P R E – C O N F E R E N C E  E V E N T S • S A N  J O S E, C A

Sustainability "Road Trip" and Workshop
July 6-7, 2010

Across the country, college and university dining programs are at the forefront of today’s sustainability efforts. Attend this one-and-a-half-day pre-conference workshop to increase your understanding of available sustainability resources, learn how to satisfy your customers’ demands for environmentally friendly options, identify ways to generate a financial return to your institution, and maximize your efforts to become an integral player in sustainability efforts on your campus.

This pre-conference workshop includes a full-day “road trip” to visit a local college and farm-to-campus program that is at the forefront of sustainability in the San Jose area, as well as another half-day of indoor classroom learning, featuring speakers and panel presentations that provide additional insights and guidance to improve your sustainability efforts. 

Sustainability “Road Trip” – Tuesday morning, grab a fresh, breakfast-to-go and hop on an environmentally-friendly motor-coach, to spend the day in the Monterey Bay area. A combination of speakers, tours, and outdoor learning experiences will be provided by sustainability pioneers representing the University of California-Santa Cruz and University of California-Berkeley student, campus, and dining service organizations. To get the full impact of their farm-to-college efforts, the day will include tours of the UCSC garden project, and LEED standard remodeled restaurants, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of their energy conservation and waste management systems. Before you return to the hotel, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable “Dinner in the Fields” amidst the fresh produce on the working 25-acre UCSC campus farm overlooking beautiful Monterey Bay .

Return refreshed on Wednesday morning for breakfast with your peers, including those attending other pre-conference workshops, and vendors selected specifically for product mix and services that are relevant to campus sustainability efforts.

Classroom experts will then provide another half-day of informative sessions and roundtable discussions to help you make better sustainability decisions in such critical areas as food and equipment procurement, energy and water conservation, chemical reduction and preventive maintenance, transportation and distribution, and facility construction and renovations. Relevant information and resources from the NACUFS Sustainability Guide will be incorporated into the program.

DETAILED PROGRAM AGENDA
 
TUESDAY, JULY 6

7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.      Registration - Lobby Fairmont Hotel

7:45 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.      Bus loads; departs promptly at 8:00 a.m. (Complimentary "Breakfast-To-Go" provided.)

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon    The Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA) educational farm (Tour and discussion on consortium/clearing house for small farmers to provide local/organic produce to large entities.)

                                     Dole Food Company, Inc. (Plant tour and discussion of Dole organic program)

12:00 noon - 2:15 p.m.    Earthbound Farm (Tour and lunch at their roadside farmers' stand, featuring handmade organic foods from their certified organic kitchen.)

2:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.      Univeristy of California - Santa Cruz (Including tour of newly remodeled LEED qualified Porter and Cowell/Stevenson dining halls; Panel presentation with UCSC partners regarding sustainability contributions to dining and the campus - e.g., co-generation plant, composting, waste management, etc.; Tour working, 25-acre UCSC campus farm, including presentations on sustainable farming techniques, programs and research; Reception at barn with hors d' oeuvres and organic beer and wine; "Dinner in the Fields" amidst the fresh produce overlooking beautiful Monterey Bay.

7:30 p.m.                      Bus loads for return trip

8:00 - 8:30 p.m.            Bus arrives back at Fairmont Hotel 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7

7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.      Continental breakfast and vendor display with related sustainability products

8:15 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.      Review of "Road Trip" and workshop introductions (Co-Facilitators: Scott Berlin, University of California-Santa Cruz; Mike Laux, University of California-Berkeley)

9:00 a.m - 10:00 a.m.    University of California's system-wide sustainability policies and measurable targets for foodservice sustainability (Moderator and Speaker: Alan Moloney, Director, Strategic Sourcing, UC, Office of the President; Panelists: Tim Galarneau, Food Systems Education & Research Program Specialist, UC-Santa Cruz; Lisa McNealy, Director of Sustainability, UC-Berkeley; and Matthew St. Clair, Sustainability Manager, UC, Office of the President)

10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Networking Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Sustainable Food Practices (Speaker: Anya Fernwald, Director of Live Culture Company)

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.   Panel Discussion on "Real Food" and Sustainable Food Systems [Moderator: Charles Davies, Associate Director, Residential Dining, UC-Berkeley. Panelists: Anya Fernwald, Director, Live Culture Company; Ariane Michas, Manager, Local Food Systems, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF); Tina Cosentino, Program Specialist, California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)

The Sustainability"Road Trip" and Workshop Pre-conference event includes a breakfast-to-go, lunch, reception and dinner on Tuesday, plus continental breakfast and appropriate breaks on Wednesday.  Bus transportation for the Tuesday road trip is also provided.

Click here to register for this event.  Because of the offsite nature of this event, space is limited. Register early!