"John Turenne has been a beacon for
vision and sensibility in sustainable food purchasing. His experience and contagious passion for linking
institutional ideals with sustainable
agricultural
production have been critical in helping us."
Philip Ackerman-Leist, Director
Green Mountain College Farm Food Project
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"Sustainable food is food grown or raised by local small to
mid-sized farmers and producers who commit to the vitality of the earth, their
livestock and their workers. It is prepared in ways that
maintain and respect purity, freshness and flavor. Therefore sustainable food promotes economic,
environmental, nutritional and social well being."
John Turenne
Sustainable Food Systems LLC
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Sustainability in the Food Industry
Now Available
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Forward to a Friend or Colleague
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The Sustainable Food Journey
Spring - Two Seasons in One
Early spring is when those less common, wild treats start poking up around our woods and wetlands to reassure us that the colder months are behind us. Here in the northeast the changing climate allows for shoulder seasons and none come better timed than spring. We've survived winter's worst and to reward us and yet tease us, nature first begins the slow greening (or in the case of mushrooms - browning) process - April brings fiddleheads, ramps and wild mushrooms. May gets greener still with tender lettuces, spinach, asparagus and peas and finally June comes bursting through with longer days and strawberries and rhubarb. So as you read this, take a look at the calendar, and a look outside. Go where the wild things are - go foraging. Then rest assured, the sun will reach that pinnacle, the days will fill with light and the land will provide us with the rest of our needs. Go now! The second spring season will be upon you. Summer's not far off.
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Sustainability Tip
Do just ONE
thing more! Everyone is doing something
to become more cognoscente of the impact of their choices. So no matter what
you're currently doing,
do one thing more.
Why is composting so simple? So sustainable?
The simplest way to begin composting is to find simple
containers for composting for pre-consumer waste - those random scraps of
non-edibles that occur during the cooking process before food is cooked. You
can compost fruit and vegetable peels/rinds, tea bags, coffee grounds,
eggshells, and other cooking scraps.
But why
compost in the first place? Turn waste into gold! Instead of adding
to your trash bins and subsequently our landfills, turn that into a powerful,
environmentally friendly way to fertilize your plants and gardens. Save
$$! See what a fundamentally positive environmental impact your little
carrot peelings can make?!!?!!!
Learn more about composting and other valuable resources on our web site.
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Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) Grant Award
 As
an HCFS Fellow, I wanted to share news with you regarding the 2009 Hobart
Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) $5,000 grant award, as now is the
time to prepare your application. The industry-wide award recognizes and
supports the most innovative and best-executed foodservice or food retail
sustainability project of the year. All submissions must be received by August
31, 2009.
Your
application will be judged by the HCFS Fellows, an independent group of experts
in foodservice sustainability, including last year's grant winner, Scott
Berlin, UC Santa Cruz's director of hospitality and dining. An application to
submit your case study, as well as the official rules for the grant program, is
available on their web site. The
winning foodservice or food retail sustainability project will be selected on
its success in addressing one or more of these objectives:
- How
the operation reduced energy/water use.
- How
the operation reduced creation of wastewater or solid waste.
- How
the operation implemented Farm-to-Fork programs or other combined
programs.
The
$5,000 grant will be awarded at the 2009 Greenbuild Expo in Phoenix, Arizona,
November 11-13. The recipient will be invited to the Greenbuild Expo and will
be invited to become an HCFS Fellow.
Any individual, company or organization in the foodservice industry in the U.S.
can enter. This award is given annually by the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability,
a nonprofit, industry-wide forum established to provide thought leadership and
counsel for the foodservice industry's drive for sustainable design. More
information is available on their web site or by contacting hobart@hsr.com or 513-346-3436.
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Current Events
Read about what John Turenne and the team at Sustainable Food Systems are up to:
Meet Ellen Thomas
A new member of our team. As a nutrition
educator, chef instructor and consultant, Ellen Thomas works hands-on with organizations
seeking to understand the benefits of eating fresh, seasonal and local cuisine.
 Ellen attended
the Kushi Institute, a macrobiotic center in western Massachusetts. Through this education she began to
understand the correlation between food and health, and was first introduced to
the idea of food as medicine. Ellen
returned to the Institute as one of the lead chefs. She has leveraged this unique experience to
create Natural Food Chef where she works with clients experiencing significant
health conditions to teach them how to nourish themselves through proper food
choices and lifestyle.
Ellen has had
the unique privilege of working with Chef Ann Cooper, the Executive Director of
the nationally acclaimed Nutrition Services Department of the Berkeley Unified
School District and has taught cooking for a semester at Alice Waters' Edible
Schoolyard. This experience has given
her a new understanding and appreciation for the importance of introducing
children to healthy eating.
We are delighted that Ellen has joined Sustainable Food Systems.
Alden Cadwell
Attended the NE Farm to School conference in Burlington, Vermont. He had a wonderful time talking with people from all parts of the food world from farmers to principals. Alden gave a presentation on how to build a low or no cost garden pizza oven, which is a great way to bring the kitchen to the garden.
Aberdeen Group
The ROI of Sustainability: Making the Business Case.
One of our colleagues, the Aberdeen
Group conducted research on the ROI of a sustainable food services
model. Their data indicates that far from being a philanthropic 'nice
to have,' top
performing organizations view sustainability as a 'must have' strategy
for long-term, business viability and success. This is a great article
that makes the business case for system wide sustainability. Read the article.
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Our Menu of Services
Sustainable Food Systems offers consulting
services that return simplicity and quality to your food service program with
better control over your ingredients, menus, recipes and costs.
Your food service
can become healthier for the community you serve, the environment you live
in, and your financial bottom line. We offer a three-fold service: -
Identification
and Planning. We identify opportunities
for implementing simple, sustainable changes based on your food system, needs
and clientele to create a realistic action plan.
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Implementation.
We implement the agreed upon action plan through education, recipe and menu
development, staff support, and linkages with local food producers.
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Assessment and
Support. We periodically assess
the impact of changes through consumer feedback, community impact, and
financial performance. We then recommend ways to enhance your action plan to ensure continued sustainable growth.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help you on your journey.
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John's Upcoming Presentations
June 12-14 Sun Valley Food & Wine Festival
Sun Valley, ID Brochure
June 30, 2009 "Sustainability
and Going Green in Health Care
Newark, NJ Food Service" - The
University Of Medicine &
Dentistry Of New Jersey
Sept 29, 2009 "Shades of Green...and How to Deepen Your
SF, CA Commitment to Sustainability" - Society
for
Food Service Management National Meeting
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Thank you for your continued support. We value your feedback on our offerings!
We are hopeful that you enjoyed our e-newsletter and would like to share with your friends and colleagues.
Six Seasons
We all know that the calendar tells us that
there are four seasons in the year. However, our environment often dictates
that differently when it comes to growing food. In the
northern climes of the US, we actually find that there are six
seasons when it comes to growing and eating food. Therefore, we
will follow this reality and produce six issues of the Sustainable
Food Journey annually.
John Turenne
President
Sustainable Food Systems, LLC
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Sustainable Food Systems offers a unique consulting and technical assistance service that partners with institutions and organizations interested in incorporating planet healthy practices into their food programs. Utilizing sustainability practices in food production and preparation strengthens our local communities and economies and the larger world around us. Let us help you deliver food better.
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