Posts Tagged ‘green’

This Earth Day, Do It “For Cod and Country”

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Barton Seaver

I am thrilled and honored that Sodexo chose recipes from my first cookbook, For Cod and Country, to help them celebrate sustainable seafood and Earth Day. When we talk about sustainable seafood, we are not just talking about sustaining the seas, but also about sustaining the communities that provide food for our tables. I have had the good fortune to work with many chefs across the Sodexo universe who understand this nuance and it’s an honor to be able to collaborate with such creative and talented teams.

Sustainable seafood is a multifaceted issue, but at its core it represents a conversation about how we interact with our oceans and ecosystems. Our fisheries are one of the primary causes of much of the damage imposed on our oceans by humans. With the plethora of seafood information available in the media and from non-profit organizations, it can be difficult to keep the data straight.  All of the confusion around seafood choices is enough to make some choose to opt not to serve it at all rather than make a wrong decision.

For Cod and Country

Instead of fearing an unwise selection, we should focus on the opportunity we have to use our dollars as our voices and support fisheries that are creating positive change. We should remember, at the end of the day that the products we choose to use have more impact in restoring an appropriate relationship with our oceans than do the products we avoid. There are many resources available to consumers and food service providers to help guide these choices. The National Geographic Seafood Decision Guide and the Marine Stewardship Council guidelines are great examples.

As we think about Earth Day, please remember that over 70% of the planet’s surface is oceans. Any impact we have on our waters has very real implications on our own well-being and that of our communities. For Cod and Country is written as a celebration of the delicious opportunity we have to participate in restoring not only the health of the oceans but also the health of our bodies. You will find many of the dishes within rely very heavily on vegetables for flavor, texture, and bulk. This is no accident– we will never accomplish our goals for the resiliency of oceans nor will we accomplish the goal of healthy communities unless fruit, vegetables and grains make up the majority of our diets.

I know customers will enjoy the seafood that I am proud to serve with Sodexo during this Earth Week. I am thrilled for you to join us in this celebration and in eating with care so that we may continue to eat deliciously from the seas.

A recognized leader in sustainability by the New England Aquarium, Barton Seaver is a chef, author and Fellow with the National Geographic Society.

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A New Year Resolution to Create a “Better Tomorrow”

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Larry Simpson

Call it a random act of kindness, an opportunity to make the world a better place, or simply a way to make a contribution to the world through actions. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what it’s called as long your volunteer work helps improve your community. This is the time of year when people are making resolutions and plans to improve themselves, but I encourage everyone to think about how they can use their professional skills and experience to improve their community.

Two years ago, my wife encouraged me to serve as a member of our town’s Energy Advisory Committee. The group’s goal was to achieve the “Green Communities” designation by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Resources, which calls for a 15% reduction of energy consumption over a five-year period. Reaching the goal would give us the chance to preserve tax dollars by redirecting energy savings into education and enhanced municipal services.

Because of my professional involvement with Sodexo, especially our work improving student well-being and achievement in school districts nationally, combined with personal interest to get involved with my community, it seemed like a perfect fit. I volunteered as chair of the committee and led a two-year collaborative process that allowed us to achieve our goal of becoming a “Green Community.” In addition, the innovation and leadership the committee demonstrated throughout the process earned us the recognition as “2012 People of the Year” by the Standard Times.

Click for more information on the Sodexo Better Tomorrow Plan

It was through this effort and others like it that I learned how behaviors can send direct and indirect ripples through our world…both positive and negative. If we hold a door for someone, offer a comforting word or perform a small (or large) act of benevolence it may cost little or nothing at all. But, the potential impact of our actions may have profound effect if they are compounded by the actions of many.

Sodexo uses its Better Tomorrow Plan as a road map to achieve goals related to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. One of the primary goals is to support local community development.  Although I didn’t set out to advance The Better Tomorrow Plan when I began working on this project, I understand the importance of its goal and I am doing my part by improving the community through this committee.

