What is the Green Skillet Competition?
Undergraduate students aren’t the only ones taking action to reduce their House’s environmental impact—the wonderful kitchen and dining hall staff are doing their part too! The Green Skillet is an academic year-long sustainability competition between the nine kitchens of the 13 houses. Now in its fourth year, the competition pits kitchens against each other in four categories: electricity conservation, natural gas conservation, participation in the Sustainability Pledge, and special projects. Interested in getting involved? Contact the Program Manager, Carol Healy, by email (carol_healy@harvard.edu) or phone (617-496-4497).
How do staff members stay competitive?
Staff recycle (some even compost where they can!), turn off lights, report leaks, keep the water from running, turn off equipment not in use, closely monitor pre-heat times, close refrigerator doors tight, wash dishes in full batches, and support diverse special projects. Managers also work with other Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) staff to complete energy-efficient upgrades for equipment and infrastructure.
How is the winner determined?
Electricity and natural gas usage are measured and recorded each month. Staff manually read some meters (even if they have to trudge through the snow to get to them!) and upload data on the web. The amount used is then compared to a three-year baseline (an average of that same month’s data over the previous three years). The Sustainability Pledge is measured as the percent participation rate of the dining hall staff. Finally, each kitchen submits special projects that are designed to reduce environmental impacts in some way. These are initially awarded one point each and then are judged on their success at the end of the year. The winning kitchen is awarded with a staff breakfast and the highly coveted Green Skillet to proudly hang in their halls!
