Sustainability Round Table Members Community

Hi all!

We're back with another monthly discussion of questions and topics related to sustainability in your library, brought to you by the Publicity and Outreach Committee.

Our discussion topic for this month is:

How does your library handle snacks and supplies for food and drink while keeping sustainability in mind?

Comment below to let us know! Do you have a sustainability topic you would like to ask members? Email them to the Publicity and Outreach Committee chair, Lauren Bissonette (lauren.bissonette@foresthistory.org).

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Aja Bettencourt-McCarthy
Librarian
University of Cincinnati Main Campus - Cincinnati, OH
She/Her/Hers
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When holding events, we use local vendors to reduce the carbon footprint.  We offer a variety of options (GF, vegan, nut-free) when possible.  We have recycling bins in the rooms where the food is served.  If there is left over food it either goes to staff or to a shelter (depending on the amount of food left over) so that food does not go to waste.  Our next step would be to use items that can be washed and reused, but we haven't made that leap yet.  

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Janet Salazar
Director
Queen Anne's County Library
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We finished construction on a renovation and expansion of our building last year. As a certified sustainable library, we added a dishwasher so we could purchase glass/ceramic plates, mugs, etc. and silverware to eliminate disposable items. We also put in two bottle refill stations, and sell branded stainless steel water bottles. A sign on our energy star efficient vending machine explains why we don't sell single use water bottles. 

For food events, both public and staff, we use coffee/tea urns instead of Kuerig style machines. Leftover food goes in the staff room for staff, and if it was a large amount, we are working on setting up contacts with outside agencies who can pick it up for distribution to a shelter.  We have also cut down on the amount of snack based food in programming to lessen the impact of wasting food.

Lisa

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Lisa Kropp
Director
Lindenhurst Memorial Library
She/Her/Hers
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so many great ideas! thanks Lise for sharing  along with others. I am on a college campus/if it helps with context (https://library.oregonstate.edu/sustainability) :   

• We also have the refillable water stations on all floors.  highly recommend to all to install in all libraries
• We have a dishwasher and a "party pack" of reusable  30 place setting made from recycled plastic, we can all use for any internal or external events.  also wasy to create in any library i think. 
• For my tiny cafe  user input events  or other small groups meeting,  offering tea/coffee, I use real ceramic mugs (which also keeps them talking to me and not grab/go) :) 
• The food is challenging when it's a quick grab and go tabling - we try to reduce plastic and find foods that are read (like fruit) but its challenging! 
• We are trying to composting again for the public/students  though. for example our game night tonight, we have a few whiteboards/compost bins to help students learn how to compost.
• the campus offers egotogo containers for food on campus which helps too  https://uhds.oregonstate.edu/feature-story/eco2go-food-containers
• any left over food we share with our many student employees  :) 

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Beth FilarWilliams
User Experience Research Librarian
Oregon State University Libraries and Press
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Original Message:
Sent: Feb 23, 2024 09:41 AM
From: Lisa Kropp
Subject: February Monthly Sustainability Discussion Thread

We finished construction on a renovation and expansion of our building last year. As a certified sustainable library, we added a dishwasher so we could purchase glass/ceramic plates, mugs, etc. and silverware to eliminate disposable items. We also put in two bottle refill stations, and sell branded stainless steel water bottles. A sign on our energy star efficient vending machine explains why we don't sell single use water bottles. 

For food events, both public and staff, we use coffee/tea urns instead of Kuerig style machines. Leftover food goes in the staff room for staff, and if it was a large amount, we are working on setting up contacts with outside agencies who can pick it up for distribution to a shelter.  We have also cut down on the amount of snack based food in programming to lessen the impact of wasting food.

Lisa

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Lisa Kropp
Director
Lindenhurst Memorial Library
She/Her/Hers
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