Kitchen Cabinet
December 9, 2019
Steve Kjellgren, Jeri Miller, Lisa Heldke, James Dontje, Mark Hanson, Chuck Niederriter, Molly Yunkers, Jessica Braun, Emma Nelson, Bri Jol, Kevin Birr, Paul Matzke, Ben Menke, Tim Sisk
Ben Menke – Student Senate Food Insecurity Project – discussed 40% of students have food insecurities. Wondering how we can find out what is happening on our campus. Where do we start, who do we start with? Possibly off campus students since they are not on a meal plan. Is it because of being on a meal plan and the prices? Having food allergies? Do we get the Dean of Students involved, Counseling Center, Health Services? What students are answering the questions? Discussed having a swipe out hunger where students with left over meal plan money each month, share the money with students who don’t have enough. What has been done so far to find out more about food insecurity?
Jim Dontje – PESC update – all areas are working on recycling. Do we have recycling where busses unload? We have an outside group doing an energy audit to identify high value areas. They can bring financial help and they work for the state. The audit takes a week and they then crunch numbers. We find that the mechanical rooms has the most intense energy usage. Tim said that the library is working on getting LED lights.
Lisa Heldke – First Bite – Taste with food. What’s going on inside your mouth? How do we learn what we like? Students and Faculty eat the same foods all the time. Can we try some food samples? Once a month do a sampling of different foods in Dining Service. People don’t buy it if they don’t know what it’s like because they don’t want to spend the money and not like it. Partnership with Big Hill Farms – discuss where food comes from. The Market Place is overwhelming, first year orientation, can we explain how the Market Place works. Students go over this with the new students, Gustie Greeters, use the new Nobel kitchen for sampling?
Molly Yunkers – Plastic Recycling – Partnered with a company in Wisconsin – if we take in 500 pounds of plastic in 6 months, they will make us a bench. In two weeks we are over 100 pounds. We have had no negative feedback with the program. Once a week we run the plastic down to Family Fresh. Tuesdays students sort the plastic. We need to make sure all are aware – ECO Fair – Molly was there. We need to update signage to include plastic recycling – take items to the book store. Make sure labels are peeled off and the plastic is clean, dry and stretchy. Throw dirty bags in trash.
Alkaline batteries are collected in the book store and in the library for recycling.