A new partnership at the University of Chicago has led to a research project designed to improve sustainable practices in the four Student-Run Cafés on campus. Student researchers will analyze food sourcing, use of paper products, and energy, water, and waste management.
Beginning in January, students partnered with experts from the Green Chicago Restaurant Coalition (GCRC) to analyze coffee shop sustainability practices and ultimately, make recommendations to improve sustainable operations at the student-operated cafés. Those cafés include:
- eX Libris in the Regenstein Library
- Hallowed Grounds in the Reynolds Club
- Cobb Shop in Cobb Lecture Hall
- Harper Café in Harper Library
The project is a collaboration that includes members of the University’s Office of Sustainability, GCRC, the UChicago Center for Leadership and Involvement (CLI), and the University’s Environment, Agriculture and Food Working Group (EAF). Undergraduate students are conducting research for the project through a class practicum in public policy studies and environmental studies, led by College Lecturer and EAF Director Sabina Shaikh.
Acting as a facilitator, the Office of Sustainability will coordinate project activity, in order to foster collaboration amongst this diverse team. This exemplifies a key goal of the Office, which is to enable connection among autonomous University of Chicago groups to drive toward greater collective impact.
May-May Chen, Class of 2017, is a member of the EAF group, which is a scholarly working group of the Program on Global Environment focusing on the relationship between agricultural production, consumption, and the environment. “I think this project is a great way to draw attention to and emphasize the importance of sustainable practices on campus,” Chen said. “When things get busy, even the most environmentally conscious people can forget to incorporate eco-friendly practices in their daily lives.”
The student team started the research last fall by meeting with each café student manager to conduct an evaluation of areas that include: food sourcing, office environment (paper use, electric equipment, etc.), staff training, utilities, water conservation, and waste management practices. Once current operations and practices are understood, documented and baselines set, the team will set goals for the cafés, based on economic and environmental criteria. Methods to gather data and track performance on an ongoing basis are a critical goal to allow coffee shop sustainability monitoring after the project completes.
The project also considers the consumer side of sustainability by implementing a survey about sustainability preferences in the coffee shops. “I think this project takes a unique approach to sustainability, determining both what is feasible in the coffee shops and what consumers actually want to see change in the coffee shops,” said Caitlin Piccirillo-Stosser, a second year economics and public policy major who has been involved in the research since the fall. “It’s a learning experience on both ends of the research.”
The GCRC will advise and manage the group to provide expert leadership on food service operations and ensure the research best addresses the needs for enhanced sustainability. The group provides educational resources to Chicago foodservice outlets and educates consumers about environmentally sustainable dining options.
Overall, the program seeks to enhance waste and recycling practices, decrease energy consumption and induce behavioral changes to mitigate environmental impacts. The shops collectively can help to reduce the carbon footprint of hundreds of students, staff and faculty everyday, and each shop will serve as a “living lab” for sustainability engagement and student inquiry.
For more information, contact the EAF group at eaf@uchicago.edu or visit http://eaf.uchicago.edu. Follow the students’ progress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @UChicagoEAF.