The "Green Swish" indicates stories or ideas emphasizing our Division's efforts to be sustainable.

We have a new Food Services Director, David Fuhrman and he is bringing new enthusiasm, energy and awareness into Emory’s food; where it comes from, how it’s served and where it goes when it’s done.

He’s going to roll out a “Meatless Monday” concept for healthy eating choices (it’s an option), he is working with our Resident Students to help with leftovers and feeding the hungry/homeless…and composting is going to be formally (albeit steadily) adopted throughout Emory.

Composting at Emory today consists of a few buildings on a dedicated pickup cycle; the idea was to prove it could be done, without additional workload, just by changing a process, not adding to it. Goizueta Business School is a full adopter, as is the Glenn Memorial Church School Building. Glenn has a considerable amount of “leftovers” to contribute to composting; church supper and compostable dishware is one element and all those pumpkins in the fall that aren’t sold go to the compost bin (hundreds of thousands of pounds!).

1599 Clifton is the next building targeted for composting; they are adding a special bin to each floor and signage for information as to how it works and why it is important. Food grows in the ground or eats food from the ground; it goes full circle. Ending up in a landfill doesn’t quite get it back to the ground, but separating it from the landfill stream reduces overall landfill size and puts the food back where it can grow or give again. We have a lot of staff in 1599 so I hope that they will take advantage of this opportunity. The North Decatur Bldg and 1762 will soon be added the compost effort, so stay tuned!

You can try composting at home by saving all your vegetable and fruit scraps (no meat, no bread = no varmints) and mixing it with leaves and yard waste. In a bin, in a hole, in a section of the yard; it doesn’t require much except a space where you can contain it (to build the heat that breaks down the materials). When it’s done, you have the best kind of soil amendment possible, your yard and garden will grow with vigor and you will reap the reward!