This year, I challenge you to do what you can to make a difference in your own community. Giving freely of your time and talent to help make the world a better place is one of the greatest and most satisfying gifts you can give. You may just find a resolution worth sticking to.

Larry Simpson is a director of the Sodexo Education segment in Lakeville, Massachusetts.

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It’s Earth Day, now what…?

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

This year’s Earth Day will be celebrated by 192 countries around the globe. With over 1 billion people participating annually, it is the largest civic observance in the world. To place this in perspective, 9 times more people will be participating on April 22 than those who watched this year’s Super Bowl.

At last glance over 814 million (and counting) have pledged an “act of green” this year to help save our planet. The pledges range from eating more local foods and using rechargeable batteries, to planting a tree or taking less time to shower. With so many people pledging to help the environment, these small practices add up to a large impact.

While not everyone may have the opportunity to plant a tree on Earth Day, there are other actions you can take that will have an impact just the same. One suggestion: when leaving your office for the day, turn off the computer! This not only reduces the utility bill but also avoids pollution emissions from the power plant that creates the electricity. Over the course of a year, the practice of turning off a computer at night will result in the environmental impact equivalent of planting 9 trees per year! Now who says you cannot have a green thumb?

Another suggestion would be to car pool with a colleague twice per week. On average this will avoid around 1600 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually (roughly 6 barrels of oil)—not  to mention the money saved from not having to fill up the gas tank. Pocket some of that money and with the remainder buy you and the driver a cup of coffee during the morning commute.

So as we observe Earth day later this month, remember we all can make a difference. At Sodexo, we work to make a difference every day with our Better Tomorrow Plan. That said, it’s really one small change each day, every day that makes the biggest difference in the end. Now before you leave the office today, turn off your computer and remember to tell your colleagues how many trees you just planted!  

Brandon is a regional director, energy and construction for Sodexo’s North American Solution Center.

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Does Mother Nature care that it’s World FM Day?

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

When stepping into an office building have you ever stopped and noted how the building was immaculately clean, or that the lights were on, and the elevators were all fully operational? Most likely have not, but all of us in facilities have. In honor of World FM Day, pay homage to the oft-thankless job of FM (facilities management) across the globe and highlight how we silently make our day a better day (inside and outside the building), especially my colleagues in Sodexo Facilities Management Solutions.

One aspect of World FM Day, created by IFMA (International Facility Management Association), is to increase ideals and technologies worldwide to FM professionals and the general public.

A trending objective among facility managers today is to make daily building operations as efficient and environmentally sound as possible. From new LEED certifications being placed on more buildings to colleges broadcasting their energy consumption on Twitter, it is apparent that being environmentally aware is integral to the FM industry.

 Recent advancements in building automation systems (BAS) have allowed facilities around the globe to decrease their daily carbon footprint. It is reported that the new BAS systems can conserve as much as 30% energy consumption in older buildings, and newer building can save up to 10% on their energy usage. Sodexo Facilities Management Solutions is committed energy reduction strategies as part of the company’s Better Tomorrow Plan global sustainability platform, but the beauty of these new BAS systems cannot only be found in how energy efficient they are, but the ease of installation is similarly impressive. The use of wireless technologies has enabled millions of older buildings to make the switch to more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly automation systems.

Additionally, the new BAS systems give employees access to virtual thermometers for their work space, which may finally put to rest the continuous complaints of a building being too hot or cold. IFMA has actually confirmed that temperature related complaints are number one among building occupants.

Although these technologies will make buildings more ecologically sound and accommodating for occupants, this can only be done if the technologies are implemented correctly with experienced technicians. It’s funny when you think about it—at Sodexo, we know that if the best facility manager can do his/her job right and practically no one will notice it, the good thing now is that hopefully Mother Nature won’t notice it either.

Wayne Dyer is a vice president of operations for Sodexo Facilities Management Solutions

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