Food

Arntzen Gardens

Behind Arntzen Hall is a garden referred to as the Arntzen Garden by those who use it. The garden has been tended to for over 20 years by Huxley staff and students, and in 2013 produced over 800 pounds of vegetables for the Bellingham Food Bank. The garden is used to help students learn about argoecology by providing hands-on experience while at the same time providing food for those in the Bellingham community who need it.
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Contact: Gigi Berardi, Professor, Dept. of Environmental Studies, gigi.berardi@wwu.edu

Sustainability @ Dining Services

Western’s University Dining Services maintains a “Green Dining” webpage that provides information on sustainable dining on campus. The dining staff and administrators have set several goals for the 2012-2013 academic year. Some of these goals include providing Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance Coffee, increasing composting facilities, implementing the Zero Waste Western program in dining commons and at catering events, using 100 percent recycled-content in to-go containers, using vegetable and soy based inks, and installing Energy Star appliances.
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Contact: Brooke Patton, Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator, Dining Services, Patton-Brooke@aramark.com

Real Food Challenge

The Real Food Challenge is a national campaign aimed at increasing the availability of sustainable foods on colleges and university campuses to 20% of all food purchases by 2020. Western Dining Services has signed on to the RFC. Local dairies, orchards, farms, and regional supporters work with Western to help us reach that goal. We also receive support from organizations like Growing Washington—a farmer cooperative —and Charlie’s Produce, a produce supplier based in Seattle, WA. University Dining Services administrators are using the Real Food Challenge as a framework to standardize food purchasing methods using criteria that includes locally grown, fairly traded, humane,and organic foods.

Contact: David Swayne, Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator, Dining Services, Swayne-David@Aramark.com

Viking Supported Agriculture

Western’s community supported agriculture project dubbed V.S.A., or, “Viking Supported Agriculture” provides fresh, organic produce from Whatcom County farms to students, staff, and faculty. The VSA is inspired by the numerous Community Support Agriculture programs that exist in Bellingham and throughout the region. Rather than being a private residential delivery, VSA is a project that connects the Western Community as a whole with local farmers and local produce—something that has been too large an idea to take place in the past. However, with the recent emphasis on preserving agricultural communities, and an increasing demand for sustainable foods, VSA has been successfully launched, raising awareness about local farms, and providing direct support for local farmers.
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Contact: Office of Sustainability, sustain@wwu.edu

The Outback Farm

The Outback, a joint program of the Associated Students and Fairhaven College, is a 5 acre farm and wetland restoration site. The purpose of the Outback OELP is to coordinate a wide range of opportunities for students to learn about, develop and implement sustainable land use practices. These opportunities include personal and collaborative events and projects involving habitat restoration, organic gardening, green building, academic partnerships, independent study projects (ISPs), workshops, lectures and classes.
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Contact: Outback Farm Coordinator, AS.Outback@wwu.edu

Organic Waste Recycling

Organic waste recycling options are available on-campus in limited areas. Bins can be found at these locations:

• Retail areas: Viking Union Cafe, Miller Hall Market, Artnzen Cafe
• Buildings: Arntzen Hall, Academic Instructional Building, Miller Hall

In addition, all campus dining halls recycle pre and post-consumer organic waste.

Contact: Gwen Larned, Zero Waste Western Coordinator, Office of Sustainability, ZeroWaste@wwu.edu