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Show ''1 HFAI.TH& WELLNESS FORUMFORTNIGHTLY.COM GREEN : 5CENE 1 H' ;.y: ' Real Food Challenge - Carson Chambers Sustainability Fellow Westminster has a longstanding commitment to sustainability. We have focused on energy resources, carbon emissions, building efficiency and future sustainable growth. However, little attention has been paid to food services on campus. For the college to truly maintain its commitment to sustainability and honesdy achieve its goal of carbon neutrality, food services must become another focal point. In February 2011, I attended the Real Food Challenge Southwest Summit. I was introduced to the real food calculator at the conference as a mechanism to evaluate campus meal service sustainability. I thought that the calculator would be highly valuable to Westminster in creating a solid baseline of data which can be used for achieving STARS rating, LEED certification, increasing student, staff and faculty satisfaction and health, and contributing to overall campus sustainability. This summer I was awarded the Gore Summer Research Grant to conduct the real food calculator at Westminster. The project required collaboration with and transparency from Sodexo management. I had to gather invoices via our food vendors to see what products Westminster sells in Shaw. I researched each food item to see if it qualified for the specific categories of real food: local, fair, humane and ecologically sound. I then used the calculator to generate Westminsters total percentage of real food. The results were not surprising and not satisfactory. I hope that the data generated by the calculator will serve as a stepping stone to change. To find out more details about my findings and what percentage of real food is really at Shaw, please attend the next Garden Film Series event on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Gore Auditorium. This month the garden crew mil be screening Ingredients and I will be presenting about Real Food. Check out the website for more information: www. jlklWTi.n Fall foliage in City Creek Canyon. Staff writer's four favorite bike rides to enjoy the Fall AdamWojcik Staff Reporter Fall is here, and while many people are shifting their focus to skiing and other winter sports, Im bike riding and seeing the sights of the Salt Lake valley and the beautiful fall foliage. I like to bike in the fall because you can go forever instead of getting too hot and burning out after an hour, said senior John McKen- route to get your legs warmed up for a longer ride or just as a short ride on its own. The ten mile round trip starts with a quick jaunt down 1300 East past the University of Utah, followed by a turn onto 11th Avenue which you can follow all the way around to 700 East. The terrain varies with no flat spots. The best part is there are no cars so you can take as much room as you need, said Carter. This will give you an opportunity to look around and take in all of the fall foliage or stop at one of the many picnic sites along the way. ex- treme grades and it provides views of the entire valley. Seeing the sun Wasatch Boulevard Starting in Sugar House, I like to go north to the capitol and explore around there, said University of Utah senior Tyler Plane. There are lots of trees up there and if you want to go farther you can go up set over the city from the Avenues is the best, said Plane. The evening is the perfect time to go. one of the canyons. City Creek Canyon is the tination for our first ride, the enues Loop. City Creek Canyon is located northeast of the capitol and it is ideal for bikers who want to stay away from traffic. The two lane road is closed to cars so you will only encounter other bikers and hikers. It is One of my favorite, and possibly the most diverse route that I ride, is Wasatch Boulevard. It can be accessed by traveling south on Foothill drive. The route consists of bike only routes as well as roads with ample bike lanes and smooth zie Carter. desAv- Hie Avenues Loop The Avenues loop is a perfect City Creek Canyon approximately ten miles round trip and offers mellow grades and ample pavement. The views of the Salt Lake Valley that it offers change as you travel further south; from the city adjacent to the Great Salt Lake to the neigh- See BIKE RIDES on Page 14 Residence hall Energy Challenge Carson Chambers Sustainability Fellow Attention Westminster students Carson Chambers is currently in her final year at Westminster College. She is an Environmental Studies major and is working as a Sustainability Fellow at the Environmental Center this year. She started to learn about food related issues during her freshmen year of college and became motived to take action Eco-Eating- for May after taking Term. She is actively involved in Westminster s campus garden and encourages any and everyone to get living in the Residence Halls! Its that time of year again - time for the annual Energy Challenge! For the third year in a row, the Sustainability Fellows and the Resiwill be condence Halls Eco-Reducting the campus Energy Challenge. In the past the challenge has been during the spring semester, this year, however, the challenge is Oct. 24 - Nov. 21. The energy challenge is a friendly competition between residence ps halls to see who can save the most energy over the month. Each week has a specific focus - one week may focus on turning off lights, while another weeks focus might be turning down the thermostat. Winners will be the residence hall that reduces the most energy compared to the baseline average of the halls use. This years winners will win specially designed Energy Challenge The kick-o- ff pizza party is Monday, Oct. 24 where you can sign up for the challenge. Talk to your residences hall Eco-Re- p about signing up so you can get some awesome prizes when your residence hall wins the challenge! The Environmental Center has more information about the challenge at http:www.west-minstercollege.eduenvironmen-talcen- ter Lets save some energy and save our snow! Get ready for the best Energy Challenge yet and may the best Res Hall win! |