SBU Food Day Promotes Healthy Eating, Local Fare

Event raises awareness of health and environmental issues for improved lifestyles

STONY BROOK, NY, October 23, 2012 – Campus Dining Services is partnering with the Office of Sustainability and Stony Brook Heights gardening program to celebrate Food Day at Stony Brook University on October 24. Food Day is a national event that began in 2011, which celebrates healthy eating, sustainable farming and agricultural welfare. It was created by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a group dedicated to raising public awareness of health and environmental issues to help Americans lead more healthy lifestyles.

Tomorrow from 12:00 pm to 2:30pm at the Farmer’s Market on the academic mall, Campus Dining Services will be selling fresh, locally sourced produce and the Office of Sustainability will be discussing sustainability programs on campus and the new Stony Brook bike share program. Students will have a chance to win reusable mugs to eliminate disposables on campus. The first 100 students to shop at the Farmer’s Market will receive reusable tote bags.

“We’re excited to bring awareness to students about healthy and sustainable choices,” said Carly Shephard, the Marketing Director for Campus Dining Services. “This is the first time we’ve been able to collaborate on bringing awareness to the sustainable practices on campus outside of Earthstock.”

Stony Brook Heights, a new rooftop gardening program started by students and staff located on top of the Health Sciences Center (HSC), to date, has grown hundreds of pounds of produce, all of which is provided to Stony Brook Hospital patients. As part of the Food Day celebration, Stony Brook Heights will be holding a free movie screening of “Fresh” in SAC Ballroom A at 8pm on October 24. The 2009 film explores the lives and efforts of several nationally recognized food experts working to change the state of American agriculture and economic policy.

“The advantage to hosting a Food Day event is the ability to showcase all of the sustainable initiatives on campus, whether it’s about healthy eating or recycling programs,” said James O’Connor, the Director of the Office of Sustainability. “We’re trying to get our message out there that we’re serious about making a positive change to the environment.” The Office of Sustainability, formerly known as the Office of Environmental Stewardship, was formed in
January 2012 to help students lead more healthy and sustainable lifestyles.

To learn more about the national Food Day program, visit www.foodday.org. For more information on sustainable initiatives on campus, visit the Office of Sustainability website at www.stonybrook.edu/sustainability/ or the Campus Dining website at www.stonybrook.edu/dining.