Kitchen waste from the local bar and grill R.P. Tracks is destined to help the greater good - as compost for the edible campus garden.
University students working with the gardens will pick up the buckets from R.P. Tracks once a week.
For example, Karyl Buddington, chairwoman of TIGUrS committee, and committee member Kim Wilson, recently hauled re-purposed, five-gallon pickle buckets filled with food scraps to the garden, located on the east side of campus near the Elma Neal Roane Fieldhouse.
Jeff Potter, the restaurant's general manager and resident head chef, said he is happy to give kitchen waste away to a good home.
To prevent cross-contamination, all leftovers from customers in the restaurant will not be saved for the compost. Only waste produced in the kitchen during food preparation will be used as scraps for the garden.
"Composting is a way to reduce overall waste, which would otherwise go to a landfill," Potter said. "It's a way to give back to the Earth."
The soil in a garden becomes depleted during the growing season because plants feed off macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Beneficial bacteria in the soil break down raw materials to produce these three important soil nutrients.
The use of real vegetable scraps, rather than chemical fertilizers, supports the survival of the beneficial bacteria that helps establish healthy soil structure. Proper structure allows roots from plants to grow deeper into the ground and have a better chance to thrive.
R.P. Tracks recently allied itself with Project Green Fork, a non-profit organization that encourages local dining establishments to begin and maintain sustainable practices. Project Green Fork's restaurant auditor, Garrett Minor, is also a student at The University.
The transport of waste to the compost site, located at the gardens, is less than one mile from its source, ensuring a low-emissions opportunity to supply the gardens with important soil nutrients.
University students working with the gardens will pick up the buckets from R.P. Tracks once a week.
For example, Karyl Buddington, chairwoman of TIGUrS committee, and committee member Kim Wilson, recently hauled re-purposed, five-gallon pickle buckets filled with food scraps to the garden, located on the east side of campus near the Elma Neal Roane Fieldhouse.
Jeff Potter, the restaurant's general manager and resident head chef, said he is happy to give kitchen waste away to a good home.
"It's a symbiotic relationship," Potter said. "We produce it, and someone else needs it."
"Composting is a way to reduce overall waste, which would otherwise go to a landfill," Potter said. "It's a way to give back to the Earth."
The soil in a garden becomes depleted during the growing season because plants feed off macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Beneficial bacteria in the soil break down raw materials to produce these three important soil nutrients.
The use of real vegetable scraps, rather than chemical fertilizers, supports the survival of the beneficial bacteria that helps establish healthy soil structure. Proper structure allows roots from plants to grow deeper into the ground and have a better chance to thrive.
"The gardens get the compost while it is raw," Potter said. " We're supplying them with the fuel they need."
R.P. Tracks recently allied itself with Project Green Fork, a non-profit organization that encourages local dining establishments to begin and maintain sustainable practices. Project Green Fork's restaurant auditor, Garrett Minor, is also a student at The University.
Minor, senior business management major, is responsible for uniting R.P. Tracks and the TIGUrS gardens.
As a member of the Environmental Action Club, Minor responded to the call for volunteers in the TIGUrS garden. He spoke with Buddington after considering the connection he could establish between the gardens and R.P. Tracks.
"I went out and volunteered to set up limestone paths and I worked for a few hours," Minor said. "Afterwards, I went to (R.P.) Tracks and told Jeff (Potter) that he would have a new person getting the compost."
As the only intern for Project Green Fork, Minor knows what standards are required for restaurants to maintain a climate of sustainability.
"I feel that the environment is a good thing to try and protect," Minor said. "I think that everyone should be on board for getting campus-wide composting in place."
As a member of the Environmental Action Club, Minor responded to the call for volunteers in the TIGUrS garden. He spoke with Buddington after considering the connection he could establish between the gardens and R.P. Tracks.
"I went out and volunteered to set up limestone paths and I worked for a few hours," Minor said. "Afterwards, I went to (R.P.) Tracks and told Jeff (Potter) that he would have a new person getting the compost."
As the only intern for Project Green Fork, Minor knows what standards are required for restaurants to maintain a climate of sustainability.
"A lot of people feel that environmentalists and businesses can't be linked." Minor said. "I think it can be, and that's what we are doing."
No comments:
Post a Comment