William & Mary Dining spotlights sustainability

Farm to fork, waste reduction, and hydroponics are common practice for William & Mary Diningby Sodexo. These sustainability approaches were showcased during a community immersion program by LEAD Greater Williamsburg.

The on-going program, sponsored by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, provides opportunities for recognized and emergent leaders to collaborate on regional issues of importance. William & Mary Dining was selected to support this month’s educational feature on “Sustaining the Community”.

Sodexo’s sustainability interns led the day’s activities which included a tractor tour of KelRae Farm where produce is harvested by William & Mary students and served in the campus dining halls.

The interns discussed William & Mary Dining’s annual “Farm to Fork” dinner and the beehives from which Sodexo intends to harvest local honey.

LEAD participants were then hosted on William & Mary’s campus for lunch and a brief presentation by William & Mary’s Director of Sustainability Calandra Waters Lake.

After lunch, sustainability interns gave tours of Crim Dell and the bio-retention effort to restore the pond to its original condition after sediment build-up from storm-water runoff.

Tours of the dining halls highlighted William & Mary’s food-based sustainability initiatives food waste reduction programs including “reduce the wastes”; the reusable takeout box program; the successes, setbacks, goals for composting food waste; the Food Recovery Network; student group Campus Kitchen; and Campus Food Pantry opened this year in partnership with the Wesley House Church.

In the Commons, LEAD participants were able to see the hydroponic grow walls. Interns discussed the Green Fee grant that make the grow walls possible, the cycle from planting to harvesting, the variety of crops attempted; and educational and promotional efforts.

“The LEAD Greater Williamsburg class of 2019 was truly inspired by their time with William & Mary’s Sustainability interns Sam, Zoe and Kendall,” said Rebecca Scheetz, chief executive officer for The 25th Hour and a program planner for LEAD Greater Williamsburg. “The students’ enthusiasm shone through. It gave the LEAD class a sense of comfort knowing that students are intrinsically motivated to keep the Earth sustainable and that William & Mary is working in the right direction.”