficial to the environment, it would be best to start off small to

avoid backlash from the students. This could be in the form of a new program called “Meatless

Mondays” where the school chooses to not have meat on the menu at all for that day. In order to

raise awareness for this cause, there could be information sessions given to the students by

dietitians and environmentalists on how meat consumption impacts the environment and

activities for the students to participate in as well. There are currently six known vegetarians in

the high school who could be used in helping to create the new Monday menu for the cafeteria

by using things that they like to eat and help raise awareness for the many reasons that people

become vegetarians so it doesn’t seem so foreign to the other students. By providing a vegetarian

meal once a week, it could increase the students' awareness of meals that are not centered around

meat consumption. By centering one meal a week around fruits, vegetables, and grains, it could

increase the students overall health and ability to make healthier choices in the future.

Decreasing the amount of meat purchased by the school each week will also result in a

drastic decrease in food expenses. One serving of ground beef can cost about .99 cents per

serving on its own, while one vegetarian meal (of grilled cheese and tomato soup) can cost only

.52 cents for the whole meal; that's $346.50 for one aspect of a meal compared to $182 for an

entire main meal for the day serving 350 students. This meal is just an example of course, and it

is possible that not all vegetarian meals will be this inexpensive; but it is likely that they will

often be cheaper than a non-vegetarian option. Cheap and easy meals such as pizza, pasta, mac

and cheese, and soups can all be great options for students who may not even realize they are

missing meat in their meal. This is also a perfect opportunity to teach the students about plant

based proteins and how they can be just as effective in increasing their daily protein intakes. It is
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important that students understand that protein does not equal meat and there are plenty of other

delicious high protein foods that are available for consumption and are easier on the environment

than meat is. `

Using more fresh vegetables will also decrease the amount of plastic packaging the

school will purchase for their meal preparations as well; unlike pre-prepared or processed foods,

fresh vegetables have little to no packaging. By assigning one day a week to prepare a vegetarian

meal, there can be significant long term reduction in the amount of waste produced from

packaging alone. An additional benefit of providing one vegetarian meal a week is that the

AHSD could make use of local farms and farmers markets which sell fresh produce that is in

season. Making use of these vendors could not only help the environment, but can also help

small businesses and farms in the areas, benefiting the local economy.

Another alternative way AHSD could be more environmentally friendly if they use less

harsh chemicals when cleaning and sanitizing. The school currently uses hydrogen peroxide as a

cleaner which is known to be a better alternative to harmful chemicals because it breaks down

into water and oxygen molecules. However, the structure of the other cleaning agents used at this

facility is unknown, and probably contain chemicals that can be harmful to the environment.

Chemicals can be easily spread once in water, air or soil, therefore affecting the students they

serve. It is crucial to reduce the harsh chemicals that include large quantities of bleach, alcohol,

pesticides, and formaldehyde.

Lastly, the food service facility should encourage the rest of the school and the families

of the students to participate in recycling. The AHSD already takes part in recycling the

acceptable materials, however, they have the chance to make an even bigger positive impact on

the environment by encouraging the families to also participate in recycling in their own homes.
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They can do this by hanging posters on how to recycle, what to recycle, and even when to

recycle (by county). The school can also hold recycling contests per grade to see who can bring

in the most plastics to recycle or to see which class can use the ​least a​ mount of plastic in one

week. Taking these small steps to improve the health of the environment is so important in

shaping our future and how we will be able to live.

Practice Environmental Benefits Cost Benefits

Plastic to Paper - Reduce waste No cost benefit

Reusable Meal Containers - Reduce waste both inside the - $319 per week
facility and in homes

Reusable Bags for Lunches - Reduce waste both inside the - $57.50 per week
facility and in homes

1 Vegetarian day per week - Reduce packaging waste, - ~$822.50 per

decrease greenhouse gas week
emissions

Conclusion

There are many ways for people to improve their sustainability practices in both small

and large scale facilities. The benefits of living more sustainably include a cost savings,

decreasing greenhouse gasses, decreasing waste in landfills, improving the health of the

environment, and possibly even improving the health of consumers. Living more sustainably

may require more effort for daily tasks, but the benefits are proven to outway the effort that is

needed. Abington Heights High School has done their part in sustainability practices for a while,

but due to COVID-19, they have decreased these good habits. While it may be more difficult

during this time to practice sustainability, it is still equally important. Large scale organizations

such as school districts have a huge impact on the environment and their contribution to the
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earth’s wellbeing is an essential one. This school district, and many others in the area, should put

more focus on being environmentally conscious by participating in things like: switching from

plastic to paper, using reusable water bottles, meal containers, and canvas bags for lunches, and

even decreasing their overall meat consumption by one day per week. These small switches will

have an enormous impact because of how many individuals are involved in a school district. It is

also important that schools encourage their families to do their part in living more sustainably

through encouraging posters, information sessions, and contests. Taking care of the earth is a

team effort and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. The earth does so much for us and the least we

can do is treat it well when we are given the opportunity to.

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Works Cited:

Evans, Marni. “What Is Environmental Sustainability?” ​The Balance Small Business,​ July 2020,

www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-sustainability-3157876.

On, P. (2019, August 30). The Eco-Friendliness of Hydrogen Peroxide. Retrieved

October 20, 2020.

Chemicals and Toxics Topics. (2020, October 05). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from

https://www.epa.gov/environmental-topics/chemicals-and-toxics-topics

Seaton, K. (n.d.). Budget Bytes “Cost Per Serving.” Retrieved October 21, 2020.

Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable & Compostable Take-Out Containers. (n.d.). Retrieved

October 20, 2020.