The Change

Using a reusable mug like this one will save you 10 percent off your daily brew at BCIT's Food Services eateries.

BCIT’s campuses support over 15,000 full time staff and students, plus an additional 32,000 part-time students. When you think about it, that’s the population of a small city. We face similarly complex challenges, too, with stresses on transportation, power and waste management systems.

BCIT has seven long-term goals aimed at reducing its ecological footprint, including becoming greenhouse gas neutral and a net energy producer. We also aim to achieve zero waste on campus, eliminating or reducing to the maximum possible all wastes associated with campus activities and affiliated facilities and operations.

Food and drink is responsible for 26% of the total Burnaby Campus ecological footprint. Chartwells and BCIT Food Services have taken a number of steps to lighten the load, including using only free run or free range eggs from cage-free hens, buying only Ocean Wise-certified seafood, and using local, seasonal foods wherever possible. Styrofoam containers and serveware have been replaced with paper biodegradable and compostable products. The majority of food wastes are composted on campus, while recycling has long been de rigour at BCIT.

“BCIT Food Services is dedicated to identifying and implementing sustainable practices whenever possible without compromising the end product or customer service,” explains Tina Taylor, BCIT Food Service coordinator.

Two recent initiatives are helping to further reduce the impact of our on-campus eating habits.

Effective summer 2009, all plastic cutlery was removed from the self-serve condiment stand. It’s now available upon request at the cash and food stations.  The cutlery was removed to reduce waste, to reduce costs, and to encourage and “train” students and staff to bring their own cutlery.

And it’s working. In one year, Food Services reduced cutlery usage by 125 cases. At 1,000 pieces per case, that’s 125,000 forks, knives, and spoons diverted from the landfill!

The second initiative involves replacing older-model vending machines. Forty machines are being replaced with new energy-efficient models that are up to five times more efficient than other glass-front vending machines. Built-in motion sensors shut off the machines’ lights when not needed.

Other Food Services initiatives include encouraging students to carry their own mug by providing discounts and rinsing stations, purchasing "Energy Star" appliances when applicable, and reducing electricity usage during the summer months by unplugging equipment, turning lights off, using existing natural light, and reducing the amount of food deliveries on campus.

For more information on sustainability at BCIT, visit bcit.ca/sustainability.