News from New York State Office of General Services

For more information contact: Brad Maione, 518-474-5987

State Cafeterias to Go Green: Biodegradable Material to Replace Polystyrene

OGS Strives to Make Every Day Earth Day

ALBANY, NY (04/22/2008; 1238)(readMedia)-- New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner John Egan today celebrated Earth Day by announcing three new initiatives that are part of Governor David Paterson’s ongoing commitment to sustainable state operations.

"When it comes to protecting the environment, the state should lead by example. I commend OGS Commissioner John Egan and his staff for blazing the trail for environmental sustainability by adopting these impressive practices. The state and all consumers, have a tremendous opportunity to make green purchasing decisions that preserve natural resources and energy. With leadership from OGS, state employees can indeed make every day earth day," said Governor David A. Paterson.

“At the first Earth Day, 38 years ago, a group of visionaries realized that we each have a responsibility to renew our collective commitment to global responsibility and environmental protection,” said Commissioner Egan. “New York Actions can have a Global Impact. We have the ability, through our day-to-day decisions, to preserve our resources and protect the environment.”

Commissioner Egan was joined by Tracy Baker, Director of Marketing of Sodexo Corporation, and David Gahl of Environmental Advocates of New York at a news conference at the Grand Concourse Cafeteria, the largest of nine facilities located in the Empire State Plaza and operated by Sodexo.

The first sustainability initiative focuses on reducing solid waste by introducing biodegradable plates, containers, cups, and cutlery to the food service facilities that serve more than 9,500 state employees, legislators, and visitors that occupy the Plaza on a daily basis. These products are manufactured using bamboo, sugar cane, and grass and will break down in as short a period as two weeks. In contrast, polystyrene foam, a petroleum-based product, chokes landfills for hundreds of years, potentially contaminates groundwater and poses a danger to wildlife. In a second associated project, OGS and Sodexo are teaming up to further reduce the waste stream through a new pilot composting project, which will be phased in during the months to come. Starting today, Sodexo staff and cafeteria patrons will be asked to separate waste material in preparation for off-site composting.

Sodexo estimates that its Albany-based facilities previously were the source of more than 2.5 million pieces of polystyrene foam annually.

“Sodexo is proud to partner with the State of New York to make a positive, long-term contribution to addressing this environmental challenge. This effort is launched on Earth Day, but will make a difference every day,” said Arlin Wasserman, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship at Sodexo. “The new composting program continues our partnership to increase environmental awareness while reducing the environmental footprint of the dining services.”

“Environmental Advocates of New York salutes the Office of General Services for taking this green step on Earth Day by phasing out polystyrene packaging,” said David Gahl, Policy Director, Environmental Advocates of New York. “Millions of non-recyclable polystyrene products are clogging our landfills. Coupled with the New York State Office of General Services’ energy conservation efforts, phasing out polystyrene products sets an environmentally responsible example for other state agencies to follow.”

Commissioner Egan also announced the initial results from its Carpool and Save Program that was unveiled earlier this month in an effort to improve air quality, save fuel and reduce day-to-day commuter expenses. Commissioner Egan presented the first of 196 carpooling permits that OGS will issue under the program, which received an overwhelming immediate response and resulted in more than 395 state employees signing up to be part of the modified carpool program which allows as few as two people to form a carpool.

“The women and men that work at OGS believe we all have a responsibility to translate policy into practice,” said Commissioner Egan. “Implementing the green portfolio has been and remains a central part of our mission, and by eliminating polystyrene in state cafeterias, introducing a composting program for food waste, and renewing our call to carpool, we are reinforcing Governor Paterson’s sustainability agenda for New York.”

Over the past few years, OGS has aggressively pursued various ways of meeting its current needs by seeking to minimize environmental impacts exploring conservation, efficiency, and emerging technologies.

Among its various effort are:

Designs for Sustainability – OGS architectural and engineering staff realize the importance of green building design and each day they apply these principles on behalf of our state government partners. The number of OGS professionals that have received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation grows each year. OGS currently has eight LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, with 12 in training.

Reclaiming Lands – Since 2004, OGS has worked closely with the Department of Environmental Conservation to eliminate massive illegal tire dumps from landscapes around the state. Using state-of-the art recycling technology OGS has developed a process for removing millions of illegally discarded tires, restoring the land and recycling the tires for re-use.

Green Transportation Choices – OGS heads the Clean Fueled Vehicles Council, a multi-agency effort to help the state shift its vehicle fleet to alternative fuels such as ethanol, compressed natural gas and hybrid electric vehicles. This effort has led to significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and has ensured that New York State remains a leader in providing green transportation.

Energy Conservation Measures – OGS has pioneered the use of Web Enabled Metering, which allows building managers and utilities engineers to study energy consumption in real time. This helps to avoid over-consumption and identify issues as they arise. Over the years energy conservation efforts have yielded millions of dollars in savings, while keeping tons of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

Keeping It Green, Every Day – OGS leads by example when it comes to maintenance. Through the “Three R’s” and responsible waste management practices, OGS diverts as much material as it can from the waste stream. During the 2005-06 fiscal year, OGS recycled 2,282 tons of paper and 2,761 tons of materials such as batteries and scrap metal. Through its work with state agencies, employees and tenants, more than 58 percent of the waste stream was recycled. OGS also chooses environment-friendly equipment and has taken the lead on introducing “green cleaning” standards, which will make our schools and work places healthier.

###